[3] ' Matthew Penicuik has brought up Catherine (known as Kitty) Charing, the orphaned daughter of an old school friend, at his isolated home of Arnside House.

Humiliated on learning that she will receive nothing directly from her guardian except as she is bid for to keep the money in the family, Kitty flees the house, determined to earn a living in London, where she has always longed to go.

These trials cause him to become more thoughtful and resourceful, much to the surprise of his father, Lord Legerwood, who had hitherto dismissed Freddy as no more than a well-dressed society butterfly.

Kitty now becomes acquainted again with her childhood hero, Jack Westruther, who thinks himself sure of gaining her hand on this account but in the meantime is in dishonourable pursuit of another beauty, Olivia Broughty, whose mother is trying to get her well-married despite the disadvantages of vulgar relations and having little in the way of dowry.

Jack also reacquaints her with Camille, her French cousin on her mother’s side, who is passing under the title Chevalier d'Evron but is in fact a card-player and gambler.

Dolph adores her and Hannah wants to free him from the debilitating influence of his mother and allow him to retire to the family estate in Ireland and breed horses, his cherished dream.

Kitty therefore agrees to accompany Dolph on his secret visits to Hannah, since he is spied on by the family servants, and to do this she has to take Freddy into her confidence since her behaviour is causing gossip.