When her father dies, Minella Clinton finds herself penniless. Unwilling to impose on relatives, Minella travels to London to ask a childhood friend for help in finding her employment. To her surprise she finds Connie is one of the famous Gaiety Girls and when one of the girls falls ill Minella is persuaded to pretend to be a young actress and take her place at the Earl of Wynterborne's house party. Minella and the Earl become passionately involved but fate has placed an insuperable obstacle in the way of their love.