Beautiful, flirtatious, and recently widowed, Lady Susan Vernon seeks a new and advantageous marriage for herself, and at the same time attempts to push her daughter into marriage with a man she detests. Through a series of crafty maneuvers, she fills her calendar with invitations for extended visits with unsuspecting relatives and acquaintances in pursuit of her grand plan.<br />As the plot unfolds, characters are revealed and the suspense builds &mdash; all through letters exchanged among Lady Susan, her family, friends, and enemies. Described by her rivals as the &quot;most accomplished coquette in England,&quot; amply endowed with &quot;captivating deceit,&quot; Susan proves to be a remarkable figure, devoid of any redeeming qualities, whose intrigues and devious machinations ultimately lead to disastrous results.