Colette is a young woman from the rural Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye at the end of the 19th century, who begins an affair with Henry Gauthier-Villars. Willy brings Colette to Paris as his bride, with socialites expressing surprise a man like him would marry. Willy refers to himself as a "literary entrepreneur", employing a number of ghostwriters. However, he finds the limited output does not bring in enough revenue to cover his expenses, so he entertains socialites. He commissions one ghostwriter to work on a novel while Colette writes his letters. One day, Colette finds Willy with a prostitute, leading to a separation. He eventually persuades her to return, promising honesty. Colette also tells him of her days as a schoolgirl.