But it was clearly not Christopher's intention. By now Faith was resigned to enjoying his brotherly companionship and to meeting with his exalted friends, including Tom, who, since his ordination, had obtained the post of Chaplain to the Duke of Buckingham, one of the King's most influential advisors. He was disappointed too, with the stalemate. Just as everything had settled into a dull routine, one of those unpredictable events swamped Christopher's world. Like Shakespear's tide it flooded him into even greater good fortune; and the unlikely instrument of his good fortune was the plague....