In the 1800's in England is the Red Chrysanthemum, a place that is much like a bordello, but there are dominant and submissive women, and a man Charles Gallant. Gallant is there to repay a debt to the owner, Madame Devereux. He trains women in the art of submission. The love of his life is Mistress Scarlet, the daughter of the apothecary, was a dominant and he made her a submissive in front of the whole club. She left and has not returned, as much as Charles wants her. His current job is to train a new wife, Katherine Wendlesson. Lord Wendlesson is an older man and wants his wife immediately submissive, so he can have an heir. A blackamoor from Barbados, Miss Terrel, has been hired by Sir Arthur, whom many rumors of violence have spread throughout the establishment. Sir Arthur demands that she service none other than him, to her displeasure. Terrel wants Charles, since she had helped participate in the submission of Mistress Scarlet.
She befriends Miss Katherine behind everyone's back, just so she can spend time with Charles. Miss Katherine convinces Master Gallant to allow her to be part of her training, for she felt more comfortable.
Gallant feels a physical reaction to Miss Terrel, but she has been very helpful in the training of Miss Katherine. When Lord Wendlesson joins in the lessons, he is very rough and violent in lovemaking,Causing her to cry out the safeword. Katherine leaves the room and Terrel must help him spend(orgasm).
This is left with a cliffhanger between Charles and Terrel. The funnies thing in the book is that a penis is called a Thomas and the scrotum are called cod.