This is one of Heyer's later novels and is more of a comedy of manners than an adventure story or romance. There are no elopements or duels, and the comedy is low key. Instead of slangy word play and exaggerated characters, much of the fun derives from the character Mr Chawleigh, an over the top, vulgar merchant who is very wealthy.
The novels starts in January 1814 towards the end of the War with Napoleon, with Adam Deveril returning to the Fen country where his father has just died in a riding accident. Adam has been in the army all his life...His father was a well to do nobleman, jolly and amusing but very careless with money. Adam is quiet and shy, and does not think of himself as charming or popular. He is serious and responsible. He is shocked to find that the family's finances are in very bad state and that it seems they will have to sell their home, Fontley Priory.
Adam is horrified by this news as he loves his home, but it seems inevitable. Lady Lynton his widowed mother, is no help, being a weepy complainer...and his 2 sisters are young. Lydia is not stupid but she is only 17, and Charlotte is older but not very clever.
Wimmering, Adam's business manager, hints that one way of saving the estate would be for Adam to consider marrying an heiress.
Adam is shocked at this idea, and the more so because during his last leave he had fallen in love with Julia Oversley, the daughter of one of the family's neighbours... Julia is rather sensitive and emotional, rather a Marianne Dashwood type, but Adam had fallen for her while he was injured, and he still cares for her. He visits Lord Oversley, Julia's father who tells him that unluckily Julia still cares about him too but that he does not think that his daughter would really be suited to Adam.
Adam tells him how bad his finances are, and that he is going to have to sell the estate, which is near to Beckenhurst, the Oversleys' estate. Oversley tells him to wait, and that he will try and think of another scheme. The following day, Adam receives a visitor in his London hotel, Mr Chawleigh. It emerges that Chawleigh, a middle aged man of humble origins, has made a fortune as an India merchant and is now a very rich man. He has one daughter, his only heir, and he and his late wife wanted her to marry into the aristocracy. Adams learns that Jenny, the daughter, went to a ladies' school with Julia Overley and was friendly with her, and that Jenny has met him at times at the Oversleys' home in London. He vaguely remembers a rather plain quiet girl... but she seems so completely unlike his real love.
Lord Oversley tells him to think about Mr Chawleigh's offer.. that he will be able to pay his debts, save Fontley and improve it - and that Jenny knows he's not in love. He adds that Jenny is not a beauty but she's a sensible girl, and has learned 'ladylike" manners and accomplishments and he would not be embarrassed by her. Mr Chawleigh does not want entry to the upper crust himself, just for his daughter.
Adam feels desperate but supposes that he ought to consider the marriage.....
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