Publisher's Synopsis
Lily Bart, the main character, is standing on a railway platform waiting for a train when Lawrence Selden sees her. He decides to see if she will greet him, and when she does he learns that she has missed her train to go to the Trenor's house. He takes a walk with her and they end up going into his apartment to enjoy some tea and a smoke. Upon leaving Selden's house, Lily encounters a Mr. Rosedale, a wealthy man who is not yet a member of the elite New York society. He is suspicious of her being in a bachelor's house and she runs into a cab and catches her train without explaining what she was doing.On the train Lily encounters Percy Gryce, one of the very wealthy bachelors that she is hoping to marry. Lily causes them to meet "accidentally" and establishes a conversation that is interrupted when a Mrs. Dorset arrives on the train. They all end up at the Trenor's house for an extended party, and while there, Lily is able to spend time with Mr. Gryce. It appears as if they will eventually get married. The arrival of Selden ruins her plans, however, and when Lily takes an afternoon walk with Selden, a jealous Mrs. Dorset (whom we can infer is Selden's mistress) goes to Gryce and tells him all the bad things she has ever heard about Lily.
