Four friends in 1854 London have formed a tontine – contributing one shilling each and one bottle of cognac, the prize going to the one who is last unwed. In two previous books, A Little Bit Wicked and What A Lady Wants, two of the friends have fallen in love and have married, thus forfeiting the prize.

The Earl of Maresham needs an influx of capital to bolster his many business interests. A plausible solution rests with Harold Sinclair, a wealthy American businessman, whose son, Daniel, is unmarried. Coincidentally, Daniel is one of the four friends participating in the tontine, and he is opposed to his father’s wish that he marry Lady Cordelia Bannister, the Earl’s daughter. She is likewise opposed to marrying someone she does not know.

In an attempt to discourage the forthcoming marriage, Cordelia meets Daniel, thinking him to be Warren Lewis, Daniel’s associate, and introduces herself as Sarah Palmer, Lady Cordelia’s companion. The two embark on a plan to discourage their friends from marrying, not realizing that their plan is about to backfire.