As Canon of the Parisian cathedral of St Michael’s, Crispin Wakefield has attracted a loyal, devoted following but also the jealousy of his Dean. And while he yearns for a life unencumbered by material things, the expensive indulgences of his wife and daughters are threatening financial ruin. Into this turmoil steps Julia Kramer, international actress and childhood friend from Crispin’s home town in the Flint Hills of Kansas.
Despite the different paths their lives have taken, Julia and Crispin quickly rekindle a friendship deeply rooted in a shared family tragedy. With her lover Jona frequently away, Julia is drawn into the cocoon of Crispin’s family and his beloved cathedral. Julia uses her celebrity and wealth to promote Crispin’s career and offers him the moral strength he needs to stay the course as he struggles to balance his family’s material demands with his spiritual calling.
Although it is Crispin who guards the secrets of Julia’s traumatic childhood, he knows nothing of the crippling fears that have left her dangerously in thrall to Jona. When Jona’s business dealings lead him into deadly waters, she turns to Crispin for support, igniting vicious gossip that consumes the already fragile underpinnings of their lives.