A Column of Fire

Alison has spent years imprisoned with Mary Stuart at Sheffield Castle. At the nearby park, where she can go whenever she wants, she encounters Rollo, who tells her about Duke Henri's plan to invade England; he seeks Mary's cooperation. Together, Alison and Rollo devise a way to smuggle letters back and forth. Alison selects Peg Bradford as her messenger, and in Shoreditch, Rollo convinces Francis Throckmorton to deliver these letters.

Concerned about the invasion, Ned arrives in Sheffield to inspect Mary's security. He then returns to London and works to track down the person passing messages to Mary, eventually identifying Francis Throckmorton as the courier. He tells Walsingham, who says not to arrest Francis but to watch him for evidence of Mary’s plans against Elizabeth. Despite Ned's reluctance, Walsingham wants to ensure that Mary faces the death penalty. Ned puts Throckmorton under surveillance. However, Elizabeth later summons Ned and Walsingham and expresses dissatisfaction with their performance as there has been an assassination attempt. Walsingham takes responsibility and says that he is working to stop a plot involving Mary. Elizabeth allows him to continue working. Rollo worries that Walsingham poses a risk to his plans. When Rollo confronts Throckmorton, they are interrupted by Walsingham's men, and this prompts Rollo to burn Mary's letters and flee.

Pierre, who is now an abbot, uses his position to get revenge on Louise, the marchioness, by exploiting her destitution and subjecting her to sexual abuse. Rollo later provides Pierre with maps for the invasion of England, but Throckmorton's arrest and the death of Hercule-Francis, the heir to Henri III, delay their plans. Pierre prioritizes securing the Pope's denunciation of the Protestant heir before proceeding with the invasion.

Alison and Mary are now guarded by a strict jailer who reads all their letters. They are imprisoned in a house that is too small for Mary’s court. Rollo, disguised as a traveling salesman, informs them of the Treaty of Nemours, which makes Protestantism illegal in France. He also tells them that Duke Henri is continuing with his plans to invade England. Mary and Alison decide to restart communication using messages hidden in beer barrels.

Meanwhile, Ned questions a man named Gilbert Gifford about his return to England. He asks if Gilbert knows Rollo, but he gets no useful information. Ned also visits the house in which Mary is being kept. When a new beer shipment arrives, Alison flirts with Ned to divert his attention and allow Mary to receive her messages. However, Ned confronts the brewer responsible for the shipment, who confesses to assisting the Catholics for personal gain. Ned orders him to continue the deliveries and later realizes that Gilbert is the courier.

Rollo recruits Anthony Babington to overthrow Elizabeth. Babington is tasked with staking out Mary Stuart's prison and developing a plan to free her. Meanwhile, Ned interrogates Gilbert at the Tower of London and exploits his fear of torture to get him to cooperate. Ned returns home to Sylvie, who comforts him and reminds him that he is doing good work. Meanwhile, Alison receives details of Babington's plan, outlining the invasion of England and the liberation of Mary. He also says that Mary must execute Elizabeth once she takes the throne. Disregarding the consequences, Mary agrees.

Ned, frustrated with the lack of evidence against Mary, finally receives a letter that reveals Mary's agreement to the plot against Elizabeth. Meanwhile, Babington celebrates with Rollo, who believes that the time for the attack is near. They encounter Ned, who chases them, but they ultimately escape. Mary is arrested on charges of treason and is taken away, leaving Alison devastated. Following a search, Ned locates Babington. Elizabeth also signs Mary’s death warrant, angering Ned. On the day of the execution, Alison reluctantly assists in dressing Mary in somber attire. The execution is botched, and even in death, Mary is humiliated.

