Sam Wendell, an old forger, dies of a heart attack while being pursued by a mysterious priest, leaving behind one of his small forgeries. Sam had told his wife it was the key to a fortune, and the priest soon tries to break into the Wendell house. Lovejoy aims to unravel the puzzle, by way of helping Sam's widow (who's left with very little) to recover anything of value. Along the way, Lovejoy dresses up as a priest.
Lovejoy buys a Welsh dresser at Charlie Gimbert's auction, and hidden inside it he finds a rich Arab head-dress, festooned with gold ducats. Catesby, recently out of prison and the son of the dead man whose property was being sold at Gimbert's, says he was promised the dresser. Lovejoy sells it back to him, but without the head-dress. Catesby is soon looking for Lovejoy armed with an axe. He is in good company, as one of Her Majesty's Inland Revenue officers is also after Lovejoy.
Having hired Eric Catchpole as an apprentice, Lovejoy sets out to unravel the meaning of a Japanese firefly cage.As Lovejoy and Eric are in hot pursuit (on Eric's motorbike) of a lovely lady with something they want, they hit a pool of water in the road and give a drenching to Jane (Lady Felsham), who is busy unveiling a plaque. When, later, Lovejoy rings the doorbell at Felsham Hall, complex chemistry begins, and Jane is soon showing Lovejoy around her attic...