Having defeated the army of the Anglo-Saxon king Harold II at Hastings, William of Normandy returned home triumphant; he was accompanied by noble English feudal lords from among those whom he could not leave unattended. But Waltef of Huntingdon was much more interested in another victory. As soon as he saw Judith, the daughter of the king's formidable sister, he realized that he had found his future wife.

After Waltef saved Judith's life, it becomes clear that he can count on reciprocity. But in medieval Europe, marriage had nothing to do with love. William refuses Waltef's hand in Judith, and the angry knight joins his friends in rebelling against the king. Wilhelm brutally suppresses the uprising, but, realizing that Waltef is a force to be reckoned with, he decides that by marrying his niece, he can be kept under control...

The novel “The Winter Mantle” was included in the short list of Parker's awards for 2003.