It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of good fortune, must be in want of a husband. Similarly, young men of meager means, such as the Bennet brothers, must be desperate to find a wife.

In an alternate universe where airships rule the sky, women govern the world. Men aren't allowed to join the military, carry firearms, or pilot airships. In fact, a young man's only goal is to attract a wealthy wife. For centuries, unmarried men have been labeled as "spinsirs" and treated like social pariahs. In a world where gentlemen are little more than property, Elisander Bennet longs for something more.

Elisander meets Darcy Fitzwilliam, a military captain who turns up her nose at the Bennets' low birth. She antagonizes Elisander and his family, while secretly resisting a growing attraction to him. Meanwhile, Elisander is robbed and romanced by Georgette Wickham, a flirtatious pirate with a dark reputation.