Young Jacqueline de Lornay, after the death of her parents at the guillotine, was forced to sell her body on the streets of Paris. She blames her troubles on Nicholas Blackthorne, a young Englishman whom she loved madly and whom she believes betrayed her. And now, ten years later, having again met the culprit of her misfortunes, who during this time became a cynical rake and duelist, Jacqueline decides to take revenge on him...