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SYNOPSIS
In a small
English town, about 1805, young, pretty Phoebe Throssel lives
with her older spinster sister, Susan. Both are excited because
Valentine Brown, the dashing town physician, is about to pay a
visit. Phoebe is in love and Susan is sure that he is about to
propose marriage to Phoebe. But, alas, he has come only to
announce that he has enlisted in the Army to help fight
Napoleon. This convinces Phoebe that he never loved her, and she
vows to join Susan in spinsterhood. On top of that, he has given
them financial advice that goes wrong. The sisters are too proud
to tell him that they have lost most of their savings.
Ten years
pass. To make ends meet Phoebe and Susan have started a school
in their home, and indeed Phoebe now looks very much the
spinster. So much so that when Valentine, newly returned from
the war, comes to call, he doesn’t recognize her at first.
After he
leaves, Phoebe angrily dresses up in the wedding dress that
Susan gave her so long ago. She lets down her ringlets, looking
as young and beautiful as ever. When Valentine unexpectedly
returns with invitations to the Victory Ball that evening, he
discovers her in this guise, but again doesn’t recognize her as
Phoebe. Impulsively, she pretends to be her niece, Livvy. Phoebe
decides to play on his mistake to get revenge on him for leaving
her all those years before. “Livvy” accepts Valentine’s
invitation, leaving Susan aghast.
At the ball,
Phoebe (as Livvy) flirts outrageously, determined to humiliate
Valentine. She captures all the men’s hearts, but the women, who
have never heard of this “niece,” are puzzled, angry, jealous
and suspicious; the gossip flies. And when Valentine declares
Miss Livvy’s behavior has made him realize how much he loves
Phoebe, new complications occur. Livvy must be got rid of!
Eventually,
all ends happily. Valentine soon learns the truth of Phoebe’s
deception and plays along, cleverly helping to dispose of Miss
Livvy and finally propose to Phoebe.
Everything is
assisted by Patty, the maid, her Recruiting Sergeant beau, the
neighbors: Mary, Fanny and Henrietta, and two Army Officers. |
