The year 1540 was a time of changes at King Henry's court and Woodham Abbey would soon cease to exist. Then what would become of her, wondered Mistress Kate Cressy daughter of the bailey? She was forced to watch Master Matthew Hartwell from the Court of Augmentations poke his nose into her household, making an inventory and despising her few possessions. Now he was just waiting to claim her family home... Kate's chances of finding a husband were slim - faced with her insurmountable problem of a lack of dowry - and she might have to give up her dreams of marrying her beloved Amyas, but she was not going to marry Mr Hartwell just because he was rich and suitable. And certainly not just so that she could keep house for him, and her father could continue to live there!