Nearly forty years after inheriting the duchy of Normandy, and eight years after gaining the kingdom of England, William can find only brief pockets of peace in a life otherwise dominated by threats and insurrection. The Danes need to be watched constantly, and other neighbours such as the Welsh and the Bretons are pecking away at the borders of England and Normandy. Even William's overlord, the king of the Franks, cannot be trusted to leave him alone.When trouble starts up again in England, William discovers that yet again he has to be decisive and brutal to stamp it out. But his actions cannot bring him the tranquillity for which he has yearned all his adulthood. He must endure family tragedy and strife, and hope that one day he can put aside his weapons. But has the experience of fighting become a habit he cannot break?This historical novel is set between the years 1074-1087 and is the final novel in the 'Crown in Conflict' series.
