Nicholas Hilliard (1547-1619) was a trusted member of the court and illuminated various charters and legal documents as well as painting portraits.

In the 1580s he portrayed the queen either as Cynthea - Virgin Goddess of the Moon, or as the perpetually young Astrea - Virgin Goddess of the Golden Age. These miniature portraits reinforced the idea that England's queen was, and would remain unmarried. However, is there more to these portraits of Elizabeth I than propaganda?

This novel tells Hilliard's own story through some of the portraits he created for his patrons and interprets the symbols and emblems these paintings contain From his first portrait painted in 1572 I explore the great the events that happened between 1572 and 1588 as seen through his eyes.

The title is a quote from Hilliard's draft treatise of 1598, but is it just a reference to his extraordinary ability to capture his sitter's likeness or was he a possessor of a royal secret?