Thirteen-year-old Emily is the bastard daughter of Henry Ashton, Earl of Grover and Sophia Benson a Baron's daughter. Henry had wanted to marry Sophia, but his parents felt her station was beneath them and threatened her. She left the village after her father died leaving her penniless. She finds she is pregnant and must look for lesser paying work. Before Sophia dies of consumption, she writes a letter for Emily to give to the Earl of Grover asking him to take in the daughter he never knew about. After a year of drinking himself into a stupor and losing most of his servants due to what he considered Sophia's betrayal and his parent's sudden deaths in a carriage accident, Henry left England for the Continent where he was determined to sink himself into alcohol and as many willing women as he could. Emily finds Grover Hall abandoned and in disrepair. She and Henderson, the sole caretaker, work to make their living circumstances more comfortable. When Henry gets word of Emily's presence at Grover Hall, he decides to return. He also decides to stop drinking, at least for a while, so that he could have a clear head while he dealt with Emily. Upon his return to Grover Hall, he is stricken with terrible symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. While Emily is fearful of being turned out, she finds it impossible to respect her father who has relinquished his responsibilities in order to drown his feelings. After weeks of recovery, Henry hires more servants for Grover Hall. Then, he decides to take Emily to his London mansion so that he can hire more servants for both of his establishments and for Emily to acquire a governess and a new wardrobe. Grace Applegate is hired as Emily's governess. After a day of shopping, they rest at an ice cream shop where they overhear a woman tell her friends that she intends to marry the Earl of Grover and send the so-called daughter to a boarding school permanently. The woman is Lady Georgina, an acquaintance of Henry and his parents. The parents had wanted a marriage between Lady Georgina and Henry. In an attempt to find justice for what she considers being spurned by Henry, she schemes to seduce him into marriage where she could exact revenge. While in London Henry makes Emily his legal daughter with the right to the title of Lady. His business in London concluded, Henry and Emily return to Grover Hall. In the midst of serious repairs of the Hall, Lady Georgina continues her attempts of seduction. Not over his conquest of women, he almost succumbs until he is discovered by Emily and Grace in an indecent position with Lady Gerogina. He is shocked by his own behavior as are Emily and Grace. Emily fears rejection. Grace fears her increasing desire for Henry knowing that their stations were so separate. Henry fights with his conscience, his desire for the bottle, and the desire to prove himself worthy of Emily and Grace. Lady Georgina is disturbed by Henry's attempts at distancing himself from her and for his increasing interest in Grace. In a coach accident, Emily, Grace, and the driver are injured. It was not an accident. A further attempt on the life of Emily and Grace happens when Emily's favorite puppy dies when he drinks the poisoned tea from the broken pot he has caused to be pulled from the table. Anxious and fearful, everyone is wondering who is behind these attempts and when would the next attempt occur? A third assault happens when one of the hired helpers encourage Emily and Grace to come to the aid of the Earl. He takes them toward a hole in the floor above the ballroom and pushes them over. Both are severely injured. Emily is able to tell Henry that the man had laughed and said that Lady Georgina would be glad it was done. Henry goes to Lady Georgina's home to confront her. In her anger, she trips and falls down the stairs and dies. Her hired man is found in London and is killed trying to avoid arrest. Henry proposes marriage to Grace who accepts. They will finally be a family.
