It is the fifth year of the Lord Protector's rule and while life has always been hard for the gypsies, since Oliver Cromwell has seized control of England, life has become harder than ever.
Emilia and Luka are on a dangerous quest to find six ancient gypsy charms and with a little bit of luck - or, as Emilia believes, magic- save their family from the gallows. They have the first two. an old gold coin and a small silver horse, but now they seek the third, the rue flower, the herb of grace.
Emilia and Luka must travel to the New Forest to find the Wood tribe, whose skills lie in the power of all growing things, plants that can cure and plants that can kill. On the way, the two children tangle with an impoverished widow, the thief-taker Coldham, a highwayman and a witch, and find themselves caught up in a Royalist plot to restore King Charles II to his throne.
The third book in this exciting six-book series about the adventures of two daring children, a monkey, a dog and a dancing bear in search of the chain of charms.