After their gruelling journeys to Galicia & Scilly Baldwin & Simon are at last back on the English mainland dumped unceremoniously when their shipmaster partakes of his cargo & almost wrecks the ship. Eager to get home Baldwin & Simon set off on horseback but only get as far as Cardinham on Bodmin Moor. Here they are detained by the castellan who requires their help to solve two murders on the estate. The first victim is a widow found dead with her two children. The second is Serlo the Miller who has recently been discovered embezzling castle money taken in tolls. As Baldwin & Simon begin a double investigation they must look beneath the village friendships & family loyalties to find an evil killer & secure Cardinhams safety.