An unusual gift helped Sebastian Saint-Cyr, Viscount Devlin, survive the war. Returning to England, the young aristocrat unwittingly finds himself in the thick of political intrigue. London's high society is in turmoil: the Prince of Wales is about to become regent, and there is a fierce battle in Parliament for closeness to the throne. Napoleon rules the continent, and France plays its own game, in which the cream of the British elite and courtesans sometimes turn out to be pawns. At the height of the season, a famous actress dies under mysterious circumstances, and Saint-Cyr is blamed for her death. The angry Viscount himself goes in search of the criminal. The tracks lead to the very top, and with each step the investigation becomes more and more risky.