Description
The story begins in 1558, when Ned Willard returns to Kingsbridge hoping to marry Margery Fitzgerald, his childhood love. Their families, however, are divided by religion and politics. When Elizabeth I ascends to the throne, Ned joins her secret service, becoming part of a network dedicated to preventing assassination plots and religious wars.
Across Europe, the novel follows parallel storylines:
- Catholic and Protestant factions clash violently.
- Royal courts in France, Spain, and England become battlegrounds of intrigue.
- Margery is forced into a marriage that aligns her with the opposing side.
- Ned works to protect Elizabeth from conspiracies, including the threat posed by Mary, Queen of Scots.
As decades pass, Ned and Margery’s lives remain intertwined, shaped by the relentless struggle between fanaticism and tolerance. The novel culminates in the early 1600s with the Gunpowder Plot, symbolizing the end of an era of religious extremism.
