If society misfit Eliza Merriweather can make it through the season without obtaining a marriage proposal, she can move to Italy with inheritance in hand and pursue her dream of becoming a painter. But Eliza's aunts will hear of no such thing, and have turned to an old military guidebook entitled Rules of Engagement to help them secure Eliza a husband. Attempting to thwart her aunts' match making, Eliza makes a deal with sexy Scotsman Magnus MacKinnon. She will help him find a rich young lady if he poses as her suitor, thereby dissuading other gentlemen. But between Magnus's kisses and her aunts' schemes to throw them together, Eliza finds it harder and harder to remember that she doesn't want to get married.