Willie regrets promising to take her friend's place at the Earl of Grenmoor's estate in Cornwall for a few days and tries to back out, but her sense of duty holds her firm. Pretending to be someone she's not goes against all her principles, and Willie eventually confesses her deception. Surprisingly, the earl's grandmother accepts her confession and sets her sights on matchmaking Willie with her grandson, Lucien Barkley. Neither Willie nor Lucien are aware of this scheme, and they don't initially like each other. Willie, the daughter of a vicar, feels out of place among the elites, while Lucien finds her outspokenness off-putting. Despite this, Grandy is determined to bring them together. Willie repeatedly finds herself in one predicament after another, unbeknownst to the earl. Lucien remains unaware of Willie's deception until she unexpectedly saves his life. Sparks fly, but Willie mistakes Lucien's admiration for humiliation and runs away. While Grandy is ready to give up, the earl is not. They clash, yet are irresistibly drawn to each other.