The year is 1898 and the place is an oversumptuous parlor in New York. Mrs. Mowbrey a mature wealthy woman with a history to bury makes a planshell befriend her estranged niece and fianc and their subsequent marriage will provide her own entre into respectable society. Or at least thats what she tells the young couple. In Shakespeare and the Bible uncovers a mystery inside a melodrama inside a meeting. Mrs. Mowbrey invites her niece Katy and her nieces fianc Mr. Lubbock to her home separately and unbeknownst to each other. Mr. Lubbock arrives first and is asked to become Mr. Mowbreys attorney. Katy comes later to meet this aunt who has fallen from her familys good graces for unknown reasons. With all three in the room it becomes apparent that Mr. Lubbock and Mrs. Mowbrey share something thats not deemed proper for Katy to know. Yet Katy insists they tell her. When Mrs. Mowbrey leaves the room insisting that they work things out among themselves the mystery looms large. Katy discovers their secret and the true intent of Mrs. Mowbreys agenda hangs in the balance Did she intend to use her wealth to buy respectability and family relations Or exact revenge