The Enchantress
Sparkling water, grand chateaus, the royalty of Europe is at play. Yachts, champagne, artists and casinos mix in the sumptuous pleasure capital of the Riviera, Monaco.
Turn of the century France is a Mecca for those looking to throw off Victorian conventions. There are enough counts, countesses and contessas to turn a blood bank blue.
It's heaven on earth -- if you have the money. Edward Hatfield, thirty years old, has always had the money but recently his luck at the tables has gone bad. A handsome fellow, good manners, good education but now without a penny to his name, he is facing an unknown future.
As he contemplates, robbery, suicide, begging or God knows what, a woman, Emmeline Croft, makes him an offer.
Croft is a rich young, British heiress who has been told that she cannot have control of her inheritance until she is married. She doesn't want to marry, she wants to be free.
The executor of her trust, Hussey Ramley, is an unsavory sort, who has swindled a number of powerful people. Not only has he bilked them out of their money he's lost it gambling. He doesn't want her to marry. He wants to control her money and use it to pay back his creditors by investing in their businesses. He also wants the fees for managing the loot.
On holiday in the south of France, Emeline learns of Hatfield's predicament. She decides to solve his problem and her own.
She lures him back to England with an offer to set him up for life with an income. Hatfield sees a meal ticket and way to keep at his gambling ways with the insurance of a steady source of funds. He's been rescued.
He follows her to England and there she reveals her plan. Her solicitor, Thomas Venable, has drawn up a contract for marriage.
In exchange for marrying Ms. Croft, Hatfield will receive an income but there will be no marriage commitment. In fact, Ms. Croft never wants to see Hatfield after the ceremony.
Hatfield is happy to sign but he's a bit wounded. How could someone not want him? But it's a way out of his dilemma.
The Wedding. It is a small ceremony, held in an old church in Scotland. Hatfield sees Croft in her simple gown and unfortunately -- he cant' help it --- he falls in love. Bad luck. She is set on her course of action. But he does talk her into a little kiss after the I do's. She seems to respond but then she's off.
Hatfield returns to Monte Carlo where he sees Ramley. Ramley eventually determines the nature of the marriage and decides that he can regain control of Croft's fortune by showing the court that the marriage is a sham.
The solicitor, Venable, is in a panic. He contacts Hatfield. He tells him that he has to go find Croft and make her fall in love.
Hatfield is more than happy to comply. But where to start?
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