"It had been a great house once, with farms and fields, money and jewels -- with tenants and squires and men-at-arms. The head of the house had ridden out three days' journey to meet King Henry at the boundary of his estate, and the King had ridden back with him to lie in the tall State bed in the castle guest-chamber. The heir of the house had led his following against Cromwell; younger sons of the house had fought in foreign lands, to the honor of England and the gilding and regilding with the perishable gold of glory of the old Arden name." The Arden family has fallen on hard times -- Edred and his sister, Elfrida, live in a small cottage with their Aunt Edith near their ancestral home. When the elderly Lord Arden dies, Edred inherits the House of Arden, but discovers he must restore the fabled Arden "treasure" before his next birthday or all will be lost.