As war rages in Europe, the citizens of London flee to the country. At Pigeonsford, a group of guests plays cards, drinks tea, and acts polite — but Grace Morland is painfully in love with Stephen Pendock, the squire of Pigeonsford. Pendock, however, is smitten with young beauty Francesca Hart. One afternoon, Fran debuts a new hat, and Grace’s jealousy exclaims: “I wouldn’t be seen dead in a ditch in a thing like that!”. She will soon be proven wrong.