The novel follows a household under an elderly guardian and her four nieces, focusing on the impulsive youngest niece Wilhelmina (Bill) and the pragmatic Polly, as neighboring Harborough relatives and suitors generate a series of courtships, family rivalries, practical dilemmas, and humorous mishaps. Episodes range from domestic economy, guardianship duties, and youthful flirtations to more dramatic incidents that affect family fortunes and relationships. Multiple Harborough figures vie for matches among the nieces, prompting tests of temperament and conscience; interleaved vignettes examine inheritance, social expectations, and adult responsibilities toward younger kin, and the narrative moves toward reconciliations and paired resolutions.