A striking beauty with jet black hair and a seductive grin, eighteen-year-old Penelope Hayes is often derided for being a little too much—not that she cares. The young Miss Hayes takes great pleasure in wearing sumptuous red ball gowns that both shock and inspire. After all, finding your name in the gossip columns is simply an affirmation that you're someone worth talking about.

Penelope also isn't the slightest bit concerned that her money is a smidgen younger than that of her high society peers. Wealth is wealth, and she plans to use hers to claim everything and everyone she desires.

Among Manhattan's loveliest young socialites, Elizabeth Holland alone has the grace and beauty to challenge Penelope, so, of course, she quickly adopted Liz as her very best friend. Unbeknown to Miss Holland, Penelope keeps her close to maintain the best advantage, and thus far it's served her well. Lesser girls, be warned: the painfully handsome Henry Schoonmaker tops Penelope's list of must have conquests—and anyone who gets in her way is sure to meet a tragic end.