In which the young and spirited Ruby, having defied her grandfather's wishes, seeks refuge with her aunt in London whilst entangled in a precarious romance with the imprudent Sir Felix Carbury, whose intentions fall far short of honourable promise. Amidst her youthful hopes and fears, she encounters the sober counsel of Roger Carbury, who urges her to consider the steadfast and sincere affections of John Crumb over the fleeting allure of a rakish suitor.