In the year 1592, the border between Scotland and England is lawless and violent country. And Carlisle, one of the most dangerous parts of Queen Elizabeth's kingdom, is a place where the law of the Scots gives way to the law of the English - leaving gaps where there is no law at all.Sir Robert Carey, newly appointed Deputy Warden of the West March, has maneuvered himself into the job to be closer to his true love, and to put a comfortable distance between himself and his amorous monarch. There's also the matter of money to be made. But just when he arrives, the body of Sweetmilk Geordie Graham is discovered. Sweetmilk Geordie was the youngest and most beloved member of one of the most violent families, and his murder - left unsolved - could start a minor civil war.For Sir Robert, the priorities are clear: He must find the killer if he intends to pocket the profits from his new office. He will also have to head off his disappointed rival for the Deputy Wardenship, a man more than happy to betray him. And he will have to address the matter of the horses, the hundreds of horses being stolen from all over the border. Read Less