 Louis Mazzini s mother s frequent tales of how her titled D Ascoyne family shunned her after she eloped with an Italian commoner causes a simmering resentment in him. On being spurned because of his lowly status by his lifetime (if devious and fickle) sweetheart Sibella he decides to permanently remove all the D Ascoynes standing between him and the Dukedom. Becoming romantically involved with one of the widows he has created, he finds Sibella s jealousy could seriously threaten his grand design.