Rocana's aunt, the Duchess of Brunswick, keeps her from society and is turning her into a sewing maid since the death of her parents. Rocana's cousin, Lady Caroline, wants to marry her childhood friend Patrick, son of a local baronet. The Duchess has higher ambitions for her child, and her dream comes true when the intimidating Marquis of Quorn asks for Caroline's hand.

Patrick and Caroline decide to elope, but to buy time she must pretend to accept the Marquis so Patrick can make arrangements. To their horror, the autocratic Marquis insists the wedding take place in a week. Because Caroline and Patrick need a good head start to get married before they are caught, there is only one delaying tactic they can find: Rocana must pretend to be Caroline and marry the Marquis!