Madeleine deClare is fifteen, too tall, too red-headed and too poor. Were she rich, her height and fiery hair would go unremarked. Were she rich, she would be in Bellham, dressed in fine gowns, dancing at balls and flirting with eligible suitors. Instead, she is stuck at deClare castle with her silly sister Juliana, and their mother, the Baroness. Since Madeleine's father died, the estate has fallen to ruin. The future looks bleak and the only salvation for the deClares is the proposed marriage between Madeleine and her odious cousin Alfred. It seems as if Madeleine's life is over before it ever started. All that changes when the Earl of Beaumont and his friend Sir Richard, arrive at the castle. Madeleine assumes the Earl has come to court Juliana. Her sister's beauty is renowned throughout the county. As far as Madeleine is concerned, that's fine. The Earl is handsome, but he is proud and painfully condescending. Madeleine can't resist helping the Earl understand that at least one of the deClares doesn't give two figs about him, or his good opinion. But what happens when Madeleine realizes she may have been slightly mistaken about the Earl? Or more than slightly mistaken? And she realizes it too late. In a romantic comedy of who loves who, everyone in the castle works at cross purposes until all, especially Madeleine, finally understand their own heart.