Life in the English county of Derbyshire is undergoing a transformation. Several families—all with marriageable young ladies and gentlemen—find themselves entangled in romances and intrigues during a time of optimism. Fate smiles upon the somewhat neglected estates of the traditional families that faced hard times in the late 18th century. Now, in the mid-19th century, the Asquith, Cavendish, Ponsonby, and York families have new sources of income and are eager to modernize their estates and restore their tarnished reputations. While the financial resources are still modest, there is a new spirit of renewal in the south of Derbyshire.

Particularly envious are those in this part of the county of Alderley Hall, where the widow of the Earl, Margaret Fairchild, and her sister-in-law Ethel reside with a combined income of well over £20,000 a year. Only the solitude of the expansive estate dampens the generous hearts of the two widowed and childless ladies.

To their great delight, they have now welcomed new residents: Margaret's dashing nephew Charles and her charming niece Elizabeth. Both have recently experienced a tragedy. When their parents were crossing the English Channel on their way back from a trip to southern France, they lost their lives in a severe storm. The death of Margaret's brother-in-law and his wife has resulted in Charles and Elizabeth now living permanently at the Fairchild estate, far from their childhood home in Yorkshire. A year has passed since the terrible accident, and of course, the steadfast Fairchild ladies know exactly what the best medicine for a grieving heart is: a romance! There is plenty of prime marriage material in the estates of the surrounding hills. The neighboring families in Derbyshire all have children of marriageable age.