In which Will progresses from ostler to cockerel to ghostwriter - to London's premier playwright as Kit Marlowe falls from grace.
2. Alms for Oblivion
Will's new troupe of actors arrive in a plague-ridden London and perform Richard III to great acclaim, but a death in the family jeopardises all. A handsome rogue is not what he seems, luckily for Will.
3. Of Comfort and Despair
Plague over, life returns to normal in London and the theatres reopen. The inconstancy of a dark mistress and the jealousy of an Earl conspire to enlarge Will's understanding of human nature.
4. The Loved Boy
Will's taking his son to London to introduce him to life and get to know him proves to be a mixed blessing with a tragic ending.
5. Rebellion's Masterpiece
In the wake of Essex's failure to tame the Irish rebels, the actors' brush with politics has catastrophic consequences.
6. The Living Record
While Will pleads with the dying Queen for suicidal Hal's life, his poems are stolen, printed and distributed without his permission, setting in motion a chain of events that could prove disastrous.
