To readers of Manhattan's society pages, Elizabeth Holland's reputation is as secure as the corset cinched around her waste. At the tender age of eighteen, she's a girl of impeccable manners and elegance—tall and slender, with a crown of ash blond waves framing her heart-shaped face.

Miss Holland recently spent nine months in Paris, where she undoubtedly had glamorous adventures that her stateside admirers can only dream about. She has since been spotted dancing with some of New York's most eligible bachelors in French couture.

Surely, Elizabeth's good friend, the mesmerizing Miss Penelope Hayes, must be pleased to have her back. Side by side, the childhood friends add a spark of excitement to the glittering ball rooms of the city's finest mansions. Of course, Miss Holland is the more modest of the two—the very picture of a perfect young lady, in long, flowing pastel gowns that flatter rather than flaunt. Few would guess that behind her studious attention to appearances, Elizabeth hides a secret that could ruin her reputation. Though all eyes are on her rambunctious younger sister, Diana, it is Elizabeth herself who threatens the Holland family with scandalous behavior.