The chance discovery of a disused cellar beneath a medieval swan pit propels the Morgan family into the epicentre of an unfolding drama. Paul Morgan falls out with his father, an Anglican priest, over his religious upbringing. He travels to New Zealand to find out why his uncle suddenly left England and is ostracised by his family. He meets up with his local friend Hussain, a devout Muslim, who coincidentally is attending an Islamic "e;conference"e; on the Island. Paul meets Laura and falls in love. Is their liaison chance or design? Paul returns home to find his aunt, the archivist involved in examining parchment found in the swan pit discovery, has gone missing. He is unaware that e-mailed forensic test results have been intercepted by the Security Services, causing consternation in the Christian Church and in the higher echelons of Government. Can the revelations be kept out of the public domain? A hacker uncovers the secret.

It makes headline news. Strife between religions becomes widespread. Civil unrest leads to rioting as the contagion spreads. Paul becomes uneasy about Hussain's motives and his interpretation of Islam. His relationship with Laura is also not what it was-why?Prime Minister Dick Benson fears a constitutional crisis between The Church, The State, and The Monarchy.