Winterset enters the service of Rhodes and witnesses first-hand the ugly and brutal side of Rhodes's independent colony-building. Later on, Winterset can only watch helplessly as "The Original Situation" reasserts itself, the world is convulsed by two World Wars, and the second one is followed by the breakup of the British Empire.
Winterset becomes involved with Rhodes's colonial endeavors and experiences the harsh realities of his actions. The "Original Situation" returns to disrupt the world, leading to global conflict and the dismantling of the British Empire.