Act One

The opening scene of the play takes place in George Selwyn's room in the offices of Glanville and Selwyn, family solicitors, of New Square, Lincoln's Inn. The office boy, Graham (Peter Furnell), tries to hide his bright pullover from Mr. Selwyn's secretary, Miss Herridge (Helen Christie) who has just returned to the office from her holiday abroad. This playfulness is observed by Billie Peters (Janet Brown) the temporary secretary.

Mr. Selwyn (Alastair) has found his temporary secretary rather attractive and arranges for a very disgruntled Miss Herridge to do his partner's work for the next few weeks. Meantime, Miss Peters has been instrumental in helping her new boss over a miniature that he wishes to purchase.

Act Two

The act begins with Mr. Selwyn having a heart-to-heart talk with one of his clients, Mrs. Rovere (Rosamund Burne), who wants to divorce her husband.

Later, it transpires that Mr. Selwyn has attained the required miniature for his collection, as he thinks perfectly honestly, through the help at an auction from Morgan (George Cole), a previous employee of Glanville and Selwyn, but who, unknown to George Selwyn, was sacked for stealing the petty cash. Morgan later takes George Selwyn by surprise and carries him off to a bed-sitting room in Leicester Square with the obvious intention of blackmailing him.

Act Three

Scene One takes place in the bed-sitting room of a flat in Terence Court, Leicester Square, in the evening. To his amazement Mr. Selwyn finds the room belongs to Billie Peters, who is Morgan's girlfriend and mixed up in the plot to incriminate the solicitor. Morgan tries some rough stuff when Mr. Selwyn proves obstreperous.

Later in the evening Morgan leaves Mr. Selwyn alone with Billie, and the former, having got hold of Morgan's cosh, hopes to make his escape. But his way is inevitably barred by the thug Sydney (Anthony Davis) who has been put on guard by Morgan. Desperate to get away, George Selwyn sees that his only hope is to escape by the window and he has no option but to knock out Billie Peters, who is still there keeping an eye on him. Mr. Selwyn makes his escape over the roof-tops and finally arrives home in an exhausted condition.

Scene Two begins with general alarm in the office at his non-appearance the following morning. When George Selwyn ultimately turns up he is obviously reluctant to discuss his late arrival, but his partner, Alec Glanville (Peter Copley), observing that his colleague is in a highly nervous state tries in vain to get him to confide in him. When, after a visit from the police, Mr. Selwyn fears he may be guilty of murder, as well as of receiving a stolen miniature, his feelings can be imagined. However, the March 1961 edition of Theatre World believes that it would be unfair to reveal how it comes about that his hitherto spotless reputation remains untarnished.