Silverbridge initially considers the aristocratic Lady Mabel Grex as a possible wife but gradually realizes that his strongest feelings are for Isabel Boncassen, while his involvement in racing brings disaster when the horse Prime Minister fails at Doncaster and suspicions arise that Major Tifto’s dishonesty contributed to the enormous financial loss, forcing Silverbridge to confront the consequences of the reckless life he has been leading, and as Mary continues to dream of a future with Tregear despite her father’s opposition the Duke finds his authority over his children increasingly ineffective, while Silverbridge’s growing love for an American woman of unconventional ancestry begins to create a new conflict between inherited aristocratic expectations and personal choice.
