When Roger Bigod, heir to the powerful earldom of Norfolk, arrives at court in 1177 to settle a bitter inheritance dispute with his half-brothers, he encounters Ida de Tosney, young mistress to King Henry II.
A victim of Henry’s seduction and the mother of his son, Ida is attracted to Roger and sees in him a chance of lasting security; but in deciding to marry Roger, she is forced to make a choice. As Roger’s importance as a mainstay of the Angevin government grows, it puts an increasing strain on his marriage.
Against a volatile political background the gulf between them threatens to widen beyond crossing, especailly when so many bridges have already been burned.
