It is 1208. An icy landscape. A missing peasant. And a baby.

Aumary Belvoir is about to become a father again but sadly this joyous time is marred by the disappearance of one of his cowmen, Borden Lea, who has not come home from his work in Savernake Forest. Has he absconded? Is he lying injured in the snow or is there a more sinister reason for his disappearance?

A short while later, the small settlement of Braydon Oak is rocked when a cowman's wife is brutally murdered in broad daylight. Is it anything to do with the evil looking black bearded man seen in the forest by one of the forest women or is one of Bordern's cowherd companions guilty?

Then a second woman is murdered in the same way. Why is this small group of forest folk being targeted?

Aumary Belvoir, Constable of the county and Warden of the Forest of Savernake must travel the forest in dreadful winter weather, sifting all the available information, much of which he feels is being withheld from him. Why will people not tell him the truth? Even the usually friendly priest of Cadley is reticent.

Aumary draws close to an answer but this leads him into deadly peril. An unlikely enemy has him in their sights.

Have you ever wondered what might be the story behind some of our most beloved ancient folk songs? This, the thirteenth in the series, offers an interpretation of one such, the eerie thirteenth century song, Wynter Wakeneth. (Winter Awakes.)