In the dilapidated surroundings of the Savoy, a delegation from the Netherlands is gathered to secure peace. Thomas Chaloner is horrified at the aggression shown to the Dutch by ordinary Londoners. Then the body of his former brother-in-law is found in the Thames, and Chaloner discovers enigmatic clues to a motivation for his murder. These may be linked to a plot to steal the crown jewels, or perhaps to a conspiracy to ensure that no peace is secured between the two nations.