Marry a worthy man and provide a future for her younger sisters - this is the intention of the smart and mocking Tess Essex. However, the only one who is ready to propose to her is the famous rake and womanizer Lucius Felton. He, of course, is noble, rich and good-looking, but is by no means cut out for marriage. Tess reluctantly agrees to Sir Lucius, not even suspecting that he has already matured an insidious plan - to make his young wife fall madly in love with him...