After a long stay with Aunt Dahlia and her daughter Angela in Cannes, where Aunt Dahlia lost her shirt at the casino and Angela had to battle with a shark while aquaplaning, Bertie returns to London, where Jeeves informs him that Gussie Fink-Nottle has been a frequent caller. Jeeves explains that Gussie came to him because he is in love with a girl but cannot summon up the courage to propose to her, and therefore has seeked Jeeves' help. The girl turns out to be Madeline Bassett, familiar to Bertie because she was also vacationing in Cannes and became good friends with Angela Travers there. While unpacking Bertie's luggage a white mess-jacket obtained by Bertie while in France shows up which Jeeves thoroughly disapproves of, but which Bertie insists on keeping and wearing in London. Bertie spends the evening at the Drones club and when returning home finds Gussie there, dressed as Mephistopheles.