In 1931 England, Astra Davies defies convention. Witty and determined, Astra gallivants around London with her beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. But Astra finds herself in a tight spot when her parents die suddenly, leaving her with a raft of debts. With few marketable skills and a closet full of family secrets, Astra has two choices: find a rich husband or make her own way. A fiercely driven woman like Astra is not about to cast her lot in with a man, especially out of desperation. And since the only man she fancies - Jeremy Harris, the Earl of Dunreaven - is as hard up as she is, her way forward is clear. But the path to independence is a bumpy one fraught with hazards and heart-breaking choices.