We first met Rose Campbell when she came, a poor and sickly orphan, into the care of her loving Uncle Alec and aunts to live in the big house on the shore. There, though first daunted by their boisterous lives, she became a vital member of the large family clan which included seven boy cousins, each with their unique foibles and charms. Now, four years later, she has returned after a long trip abroad, a beautiful young woman ready to take on the responsibilities of an heiress and the social life of a young lady just out. Will the teaching she's received under Uncle Alec's wise guidance be enough to steer her through the challenges of young adulthood? At times, it seems unclear, as she struggles to deal with friends who appreciate her only for her money, suitors that pursue her only for her beauty and cousins who, despite her best intentions, refuse to give up their bad habits and reform their ways. Will Rose, like her friend Phebe, ever find true love...that ideal that her uncle has taught her to look for? Or will she remain destined to be a philanthropic spinster like her beloved Aunt Plenty? Only time will tell