James Mason is the spoiled, somewhat ruthless "Marquis of Rohan" who alights on the charming, if naive, "Clarissa" (Phyllis Calvert) and decides she is to be the mother of his heir. That's all he wants from her. No love or romance - just so long as he gets a child. She grew up with "Hester" (Margaret Lockwood) and when many years later, sees her acting in a play, she asks her to come and live with her in her palatial London home. Her infrequent visitor husband, accepts the idea on the basis that he will have a new playmate and soon the manipulative "Hester" is no longer content to be the mistr...