Lucy, Lady Wymonde, reluctantly agrees to her husband's request that she would chaperone his innocent orphaned young niece, Ina, for her first Season as a debutante.

It was infuriating to have to take another guest with her to Chale Hall, the Marquis of Chale's majestic stately home in the country, but that it should be a lovely young girl made it worse.

It was not a question of her being a rival, that was not what Lucy feared. It was that Ina would be completely out of place in what was to be her party given her by the Marquis, whom Lucy has become infatuated with and it is only a matter of time before they begin an affaire-de-coeur.

Little does she know what an innocent threat the beautiful Ina will soon become!

Having reluctantly left her Bohemian background and a family friend's villa near Nice with her devoted lady's maid, Ina is bewildered by the sophisticated Society world of London and rather in awe of the handsome Marquis.

But soon, to Lucy's fury, the Marquis is smitten by Ina's untainted beauty and the almost clairvoyant perceptiveness by which she seems to see deep into his soul.

Ina too is entranced and, despite her aunt's attempts to pair her off with over-eager and unattractive suitors, she too is falling in love.