Sussex, 1801 Governess Pompeia Grant thinks pretending to be Sir James Carling's wife as a favor to his sister will be harmless. She is haunted by his rejection of her youthful advances, but she's desperate for a place to stay after losing her last post. When James unexpectedly returns home from America, she assumes the game is up—until James encourages her to stay, and enjoy the pleasurable consequences of their charade.