George Bryan Brummel, a British military officer, loves Lady Margery, the betrothed of Lord Alvanley       Despite her own desperate love for Brummel, she submits to family pressure and marries Lord Alvanley       Brummel, broken-hearted, embarks upon a life of revelry       He befriends the Prince of Wales and leaves the army, becoming subsequently the best-known rake and decider of fashion in Europe       As his affairs flourish, so does his disdain for his benefactor, the Prince       Eventually Brummel falls into disfavor, and it is only Lady Margery who has any chance of helping him