Clarence has to get his pig eating again or he will lose the Fattest Pig prize to his fiendish rival. Meanwhile, Connie demands he put a stop to his niece Angela's love affair with cowboy Jimmy.

Anxious to impress the wealthy Schoonmakers, Connie hires Baxter, a personal secretary, to put a shine on Blandings. But a freshly fertilized rose bed and Freddie's attempts to sell dog food to the guests make the visit anything but sophisticated.

Clarence hopes to avoid dancing with his niece Gertrude by inviting a convenient blockhead to keep her company. Meanwhile, Freddie must keep his new Portuguese wife a secret from Connie.

With the help of Freddie and some mischievous schoolchildren, Clarence hopes to dodge the double ordeal of having to wear a top hat and make a speech at the Blandings fete.

Connie insists Clarence spruce himself up for a visit by the sophisticated Lady Daphne and her spoiled brat, Huxley. But when Daphne takes an unusual interest in Clarence (and his prize pig), Connie becomes suspicious.