Gideon Cole is a kind-hearted barrister with too many clients who can't afford to pay him. Armed with extraordinary good looks and irresistible charm, his master plan is to marry the Lady Constance Clary and gain the title he so desperately wants. When impoverished Lily Masters picks his pocket one day, he is captivated by her aquamarine eyes and heart-shaped lips. Their next encounter becomes a rescue mission when he buys the silence of one of her wealthy targets. Lily's surprisingly gentle ways inspire Gideon to incite the jealousy of Lady Constance by passing Lily off as a society lady. The trans- formed Lily is an unqualified success, but Gideon's plan takes an unexpected turn when he finds that the lovely pickpocket is beginning to steal his heart.