Strange events are unfolding in the household of Lord Leofric and Lady Amitis. Gossip runs rampant as loyalties are tested. Even the slaves, who are to act as though they are part of the stone buildings, are caught in the intrigue that soon overtakes the household. Lin is merely a slave-girl, but, despite her best efforts, the whispers ensnare her. Troubled, she turns to her only confidant, a prized leather journal, to record her observations.