Anna a young countess has lived in the glittering city of St Petersburg all her life in an ice-blue palace overlooking the River Neva. But when revolution tears Russia apart her now-penniless family is forced to flee to Engl&. Armed with an out-of-date book on housekeeping Anna determines to become a housemaid & she finds work at the Earl of Westerholmes crumbling but magnificent mansion. The staff & the family are sure there is something not quite right about their new maid -- but she soon wins them over with her warmth & dedication. Then the young Earl returns home from the war -- & Anna falls hopelessly in love. But they can never be together: Rupert is engaged to the snobbish & awful Muriel -- & anyway Anna is only a servant. Or so everybody thinks.. .