Mrs du Mont was rich, vulgar, overbearing and an appalling snob. When she encountered the imposing Spanish grandee, the Conde Estuardo Santigardas de Reyes, she wanted to be admitted to his society. But it was Mrs. du Mont's companion, quiet, shy Altar Garret who interested the Conde-to the extent that he asked her to marry him. But it was not for romantic reasons that he had proposed: he needed a mother for the baby boy in his care. Altar felt anything was better than working for Mrs. du Mont, but what else was she going to get out of the arrangement?