"...The whole camp was completely unprepared for what happened next. Suddenly, a group of men in black masks shot out among them, raising their swords. The camp sprang to its feet, drawing weapons … it was all over in moments, and every member of the camp was securely bound. Sir Cranberry watched furiously, expecting them to steal his packhorses, and packs, but to his surprise, no such thing happened... Two of them were instantly recognisable to Sir Cranberry’s men. One was the suspicious-looking Justin Hedge. The other was Sergio Cesarani.
‘You have been arrested by the Holy Inquisition!’ announced Cesarani sarcastically. ‘We will search and question each of you, one by one’..."

This is the historically-based tale of the Gunpowder Plot and the time of the Counter-Reformation: Sir Cranberry Hooper is caught and who will carry his carefully hidden bundle of papers to Venice safe from the hands of the Inquisition? And what will become of them as they try to discover why Thomas Winter or Sergio Cesarani is going to meet a Jesuit in Canterbury?