July 1575, Queen Elizabeth and her court are staying at Kenilworth Castle, home of the Earl of Leicester, during the summer months.This is Leicester's last-ditch attempt to persuade the Queen to marry him. But Leicester is unable to resist the seductive wiles of Lettice, Countess of Essex. Their adulterous relationship is fast becoming an open secret and the Queen is not at all happy about it.
Suspicious of a growing intimacy between Robert and Lettice, Elizabeth employs Lucy Morgan, a young black singer and court entertainer, to spy on the couple. But curious Lucy, who was raised by a spy in London, uncovers more than she is looking for. Because among the court performers a Russian plot has been hatched to assassinate the Queen. And only Lucy can save her...
