When a rash of jewel thefts strikes London, magistrate Patrick Colquhoun resolves to deploy his Bow Street Runners to put a stop to the thefts. The Russian Princess Olga Fyodorovna is to attend aproduction of Handel's Esther at Drury Lane Theatre, where she will wear a magnificent diamond necklace. The entire Bow Street force will be stationed at various locations around the theatre--including John Pickett, who will occupy a box directly across the theatre from the princess. In order to preserve his incognito, Pickett must appear tobe nothing more than a private gentleman attending the theatre. Mr. Colquhounrecommends that he have a female companion--a lady, in fact, who might preventhim from making any glaring faux pas. But the only lady of Pickett's acquaintance is Julia, LadyFieldhurst, to whom he accidentally contracted a Scottish irregular marriage several months earlier, and with whom he is seeking an annulment against his own inclinations--and for whom he recklessly declared his love, secure in the knowledge that he would never see her again.