When cathedral dean Adam Ayscough encounters clockmaker Isaac Peabody their unlikely friendship touches the lives of the entire community Behind the dean's fearsome reputation lies a humble man crippled by shyness Desperate to leave behind a lasting legacy of goodness his only wishes are to serve God & his parishioners & to be loved by his young & dissatisfied wife Haunted by the memories of a miserable childhood gifted clockmaker Isaac Peabody has spent a lifetime perfecting his craft & rejecting all belief in God Despite their fundamental differences both men find a common understanding & discover that faith can come in many different guises