Summary
In an audacious gambit that blurs the lines between romance and actuarial science, the ostensibly aristocratic Allan Harrowby procures an unprecedented insurance policy from Lloyd's, guaranteeing the successful consummation of his impending nuptials. Tasked with safeguarding this peculiar investment, Dick Minot, Lloyd's discerning U.S. assistant manager, embarks for San Marcos, Florida. A twist of fate, however, intervenes aboard the train: Minot finds himself captivated by the vibrant Cynthia Meyrick, only to be met with the crushing realization that she is Harrowby’s intended bride, forcing him into a stoic suppression of his nascent affections. The meticulously arranged facade begins to unravel when a conniving valet brazenly asserts himself as Harrowby's elder, rightful brother. This brazen deception precipitates the arrival of the genuine heir, George Harrowby, whose unceremonious appearance and accusation of yacht theft expose the valet’s chicanery. Initially, Cynthia’s father, perturbed by the unfolding scandal, threatens to halt the union. Yet, in an unexpected display of pragmatic nobility, George — who wryly notes his children in Chicago would find a ‘Lord’ title utterly preposterous — magnanimously relinquishes his claim in Allan’s favor. The calculated machinations, however, ultimately backfire. Cynthia, upon discovering the mercenary nature of the insurance policy, recoils in indignation, severing her engagement and rebuffing Minot for his complicity. The narrative culminates in a serendipitous second encounter between Minot and Meyrick on another train, where, unburdened by contractual obligations or societal artifice, their genuine affection is finally permitted to flourish without impediment.
Synopsis
Posing as a nobleman, Allan Harrowby takes out a policy with Lloyd's to insure that his upcoming marriage will occur, Dick Minot, Lloyd's assistant manager in the U. S., travels to San Marcos, Florida to handle anything that threatens to disrupt the wedding. On the train, Dick falls in love with Cynthia Meyrick, then discovers she is Harrowby's bride-to-be, he subdues his feelings. After a blackmailing valet claims to be Harrowby's older brother, the real brother and heir, George Harrowby, arrives and accuses the valet of stealing his yacht. Cynthia's father forbids the marriage until George, who says his children in Chicago would laugh at him if he called himself "Lord," resigns his title in favor of Allan. Cynthia, however, indignant when she learns of the insurance policy, calls off the wedding and spurns Dick for his part in it. Later, Dick once again meets Cynthia on a train, and love blossoms without trouble.
