England in 1586 is a divided land: while Elizabeth I and her ministers fight for their new order, those belonging to the old religion face a dangerous struggle to uphold their faith. Thomas Rufford, the eldest son in a recusant Catholic family, despairs of his situation. But when a friend and benefactor, Anthony Babington, arrives at his Lancashire home, Thomas's life changes for ever. Together with his brother, a Jesuit priest who is hunted by the authorities, he embarks on a journey that takes him from perilous encounters with watchmen in the aftermath of a failed Armada to Catholic priest holes; from bruising encounters with sinister priest-hunters to the depths of the Tower of London. Thomas must risk his life in his quest for spiritual freedom and the true meaning of his faith. In the face of overwhelming odds - and the machinations of Sir Francis Walsingham - can he succeed?