Beauty Helen, a daring seeker of entertainment, is not afraid to take risks, and at some point her husband, Admiral Codrington, becomes aware of her betrayal. To avoid publicity and divorce, Helen conceives an intrigue, which involves the old maid Emily Faithfull. An elderly husband, a flighty wife and a close friend form a fatal triangle. Their complex relationship gives rise to a fast-paced and unexpected plot development that keeps the reader tensely following until the very last page, just like in a real detective story. The novel is based on the actual divorce case of 1864, Codrington v. Codrington & Anderson, of which there are detailed accounts were published in all English newspapers.