In response to the looming threat of King Felipe and the Spanish Armada, Sylvie and Ned seek information from their contacts about the invasion plans. Ned receives a letter from Barney, who invites them to Kingsbridge. There, they learn that Alfo is courting Valerie, the daughter of a Huguenot immigrant. Barney also expresses concerns about the potential reintroduction of slavery by the Spanish. Both he and Ned agree that England needs to strike first. Barney joins the English fleet led by Francis Drake to counter the Spanish. The English surprise the Armada in Lisbon, crippling them. While the English celebrate, Bart is unhappy with the unprovoked attack. He thinks it would be better if Felipe restored Catholicism to England, but Margery believes that they will eventually return to Catholicism anyway; she opposes foreign conquest. Felipe rebuilds the fleet, and tensions once again rise between Protestants and Catholics. Margery discovers that Rollo is using her networks to organize support for the invasion. In response, she decides to stop aiding the priests. She informs Sylvie, who relays the information to Ned but also has Stephen leave before he can be found. When the authorities arrive to arrest Stephen, they instead find the weapons being stored for the invasion. A potential fight is prevented when Bart dies as a result of his indulgent lifestyle.

In France, Pierre continues his cruel treatment of Louise, the marchioness. He reflects that he keeps her and Alain around just to be cruel to them. Meanwhile, Alain gives Ned crucial information about the invasion plans. Ned travels to the Netherlands with Carlos. They observe the massive Spanish troop deployment and realize that the only way to stop the armada is before the troops embark.

In 1588, Rollo is on a Spanish flagship, where he holds a significant position due to his role in preserving the Catholic faith. The war council debates attacking Plymouth but decides to wait. On the English side, Barney accompanies Lord Howard, who chooses to attack despite the wind disadvantage. Rollo prays for success but feels guilty for helping to attack his own country. The next day, the Spanish realized that the English fleet has outmaneuvered them. The English, led by Lord Howard and Drake, engage in a battle against the Spanish Armada. The confrontation moves away from Plymouth.

Rollo observes the Spanish Armada's progress as the days pass, feeling confident in their advance. The Armada reaches Calais but does not receive supplies due to France's neutrality in the conflict. The English prepare for the impending confrontation, but Rollo anticipates victory once the Duke of Parma's army is ready. Lord Howard calls a Council of War. They contemplate using burning ships, and Ned suggests loading their cannons first to maximize damage. At midnight, the fire ships are set in motion, creating panic among the Spanish once the cannons fire. Despite only one ship being destroyed, the Armada is separated. This provides the English with an unexpected advantage as they attempt to regroup. In the following skirmish, Drake and Barney both cause significant damage to the Spanish ships. The English avoid being boarded and use the wind to their advantage, but they lose sight of the Armada in the rain. The Spanish flee, and despite the odds, the English ultimately win the war.

Alain urgently wakes Pierre for an emergency Privy Council meeting. Pierre is concerned that it might relate to Henri de Guise’s brother claiming that the duke was “the new king of France” (813). The council argues over tax issues, and the king’s financial advisor accuses Henri of hindering peace efforts. Henri is then summoned to the king, and when Pierre follows, he witnesses the king having Henri murdered. Realizing that he is also in danger, Pierre escapes. However, when he attempts to leave with Alain and Louise, they betray him. Louise cuts Pierre with a dagger, and Alain fatally shoots Pierre with his own pistols.

In England, Margery disapproves of Bartlet’s choosing to name his sons Swithin and Rollo, but she helps to care for the children. Roger tells her that he is leaving for Oxford to study law and politics. Rollo arrives, and she condemns his actions. However, he notes that he can use her prior help for the priests to bring about the execution of her and her sons, and this threat forces her to help him.

The Willard family gathers for a festive dinner on the 12th day of Christmas. Stories are shared and plans are discussed, and Sylvie feels a sense of safety now that England's enemies are defeated. After the meal, they attend a play where Sylvie recognizes Rollo. She follows him to aid Ned, who has been pursuing him for years. Panicked, he leads her on a chase through the church and onto the rooftop. In the resulting struggle, he pushes her off the roof, and Sylvie falls to her death in the graveyard. Rollo returns to the market square to feign innocence. At Sylvie's funeral, Margery grieves for Ned's loss. Although both her and Ned are now free to marry, she fears the ongoing torment from Rollo and prays for a resolution that won't involve deceiving Ned or risking her children's lives.