This historical novel investigates a facinating piece of relatively unknown history of the collusion of the Scottish Catholic Lords with Philip II of Spain. With the help of Catholics in Scotland several thousand Spanish troops were planning to land at the port of Kirkcudbright in Southern Scotland and join them in an invasion of England to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I. Lord John Maxwell, Earl of Morton, Clan chief of Caerlaverock Castle near Dumfries, travels to Spain and spends a year at the Escorial Palace near Madrid. He meets with King Philip the most powerful monarch of the world, and...