Caroline Knolleys’ greatest amusement is engaging in flirtations with young married men while maintaining her own respectability through her wealthy husband’s honored name. While traveling in Switzerland, Caroline becomes mildly infatuated with Lawrence Sanbury, whose wife Hildegard is supporting his architectural studies through her writings. Back in New York, Caroline renews the flirtation, and although Hildegard realizes that Lawrence is enamored of the woman, she says nothing for fear of losing Caroline’s patronage. At a dinner party at the Sanbury home, however, Hildegard announces in front of her guests, Emily Madden and her fiancé, Michael Krellin, that she will not sit at the table with her husband’s mistress. Lawrence angrily orders Hildegard to retract the statement, but Caroline apologizes and leaves the house.