Their attraction to each other was undeniable. Tilda Ferguson, a rich American widow on holiday in London, forms an attachment to the son of a distinguished English family only to find the family has fallen on hard times and is after her money. Matthew Broadstreet can save his family from financial ruin if only he will marry her. His feelings for her are upended when he finds out she's neither an American nor a widow. She is, in fact, Tillie Partridge, the family's former scullery maid. Believing she is a thief, Matthew is ready to expose her scheme, which leaves Tillie with no choice but to reveal the reason for her expulsion from England almost a decade earlier: Matthew's father paid her five hundred pounds to keep a secret. She invested wisely in oil wells and with extraordinary luck amassed a fortune. Matthew refuses to believe a member of his family could be involved in anything sordid but his inquiries convince him something happened that must be explained. They work together to unravel the secret, but will the past prove to be too big an obstacle for true happiness?