Anxious to impress the wealthy Schoonmakers, Connie hires Baxter, a personal secretary, to put a shine on Blandings. But a freshly fertilized rose bed and Freddie's attempts to sell dog food to the guests make the visit anything but sophisticated.

Notoriously uptight Baxter is trying to weasel his way into permanent employment at Blandings, but Clarence has bigger problems. His grandson George is terrorizing the estate with an air rifle, and Freddie is being pursued by East End gangsters.