March 1223: Edwin and Alys receive an unexpected visit from Edric, Alys's brother, whom they haven't seen for years. He has fled from his home in Lincoln to ask for their help – he's been accused of murder, declared an outlaw and sentenced to death.

Edric's story is so bizarre that Edwin thinks it can only be true; determined to help, he and Alys travel to Lincoln in an unauthorised attempt to discover what really happened. There, he grapples with his dislike of an unfamiliar, money-obsessed society, while she discovers that family reunions might not be as joyful as they were expected to be. Under the pressure of time Edwin is forced to take more risks than he usually would, putting Alys and her family in grave danger.

Some people will do anything for gain, no matter how terrible the results for others: ambition might be expensive, but life is cheap.