Reginald Bunthorne is a poet, adored by all the ladies, except one - Patience. She cannot understand why all the other ladies feel the way they do, and wonders what love is. Despite her indifference to him, Bunthorne is in love with Patience and wants to marry her. Things become complicated when another poet, Archibald Grosvenor (a childhood friend of Patience, who also loves her), arrives. Although she is strongly attracted to Archibald, Patience cannot bring herself to accept his hand in marriage. This is because she is under the mistaken belief that love must be entirely unselfish, and it would be selfish of her to love Archibald, because he is so handsome. Meanwhile, waiting patiently in the background for the ladies to get over their infatuation for the two poets, are their cavalry fiances. The loyal army officers despair when Bunthorne decides to auction himself off to the ladies.