Imperial Russia, Late 18th Century Catherine the Great reigns supreme. Count Alexei Orlov, who contributed to Catherine's rise to power, has fallen out of favor. He's been sent away in disgrace to lead the Russian navy in Italy where he encounters the young and beautiful Elizabeth. Elizabeth claims to be the granddaughter of Peter the Great and holds aspirations for the Russian crown. Seeing an opportunity to win back royal favor, Count Orlov plots to seduce Elizabeth and divulge her plans to Catherine the Great. But his scheme soon turns into a serious affair that would be buried behind the pages of history.