The narrative opens in a country household where returning sons bring a royal commission that sets in motion the inspection and suppression of religious houses. It follows the visitation of small priories and convents, depicting daily monastic life, acts of faith, and personal conflicts as external pressure increases. Internal dissension, political manoeuvre, and local uprisings lead to the siege, destruction, and dispersal of a priory, with vivid scenes of violence and its human cost. Interwoven are attempts at mediation, questions of loyalty, and the emotional aftermath for both religious communities and their lay neighbours.