The daughter of a man who has obviously engaged in unethical and perhaps illegal behavior and whose mother is dead, Kate Croy has been taken in by a wealthy aunt, Maud Lowder. Kate is now living in Maud's mansion, Lancaster Gate, and enjoying the privileges of being a part of the socially elite in London. Unfortunately, Kate has fallen in love with Merton Densher, a poor journalist who will never obtain Maud's approval for marriage to Kate. They are seeing each other secretly and attempting to determine a method by which they can gain such approval.