Lady Eleanor believes she will never escape from the misery of her life as an unpaid governess to her beloved nieces and nephews. On the advice of his mistress, Alexander, Lord Bentley, is seeking a suitable wife to take care of his children and remain in the country, leaving him to live as he pleases.

Mistakenly believing he has compromised Eleanor, he makes her an offer and she, puzzled but delighted, accepts. When she discovers the real reason for his offer, Eleanor is horrified. If she tells him she wasn't compromised, he will surely send her away. Her brother, Edward, is determined to separate them—he cannot live without his sister's inheritance.

Can Alex foil Edward's evil plans and save the woman he has come to love? Or will her secret ruin their relationship when it is revealed?