Miss Henrietta Whiston could only be considered unlucky. She didn't seek out misfortune, but it always seemed to find her. When her sister asks her to engage Lord Charles so she may entertain two suitors of her own, Henrietta is reluctant, despite finding herself intrigued by this man who loves antiquities.
Lord Charles Brooksbank has been burned by love. Yet, he still yearns for a love match. When his friend asks for his help to pursue a young woman, he tags along, not knowing how this unlikely meeting would change his life.
When disaster strikes, Henrietta's reputation is ruined, and her only choice is to enter into an arranged marriage. Rather than being resigned to her fate, Henrietta and Charles hatch a plan to feign an interest in each other and thwart her parents' incessant efforts to marry her off to her cousin. However, not everything is what it seems, and they risk losing their hearts - and each other - in the process.