In the year 1775, on a foul winter evening, Soloman Daisy, one of the three cronies of John Willet who is the proprietor of Maypole is telling the tale of the murder of Reuben Haredale, the owner of an estate called Warren, that happened on the same day 22 years back, The suspects were their gardener and steward, but with steward's deceased body being recovered later, the missing gardener was the prime suspect of this murder. The estate is now resided by Reuben's brother Geoffrey and Reuben's daughter, Emma Haredale.
John willet treats his 20 year old son, Joe like a kid and fed up of the treatment goes to be a soldier. He says goodbye to her woman of love, Dolly Warden, daughter of the locksmith Gabriel Warden.
Another man named John Chester wants his son, Edward to marry a woman with inheritance. Edward is in love with Emma Haredale, but the enmity between Sir John and Emma's uncle Geoffrey doesn't let them unite. Edward leaves for West Indies in frustration. Barnaby, a locale's mother was receiving annual compensation from Geoffrey but leaves the city to escape a shadowy stranger whom she had tried to protect.
Five years later, in 1780, Soloman's Daisy sees the ghost of Reuben, in the churchyard, 27 years after his murder. He along with John Millet heads for London taking Hugh, the hostler of Maypole along and are met by three men on the way who are seeking refuge for the night. The visitors who stay overnight with them are none other than Lord George Gordon, his secretary, Gashford and a servant, John Grueby. The next day they head for a protest and incite anti-Catholic sentiments and are joined by Hugh in the protests.
Can follow the stories from now on in this book.
