Hadrian Northmore returns home from making his fortune in Singapore only to find his younger brother dead from a duel. The brother also has inconveniently left behind an illegitimate child, born to the daughter of a noble family. Now with the daughter dead as well, the orphaned nephew is being cared for by his mother's sister, Lady Artemis Dearing. Lady Artemis does not want to give the boy up to Hadrian's care even though her own circumstances have now become more difficult, and she has no place to go. The most immediate solution is for Artemis and Hadrian to marry, even though neither find any pleasure in that idea.