A wealthy bachelor's affluent sisters, whom he dislikes, lobby him to give a ball at his own expense for their daughters' come-out.

Since her parents' death, she has taken it upon herself to make sure that her beautiful sister Charis is well married, believing herself to be on the shelf (too old to be desirable in her social circles).

To further this end, she brings the family from their country home to London and introduces herself to a distant relation, the selfish and indolent Marquis of Alverstoke, asking him to sponsor her sister into "the ton" during the subsequent Season.

The Marquis is initially reluctant but agrees to sponsor the Merriville ladies out of mischief, mostly to annoy his sister Louisa who had been demanding similar assistance to launch her own daughter into society.

Charis is admired by many young men but she falls for the Marquis's slow-witted and handsome cousin Endymion Dauntry.