A woman has been found in a sedan chair in front of a church, strangled. Inher hand is a pouch containing fifty escudos and a handwritten - butunsigned - note bearing the words 'For masses for her soul'. The chiefconstable Martin Saldana confides in his old friend and comrade in arms,Diego Alatriste. Still in danger from the powerful enemies he made in hisfirst adventure, Captain Alatriste is considering returning to Flanderswhere the war has just resumed. But first, his old friend Quevedo asks himfor a favour. The daughter of one of his friends must be rescued from aconvent, which certain 'priests' seem to be treating as little more than aharem. Then the woman who brought the girl to the convent goes missing andthe connection is made to the murder at the church. It seems thatAlatriste's sword is required once more