A family in trade moving up in the world. A family of landed gentry stepping aside for them. And the sons and daughters caught in the middle.
Will Fletcher is the eldest son and heir to the family fortune, and although his father is reluctant to relinquish his roots in trade, Will is more than happy to become a gentleman. He looks and sounds the part, but can he act the part, too? He soon finds that the world of high society is not easy to break into. It's humiliating enough that the aristocracy disdain him, but how dare a lowly poor relation spurn his attentions?
Eloise Whittleton is very glad to be summoned to London to assist her distant cousin the Marchioness of Carrbridge manage her social engagements. For a few weeks she can forget she's poor and dance her way through the season, storing up a few memories for when she returns to her retired life in Bath. There are some annoyances, though, and handsome, roguish Will Fletcher is everything she despises. When he tries to impress her, she's determined to teach him a lesson he won't forget.