Midway through the Hundred Years War, England is in danger of losing its prized territorial possession in France, the rich domain of Aquitaine.
Henri de Guyac, the most important nobleman of the region, is wavering in his allegiance to the English king. He must be persuaded to remain loyal.
The man chosen for this delicate task is Geoffrey Chaucer, one-time soldier, would-be poet and now an agent for John of Gaunt, the King’s son. Chaucer was once a hostage of Henri de Guyac in his castle on the river Dordogne. To complicate things, he had fallen in love with Rosamund, Henri’s wife.
There are factions inside and outside Guyac’s castle determined to thwart Chaucer’s mission. And when Henri is killed during a boar-hunt, Chaucer must not only uncover a murderer but escape through the dangerous territory of Aquitaine.