With a hand of steel, Hélène efficiently runs a big luxury perfume factory in Grasse. There is no room for fun in her dull businesswoman's life. Then, a car accident drops Claude Dubois, a painter, into her lap. But the artist will have to deploy all his subtle wiles and clever tricks to rouse Hélène's feelings and get her to enjoy the cozy life of a cherished wife.

For 15 years after Waterloo, a baron refuses to accept the defeat. He reluctantly marries one of 2 Bourbon sisters but lands up dueling with the wife's former lover. Finally he gets a chance to prove himself again in battle.