When Cornelia Vane seeks her aid in a compromising situation, Diana Wentbridge, a wealthy Countess in Regency London, deems it prudent to assume an incognito. As plain Miss West, she falls in love, reassured for once that her wealth is not the sole reason for a proposal of marriage. However, upon a first visit to her Cornish estate, she makes some startling discoveries about her long-dead brother, and also about the man she loves.