Sylvia,daughteroftheDukeofBelham,isboredwiththevariousyoungmenshemeetsatLadyLambourne'smaskedball.Atlastsheescapestheirattentionsandmakesherwayintothecool,moonlitgarden,wheresheencountersamaskedstranger.Thefollowingmorning,Sylvia'sfatherrevealsthathehasamassedsuchdebtsfromhisgamblingthatthefamilycannolongermaintaintheirhighprofileLondonlife.TheymustreturntoCastleBelhamandSylviarealisesthatshewillneverseehermysterystrangeragain.AtCastleBelham,CountVonBrauerenterstheirlives.Intime,theDukelosesavastsumofmoneytohimatagathering.TheCountofferstooverlookthedebtinreturnforSylvia'shandinmarriage.Atfirst,Sylviarefuses,butwhentheDukesuffersanervouscollapse,herresistencecrumbles.Onlyastrangerfromthepastcanrescueherfromhernightmare...onlythestarsintheskycanpointtheway.