Plot

The day before her wedding, a pampered young woman absconds with her sister's husband. Her sister begins seeing the woman's former fiancé.

A young woman, Stanley Timberlake, dumps her fiancé, Craig Fleming, and runs off with her sister Roy's husband, Peter Kingsmill. They marry, then settle in Baltimore, where Stanley ultimately drives Peter to drink and suicide. Stanley returns home to Richmond and learns that her old flame Craig has fallen in love with Roy and they plan to marry. Jealous, selfish Stanley attempts to win back Craig's affections, but her true character is revealed when, rather than take the rap herself, she attempts to pin a hit-and-run accident on Parry Clay, the young African-American clerk works in Craig's law office.—Bonnie Barber <bonbar@mit.edu>

Adult sisters Roy Kingsmill and Stanley Timberlake are the daughters of Asa and Lavinia Timberlake. Roy takes after her father's side of the family--compassionate and thoughtful if somewhat "soft"--whereas Stanley takes after her mother's side of the family: cutthroat and selfish. The differences between these two sides of the family can also be seen in the former business dealing between Asa and Lavinia's brother, William Fitzroy, who came into wealth at the expense of Asa's side of the business. William dotes on his niece Stanley, who adds excitement to his life. Stanley is about to marry Craig Fleming, a lawyer without much professional ambition. Roy is already married to surgeon Peter Kingsmill and they live in the Timberlake family home. Just before Stanley and Craig's wedding, Stanley and Peter, who have been having an affair, run off together. Peter felt stifled in the marriage because of living at the Timberlakes' while Roy allowed her family to control their lives. After Stanley and Peter run off, Roy and Craig try to get on with their lives. Just as Roy and Craig feel that they have left this dark part of the lives behind them, Stanley re-enters their lives, insisting on satisfying her selfish desires at the cost of anyone who gets in her way.—Huggo

As her marriage to Craig Fleming approaches, vivacious, carefree Stanley Timberlake runs off with her sister Roy's husband, surgeon Peter Kingsmill, then divorces him. He marries Stanley, but their life together isn't happy; her selfish, spendthrift ways drive him to drink--and ultimately to suicide. Back home, Roy has rebuilt her life and she and Craig are in love and plan to marry. Stanley returns home and sets her sights on getting Craig back, but after she accidentally hits a mother and child with her car, she points the finger at Parry Clay, a hard-working young Black man studying law while working as a clerk for Craig. Her story soon breaks down and she runs off, with tragic results.—garykmcd

In Great-Depression-era Richmond, industrialist Asa Timberlake is cheated by his brother-in-law and partner William Fitzroy and loses his business to him. His spoiled daughter Stanley Timberlake, Uncle William's pride and joy, is about to marry idealist lawyer Craig Fleming--but then she flees to Baltimore with surgeon Peter Kingsmill, her sister Roy's husband. After a short period of happiness, Peter cannot afford to support Stanley's expensive tastes and commits suicide. Roy divorces Peter and gets close to Craig, who proposes to her. Parry Clay, a Black teenager who works for Timberlake, dreams of becoming a lawyer, and Craig hires him to work in his office. the shopping of Stanley and commits suicide. Meanwhile, Roy divorces Peter and gets close to Craig who proposes to marry her. Stanley returns home and unsuccessfully tries to seduce Craig, inviting him to have dinner with her in a tavern. However, Craig does not arrive, and Stanley, upset, speeds back home, committing a hit-and-run that kills a child. When the police comes to Asa's house, Stanley accuses Parry of driving her car, and the innocent youth is arrested and jailed. What will happen to him?—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil