Lord Thurlby can only ever recall previous visits of Lavinia Muir, his mother's god-daughter, with a shudder. So it is with undisguised horror that he hears she is to come and stay again. Her arrival on the common stage accompanied by the flirtatious Isobel Macclesfield does nothing to allay his fears. When he learns that Lavinia has become entangled with the rakish Lord Riseholm, his reservations appear to be justified. With the passing of time perceptions begin to change and only with the arrival of Lord Riseholm himself can matters begin to be resolved once and for all.