Butchery outside a London brothel leaves Westfields Men in disarray While England is brought low by rumours of Queen Elizabeths declining health celebrated theatre company Lord Westfields Men suffer their own bitter blows. A vicious feud between players causes chaos; a rival company launches a new production; a mysterious beauty reduces their leading actor to a lovelorn wreck; & a brutal murder leaves the group of actors reeling. With matters so fraught even a performing horse becomes a threat. Stage manager Nicholas Bracewell accustomed to damage control is the only man with the wit to keep the company afloat. As the Queen sinks towards death Nicholas begins to discern the connections between the companys misfortunes & the larger shadow falling over England.. .