Set in the reign of King Henry VIII, the story opens at a Devonshire stronghold and follows a young gentlewoman who leaves home to answer an urgent summons and is drawn into court life. Along the way family loyalties, rivalries, and a mysterious figure known as the wizard complicate her fortunes, while encounters at Kimbolton, Greenwich, and the Thames bring jousts, legal peril, romantic entanglements, and accusations of treason. The narrative traces her growth from sheltered kinswoman to active participant in political and personal struggles, balancing scenes of provincial hospitality and martial pageantry with plots, betrayals, and a final reckoning for the enigmatic wizard.