A virtuous young woman is oppressed by her ambitious family and a rake who's becomes obsessed with her.

Clarissa Harlowe is a young 18th-century Englishwoman. Her family have aspirations to move into the aristocracy and want her to marry the repellent Mr Soames as part of their plan. Clarissa manages to escape from them with the help of the handsome Lovelace, whose intentions towards her prove to be less than entirely honourable.—Peter Brynmor Roberts