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The prolonged courtship of Phoebe Throssel with Dr. Valentine Brown is abruptly interrupted by the doctor's decision to join the English forces in the Napoleonic Wars.

Meanwhile, Phoebe languishes in Green Willow Village, comforted by her sister, Susan; but with the passing of years, she develops into spinsterhood.

When Dr. Brown returns after 10 years, Phoebe believes he will be disappointed at her aged appearance and transforms herself into a mythical niece and starts a flirtation with the doctor; finding herself in a number of embarrassing situations, she reverts to her former person to find that he loves her in spite of the changes wrought by time.