A bird beating on the windowpane means death, in Irish lore. Catastrophe has already hit the Earthrowls Vermont apple orchard: slashed trees, a plague of maggots, hate calls from a local cult, poisoned fruit that kills a Jamaican picker. Desperate, Moira turns to Ruth Willmarth. Ruth has troubles of her own, some closer than she knows. But she can't say no to a cry for help.