Cecilia Beverley is a young heroine, who leaves her country home to travel to London. She will live with a guardian, Mr. Harrel. Cecelia is an orphan heiress. To inherit her money, when she marries, her husband must take her surname and become "Mr. Beverley". In London, she is invited to a friend's house (Mr. Monckton), for breakfast, who has married for money. But he loves Cecilia and hopes to marry her when his wife dies. He is afraid Cecilia might fall in love with someone else. At his house she meets Mr. Morrice, a young lawyer; Captain Aresby and Mr. Belfield, who can’t seem to settle down. Mr. Monckton’s wife, Lady Margaret and her servant, Miss Bennet, are also there. Cecilia notices Albany, an old man sitting quietly in the corner, who behaves strangely. She also notices that Lady Margaret dislikes her.