dddAtthelushEvenswoodestateinConcord,Massachusetts,EdithAdelon(CariShayne),abeautifulorphan,livesasthepaidcompaniontothedaughterofthewealthyHamiltonfamily,althoughtheyregardherasoneoftheirown.Yearsago,HenryHamilton(TomConti)savedEdithfromanItalianorphanageattherequestofhislong-deceasedbrother.Now,EdithishisdaughterAmy's(BrigittaDau)prizedfriendandconfidante.AstheHamiltonsawaitatrioofvisitorsfortheannualGreensCuphorserace,BeatriceHamilton(MeredithBaxter)asksforEdith'shelpinfindingasuitablehusbandforacousin,IdaGlenshaw(BrigidWalshBrannagh),withoneoftwovisitingeligiblebachelors.ButwhenitbecomesclearthatboththeyoungmenhaveaffectionforEdithandnotIda,jealousysoondevelops,leadingtomaliciousconnivingandbrutalbackstabbing.DespitethegrowinglovebetweenEdithandoneoftheyoungsuitors,becauseoftheirconflictingsocialclasses,thecoupleisremindedtimeandagainthattheirlovecanneverbe.TheInheritanceisastorythatcentersonaninnocentyoungwoman'sstruggletomakesenseofherpositionwithintheHamiltonhouseholdandinsociety,andtheloveshefeelsforherpatrons,aswellasforayoungmanshecannevermarry.