A story of innocence and wickedness. Can there be complete innocence of another person's evil intent, or is it a wilful blindness which prevents the recognition of iniquity in a loved one? This is an issue brought to the fore by fatal events within this group of people. Gordon. A young man with no firm ambition who is content to allow events to shape his life. His reluctance to face unpalatable facts has him dicing on the edge of disaster. Leyna. A German woman with a murky past in Berlin, whose golden beauty captivates Gordon. She exploits Gordon's infatuation to achieve her desires. Gordon's Mother. Wiccan practitioner whose life is guided by her Tarot readings. Uncle Donald. Wealthy owner of the Henderson rucksack company. Malcolm. Uncle Donald's fashionable love child, with an ambition to produce top-quality sparkling wine. Marnie. Wine maker from New Zealand. Dave. Writer who turned to marketing as an occupation. Kristina and Ursula. Leyna's German friends who grew up with her in communist East Berlin. The action is centred on Oakland Manor, a wine producing estate in Sussex.