Terry Holland, the third son of a merchant family, overhears the Crown Prince's plan to annul his engagement to the Duke's daughter at the graduation party.

Lacking significant power or connections, Terry entrusts a letter detailing what he'd overheard to his female friend Eleanor Heartwood, who serves the ducal family, in order to thwart the engagement annulment plan.

What? The Duke's daughter wants to meet me?

She'll sneak him into a ladies-only tea party, so he has to cross-dress?

Still perplexed, Terry (in his cross-dressing guise) attends the ducal family's tea party where young ladies gather.