In which the arrival of the wealthy and somewhat imperious Miss Dunstable at Courcy Castle sets the stage for a delicate dance of social expectations and genteel manoeuvring, as young Frank Gresham is compelled to engage in courtship he neither desires nor intends to pursue. Meanwhile, amidst the flutter of bonnets and whispered votes, the subtle interplay of ambition, affection, and propriety unfolds with all the quiet humour and keen observation that mark a drawing-room encounter.