In 1866， tragedy strikes at the??exclusive Windfield School. A young student drowns??in a mysterious accident involving a small circle??of boys. The drowning and its aftermath initiates a??spiraling circle of treachery that will span three??decades and entwine many loves... From the??exclusive men s club and brothels that cater to every??dark desire of London s upper classes to the dazzling??ballrooms and mahogany-paneled suites of the??manipulators of the world s wealth， Ken Follett??conjures up a stunning array of contrasts. This??breathtaking novel portrays a family splintered by lust，??bound by a shared legacy... men and women swept??toward a perilous climax where greed， fed by the??shocking truth of a boy s death， must be stopped， or??not just one man s dreams， but those of a nation，??will die...From the Paperback edition.