It continues the story of Camilla Dickinson as a college student, her marriage, her family and the problems that follow.

The story is told by an aged Camilla to her granddaughter, who is seeking answers about her family.

The title comes from a line in William Langland's Piers Plowman: "All the wickedness in the world that man might do or say was no more to the mercy of God than a live coal dropped in the sea.

"[1] Camilla celebrates a long and wonderful life with her friends and family when she is presented with an award for lifetime achievement.

But her son's snide comments at the event stir up trouble which led to Camilla's granddaughter, Raffi, demanding answers about her family history.

Camilla relives her younger days as she attempts to give Raffi the answers she seeks.

Her life has been peaceful until her mother, Rose, visits her on campus and promptly has sex with one of her professors, which Camilla accidentally sees.

As she tries to get away, she bumps into a young man named Mac Xanthakos, who is volunteering at a local church, while training to be an Episcopalian priest.

He begs Camilla to take the child and raise it, with the promise that he pay for all the costs of the baby.

She and Mac agree to raise the baby and name it Artaxias, who is quickly nicknamed Taxi.

Years pass and Camilla and Mac do not know how to move past the loss of their surrogate son.

Finally Taxi is returned but only after several years have passed and Red and his second wife have been killed in a car crash.

Raffi accepts Camilla's story but is amazed when she accidentally discovers a missing piece in the puzzle.