The Belle's Stratagem is a social drama theater production set in England in 1780. The play begins by introducing the female protagonist Letitia Hardy. Betrothed to a handsome aristocrat named Doricourt since early childhood, Letitia has spent her entire life anticipating the time she would be eligible to pursue him. In fact, she has thought out an entire plan for how to win his approval. She doesn't except to love him, but she wants to impress him.
When the two reunite and as they are finally of courting age, Letitia realizes that her entire plan is useless. She can no longer manipulate him the way she had intended. She's in love with him. Unfortunately, however, Doricourt doesn't seem to really care that she even exists, much less return her affection. After recovering from her initial shock and disappointment at his disinterest, Letitia resolves to make him lover her. She wants a marriage of mutual love, so she's determined to make him fall madly in love with her.
Letitia's plan includes the assistance and consequent use of her relationship with another couple: the Touchwoods, Sir George and Lady Frances. They are a young married couple who are still struggling to adapt to married life. Sir George is an extremely jealous husband, suspecting his wife of many infidelities all the way up to having affairs. Lady Frances is true to him, but he still remains gripped by this great fear that her elite social circle will poison her mind against him. When Letitia stumbles into the picture, she immediately seizes upon Frances as the object of her aid. She helps the young woman come into her fullest, richest identity as a wealthy socialite, and she does it simply to prove a point to Sir George.
The plot of the story culminates with a grand masquerade ball. Letitia is successful in making Doricourt fall madly in love with her. Whether due to his own feelings or her manipulation, by the end of it all he is eating from her palm. Letitia's methods of social manipulation may be questionable, but she is the triumphant heroine of her own story because she used her wits to achieve something she wanted for herself.
