Bailiff Simon Puttock's servant, Hugh, has been granted leave to look after his wife Constance and help raise her child. One day she is attacked and raped by a gang of men at her home. She sees her son being murdered and then her man, Hugh is struck down, before she is killed and the house set on fire. When Simon and Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, arrive on the scene, the cottage has burned to the ground and the body of the child lies outside. Inside there is a woman's torso, badly burned, but no remains of Hugh. The fire raged so fiercely, all believe Hugh died inside. However, things are not so simple, and not only does Simon vow revenge, there are dark forces lurking which will cause no end of mischief and bloodshed.