Henry Guion, a rich and successful American businessman, faces complete ruin and jail as he has embezzled all his client’s money. He tells his daughter, Olivia, of all that has happened and the inevitable scandal which will follow. Olivia meanwhile is engaged to be married to a dashing English Colonel, Rupert Ashley. Peter Davenant, a self-made man, offers to give a vast amount of money to Guion to avert the scandal. He is no stranger to the family as, some years ago, he proposed to Olivia, who turned him down. Olivia is torn -between accepting the money and not wanting to be beholden to Davenant. She is also concerned about how the financial scandal will affect her fiancé’s military career. The book follows the fortunes of these four. (Summary by Simon Evers)