When Laura Duell and Jay Hogarth marry, both agree to a modern marriage in which each will retain his/her individual identity. After a romantic honeymoon, the couple settles in New York City, where Laura takes a job as a reader for a publishing house, ignoring her mother's warning that her marriage will fail if she neglects her domestic duties. Laura and Jay's sophisticated ideas include friendships with the opposite sex, and soon Laura is working late with her publisher, Horace Purcell, who falls in love with her. Meanwhile, Jay, a radio producer, spends late evenings with a beautiful and aggressive novelist, Mrs. Bee Canfield. One night, Jay invites Bee up to his apartment, where she kisses him with indelible lipstick. When Laura arrives home with Horace, she coolly advises Jay to use cold cream on his stained lips. Although Laura and Horace's relationship remains platonic, Bee actively pursues Jay and invites him to a chic party. When the host, Henry Reynard, insults her, Laura asks Jay to leave, and he assumes she's jealous of Bee, who has been flirting with him all evening. Finally, Laura's best friend, Kate, who loves Jay, intervenes by insulting Bee and kisses Jay herself. When the party becomes raucous, Reynard kicks everyone out, and in the rush to leave, Jay is unable to find Laura. Assuming she has gone home with Horace, he leaves with Kate, an action that is witnessed by Laura. At dawn, Jay and Laura arrive home separately. Although Horace had sworn his love to Laura at his apartment, their night was spent innocently over coffee. Jay, however, made love with Kate but insists he and Laura are so civilized they can laugh at the situation. In retaliation, Laura takes a business trip with Horace, although they sleep separately. Weeks pass and Laura and Jay remain apart while Jay drinks. Kate looks after him at Laura's request, although she knows he will never love her. Laura, meanwhile, has quit Horace's firm, but continues to see him socially. One night, the two couples meet accidentally at a club, and Laura agrees to meet Jay the next morning at her old apartment. Outside, she meets her mother, who has come for a surprise visit. Her mother immediately realizes Laura and Jay are separated, but they keep up a facade for a couple of days. They quarrel about the events of the past until Laura's mother scolds them for not forgiving each other. As Laura closes the door to the bedroom, Jay leaves his bedside chair for the marriage bed.