A young squire called Eubulo le Strange is sent to Conisbrough Castle to complete his military training in the service of John de Warenne. While he is there he gets caught up in an intricate web of politics, love and war, which leads to his involvement in the abduction of Lady Alice de Laci, wife of the powerful Earl Thomas of Lancaster. Unfortunately, the Earl is not slow to seek revenge, and lays siege to Conisbrough Castle. The main characters and events in this story are historical, though they have been fleshed out with fictional minor characters and the author's interpretation of events. The Historical Note at the end of the book sets the record straight. The previous edition was entitled The Abduction of Lady Alice.