Captain Bay Middleton is dashing, young, and the finest horseman in England. He is also impoverished, with no hope of buying the horse needed to win the Grand National - until he meets Charlotte Baird. A clever, plain-spoken heiress whose money gives her a choice among suitors, Charlotte falls in love with Bay. When Empress Elizabeth of Austria, known as "Sisi," joins the legendary hunt organized by Earl Spencer in England, Bay is asked to guide her on the treacherous course. Their shared passion for riding leads to an infatuation.