The Man in Possession

In England, Raymond Dabney returns home to his family after serving a jail sentence for stealing a car. Upon his arrival, Raymond is met with stern reproach and resentment from his father and brother Claude. Only his mother shows sympathy for Raymond and his misfortunes following financial difficulties and his father's refusal to accept him into the family business when he needed work. Raymond's father complains that his "jailbird" son was given the best education money could buy, and that he showed nothing but contempt for it. Hoping to prevent further scandal, Raymond's father offers him £500 to go to Australia or Canada while Claude makes preparations to marry a wealthy heiress. Raymond leaves the house, but stays in England and soon lands a job as a bailiff's assistant. His first assignment is to move into the home of Crystal Wetherby, a debt-ridden former millionairess, until she pays her bills. Unknown to Raymond, Crystal is Claude's supposedly wealthy fiancée. Crystal makes the best of Raymond's unwanted presence by putting him to work as her butler. She also makes him promise not to reveal the fact that he is a bailiff or her financial state to the dinner guests that she will be entertaining that evening. When Clara, Crystal's maid, suggests that she put an end to her money troubles by accepting the generosity of Sir Charles Cartwright, a wealthy suitor who has helped her out of difficult situations in the past, she rejects the idea because of her engagement to Claude. While waiting for her guests to arrive, Crystal playfully flirts with Raymond, and when she casually mentions the name of her fiancé, the shocked Raymond drops his serving tray. Though Raymond tries to hide from Claude and his parents when they arrive, he is eventually discovered. The family is mortified, but they keep silent about their relationship to Raymond. The dinner party is soon interrupted by the visit of Mr. Cartwright, and while Crystal leaves the dining room to try to get rid of him, the Dabneys start an argument with Raymond. The fight results in spilled food on both brother and father, and when Crystal returns, Claude, thinking that Raymond is simply hired help, insists that she fire him. Raymond, however, refuses to leave until he receives the eighty-three pounds required by the bailiff's office. That night, while preparing to go out for a night on the town, Crystal, with her back to Raymond, mistakes him for Clara and asks him to help her out of her dress. Raymond obliges, then manages to convince her not to go out, but stay in with him. The next morning, Raymond sends Crystal her breakfast in bed with the bacon placed on her plate to form the word "love." When the jealous and suspicious Sir Charles arrives later in the day, he asks Raymond about Crystal's whereabouts the previous night, and even pays him for the information. Raymond tells him about their plans to marry, which angers the millionaire. After Claude offers Raymond one thousand pounds to vacate Crystal's mansion, Raymond shows his brother the writ proving that she is insolvent. Claude immediately loses interest in her, and fearing that he will be sued for breach of promise, gives Raymond permission to tell her that he is his brother, then flees. Having warded off all his competition, Raymond pays Crystal's debts with the money from Sir Charles and then purchases passage for the two of them aboard the ship on which they will be married.