1927 – Howard Jenkins is a history professor, immersed in the medieval world, in love with the past. His younger brother, Reginald, is a ne'er do well who plays at being a student to please their parents. When Reginald's gambling debts involve Howard in a bootlegging operation, Howard is blasted out of his secure academic world. Howard's only question now is, what would King Richard do?
The one good thing to come out of this dreadful situation is Madge Rhodes, a lovely, young widow who Howard has decided to court. However, Madge's cousin, Maisie, a flirty little jazz baby, has ideas of her own about Howard.