Relative Values

Nigel's engagement to Miranda Frayle is announced, igniting unrest among the Marshwood household. Many disapprove, fearing Miranda's status and social fit. Hollywood gossip catalogs Miranda's past romance with Don Lucas, stirring mixed excitement within the family.

Lord Marshwood brings Miranda home to meet his mother, Felicity. Moxie reveals that Miranda is her estranged sister and warns of the social timebomb. To manage the situation, a plan is hatched to have Moxie meet her sister as an equal.

With the plan in motion, Moxie is moved from below stairs to upstairs and is transformed with makeup, clothes, and jewelry to pass as a lady of means. She must keep her true identity secret while dining with the family. The deception raises the stakes as the lie becomes harder to sustain.

During dinner, Miranda lies about her past, claiming a cockney birth and a difficult childhood. Moxie, in disguise, struggles to maintain the lie and becomes increasingly drunk, prompting amusement from Peter and horror from Lady Marshwood. The charade teeters on collapse.

Don Lucas, Miranda's former flame, arrives at Marshwood House to win her back. His presence unsettles the household and threatens the fragile engagement with Nigel. Miranda's past romance becomes a live threat to the planned marriage.

Lucas arranges a secret meeting with Miranda in the garden, hoping to rekindle their relationship. They share a kiss, but their moment is interrupted when Lady Marshwood catches them. The close call deepens the tension around Miranda's choices.

To prevent a public scandal, Lady Marshwood invites Lucas to stay the night at the estate. The lovers remain close, while the engagement remains in jeopardy and the household weighs its options. The situation remains tense and morally delicate.

In a fit of jealousy, Lord Marshwood proclaims that he and Miranda will marry within days. During an alcohol-fueled argument, Moxie reveals Miranda's true identity as Freda Birch and her Sidcup origins, shocking Miranda and the family. The revelation threatens to unravel the ruse.

The next morning, Lady Marshwood tells Lucas that Miranda still loves him and that his efforts are not hopeless. She also suggests to Nigel that Lucas could be his best man, complicating loyalties and expectations. The mood shifts from triumph to doubt as dawn breaks.

Lady Marshwood’s talk plants seeds of doubt in Miranda and Nigel about the upcoming wedding. They begin to question whether their bond is strong enough to survive public scrutiny. The couple's certainty dissolves as questions about love and legitimacy arise.

Moxie apologizes to Miranda for overreaching with the deception and decides to leave Marshwood House. She accepts that her place in the family's scheme is over and seeks to reclaim her own life. The social machine that kept her hidden is unraveling.

Back in the garden, Miranda and Lucas share a final kiss and Miranda agrees to leave with him. She bids farewell to Lord Marshwood, ending their engagement. The couple's departure marks the end of the social experiment.

With Miranda gone, Moxie is told she can stay, and the family heads to church as if nothing happened. The house returns to routine, masking the earlier melodrama while a new normal forms. The social fallout is pushed to the background for now.

At the church door, Lord Marshwood meets a well-dressed local lady and accompanies her into the church. Lady Marshwood grins approvingly, quietly signaling a new match for her son. The ending hints at life beyond Miranda’s departure.