Sitting Pretty

The Kings struggle to hire a nanny for their three lively boys, leading Tacey to advertise and hire Lynn Belvedere sight unseen. Belvedere turns up with a mysterious air and declares he detests children, which unsettles Harry. Despite the odd fit, the family agrees to a trial period to test his capabilities.

During the trial period, Belvedere unexpectedly wins over Larry, Tony, and Roddy with his competence and surprising warmth. He proves useful in keeping the rambunctious trio in line, while his enigmatic background fuels curiosity in the parents. The children’s acceptance softens Harry’s skepticism about this unconventional nanny.

Before Harry leaves on a business trip, Tacey arranges to stay overnight at Bill and Edna Philby’s home to minimize the chance of scandal arising from Belvedere’s presence. Roddy falls ill late at night, and Belvedere calls Tacey to come over, reinforcing the precarious social balance. The arrangement sows seeds for gossip among neighbors.

Nosy neighbor Clarence Appleton notices the lights on and spreads rumors about a romantic affair between Belvedere and Tacey. The gossip quickly circulates through the neighborhood and beyond, skewing perceptions of the household. The rumors reach into the town’s social circles and threaten the Kings’ reputation.

Harry returns from his trip to a scolding from his boss, Horatio J. Hammond, who worries about the firm’s reputation being compromised. Although Harry dismisses the rumors, he begins to consider that Belvedere might need to go. Tacey and the children persuade him to reconsider, complicating the couple’s dynamic.

Tacey and Edna attend a night lecture and later share a snack at a fancy restaurant where Belvedere, on his day off, joins them. He dances with Tacey, and the intimate moment is witnessed by Appleton and his mother, reigniting the town’s whispers. The moment pushes Harry toward a breaking point.

Unable to withstand the mounting tension, Harry quarrels with Tacey, who then takes their youngest child and travels to her parents’ home in Fort Worth, Texas. The family unit fractures as the scandal intensifies and the couple’s trust frays. The town’s gaze turns toward the Kings’ marriage as a cautionary tale.

Belvedere spends weeks in secret research and writing, crafting a salacious account of the town’s residents. The manuscript is pitched as a sharp satire on suburban manners and morals, promising a broad, provocative critique. The book remains a private project until its eventual publication.

The book is published and instantly becomes a national bestseller, jolting everyone in the community. Tacey races home to reconcile with Harry as the town’s gossip turns into a media frenzy. Belvedere’s sudden fame shocks the town and heightens the appetite for sensational revelations.

Hammond fires Harry and Bill and announces his intention to sue Belvedere, seizing the opportunity presented by the book’s notoriety. Belvedere hires Harry and Bill to defend him, flipping the legal script in a bid to protect his growing empire of satire. He reveals that his insider information came from Clarence Appleton.

Clarence Appleton flees as Hammond and others close in, seeking the source of the rumors and the insider information. The chase heightens the drama around Belvedere’s book and the sensationalized portrayal of the community. The town’s moral crusade collides with the power of free expression.

Despite the controversy, Belvedere keeps his job and continues to write, turning public notoriety into professional advantage. The book’s success is established as the first volume in what will become a trilogy, signaling ongoing influence over the town’s morals and its narratives. The ending hints at continued satire and the enduring tension between rumor and truth.