D'Eon de Beaumont is a young nobleman in 18th century France. He is entitled to live a life of luxury at the palace of Versailles, but instead has volunteered to work with the secret police, "his Highness' eyes and ears". He is motivated by a desire to avenge the murder of his sister, Lia--"I felt as if her soul were ordering me to do so", he explains. His first lead comes with the discovery of three peasants caught transporting a body in a crate--the word "Psalms" and a strange symbol are clues. Under "interrogation" the men admit that they are working for an affluent Russian. But this man lives on property controlled by the Duke d' Orleans, where even the police cannot go. D'Eon and his friend Bernice go to request the Duke's permission to investigate. While there, D'Eon notices something disturbing about the Duke's cane...
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