Love In Chains

Katerina, a nice girl, helps her godmother Anna who is worried about her son Grigoriy who went off to war and she hasn't heard from him in a while. Meanwhile, Piotr, Grigoriy's father, keeps running the estate, buys Nazar the blacksmith, and rapes his new bondmaid Vasilina. Grigoriy comes back home and tries to rape Katerina in a fit of lust. The girl is being rescued by Pavlina the cook.

Piotr expects his son to help him run the estate, but the latter refuses. However, Grigoriy needs money: he's being blackmailed by his ex-comrade in arms Reshetnikov. Chervinsky places an ad in a newspaper to sell his father's mistress Vasilina, which earns him his mother's gratitude and his father's wrath. Steward Yakov beats up Nazar the blacksmith for his alleged impudence.

Lidiya Shefer throws a reception to celebrate the war heroes. Natalie Doroshenko falls in love with Grigoriy Chervinsky and is happy to hear that Kosach has fallen in love with another woman. Katerina goes on a date with Aleksey, falls in love with him, but can't bring herself to confess that she is a bondmaid and not the squire's equal.

Grigoriy buys off Reshetnikov with a heirloom golden watch and accompanies his parents to the theater. Piotr seems enchanted by actress Yakhontova. Anna notices this. Natalie is upset with the lack of attention from Grigoriy, who goes home early to once again try raping Katerina. Aleksey starts his quest to find his beloved who has never told him her name or address.

Once again, Pavlina saves Katerina from Grigoriy's advances. She tries to set her up with Nazar, but all in vain. Also, she asks Anna to tell Katerina the truth about her father. Anna forbids her to do this. Lidiya brings Sofya money to pay off her debt to Chervinsky. Enraged by this, Aleksey goes to a casino and wins a hefty sum.

Katerina decides to confess to Aleksey that she is a bondmaid but can't find the courage. Grigoriy keeps making moves on Katerina and tortures her at a dinner with the Doroshenkos. Meanwhile, Aleksey confronts Grigoriy and Piotr over their inhumane treatment of their serfs. Later, he finds out about Andrey Zhadan, a former bondsman who has redeemed himself and is now building a sugar refinery.

Katerina decides to ask Anna for manumission. Grigoriy finds out about her plan and persuades Anna and Piotr to say no, while simultaneously promising her to talk them into letting her go. Pavlina writes to Stepan, telling him that he has a daughter. Grigoriy forges with his father's factory manager's report, striving to take his lucrative job and get access to the money.

Grigoriy offers Katerina a manumission. She rejects the offer, since it implies she'd have to become his mistress. She tells Aleksey she is a bondmaid. Aleksey proposes to Katerina and she says yes. Sofya tries to talk her son out of this marriage and asks Nikolay to make his childhood friend see reason. Aleksey asks Piotr for Katerina's hand in marriage anyway.

Aleksey agrees to buy Katerina. Grigoriy tries to talk his parents out of this deal. His mother is almost persuaded, when suddenly Anna decides Kosach would be perfect for Katerina. Lidiya finds out about Aleksey's proposal and asks Natalie to set up a meeting with her. During a tea party, she humiliates Katerina, reminding her of her low social status.

Piotr sets a high price for Katerina. Aleksey tries to take out a loan and fails. He tries to pawn his grandfather's ring and win some money at the casino, but all in vain. Katerina finds out about the price set for her by Piotr and breaks up with Aleksey. However, he doesn't give up, wins back Katerina's trust, and introduces her to Sofya.

Aleksey introduces Katerina to Sofia, who takes an immediate liking to her. Lidiya offers Aleksey to buy Katerina for him upon condition that he marries Lidiya. Kosach rejects her and goes to Kyiv with a commercial proposal for Zhadan. Grigoriy tries to convince Anna that Aleksey only wants Katerina as a plaything. Anna won't budge, and Chervinskiy asks Lidia to belie Aleksey.

Grigoriy keeps setting Anna against Aleksey. Zhadan gives Aleksey enough money for buying out Katerina and for the wedding. Zhadan's employees follow Kosach and steal part of the sum from him. Now he only has enough for the manumission. Lidia lets herself be tempted by Chervinsky and badmouths Aleksey in front of Anna.

Anna makes Piotr refuse to sell Katerina. Aleksey won't give up. Anna fights with Katerina over Aleksey. She confronts Piotr, threatening to change her will if his affair with Larisa tarnishes the family honor. However, Aglaya and Varvara, local gossipmongers and Anna's friends, already know about Piotr's infidelity.

Nikolay tells Aleksey he had been belied by Lidiya and asks Natalie to set up a meeting between Aleksey and Katerina. Natalie agrees, but Galia finds out and tells Grigoriy, who sabotages their meeting. Pavlina threatens Galina she'll tell Anna about her stealing if she harms Katerina. Galina, however, keeps following Katerina on Grigoriy's orders.

Anna turns Aleksey out of the manor and locks up Katerina in her room. She hears from Varvara about Piotr's mistress and threatens him with a divorce and depriving him of all property in case he doesn't break up with Larisa. Meanwhile, Grigoriy finds Larisa and promises to take revenge upon her if she continues seeing his father.

Natalie and Grigoriy get married. Katerina and Aleksey take advantage of the Chervinskys' absence and elope. Grigoriy finds out about their escape. Piotr brings Larisa to the wedding and gets into a brawl with his son in front of the guests. Anna faints.

Anna dies at Grigoriy and Natalie's wedding. Grigoriy blames his father for her death and leaves to pursue Katerina. He finds a letter at Sofya's house, which tips him about Katerina's and Aleksey's whereabouts, and demands to send the police after them. Meanwhile, Aleksey and Katerina get married at a Kyiv church.

Grigoriy brings Katerina back to Chervinka and locks her in the cellar. She finds out about Anna's death, blames herself, and falls ill. Aleksey is sent to jail. His cellmate is Grigoriy's former comrade-in-arms and current blackmailer, Yegor Reshetnikov. Aleksey finds out about Grigoriy's secret. Lidiya refuses to help Sofya bail out Aleksey.

To pay off Reshetnikov, Grigoriy pawns Natalie's wedding present, a ring. He accidentally runs across Aleksey in jail. Pavlina begs Natalie to put a word for Katerina with Grigoriy, but she blatantly refuses. Sofya asks Katerina to let go of Aleksey. Reshetnikov spills all Grigoriy's secrets to Aleksey. Nikolay manages to get Aleksey out of jail and persuades him to apologize to Piotr.

Aleksey accuses Grigoriy of dishonorable conduct, self-harm, and stealing military awards in front of the guests. He demands to send for Reshetnikov who would corroborate his words. It appears that Yegor has escaped from prison. Piotr throws Aleksey out of his house, and Grigoriy calls him out in a duel.

Grigoriy forges a suicidal note by Alekset. He spends the night at the casino, providing an alibi for himself. Meanwhile, Natalie finds out about the duel between Kosach and Grigoriy and comes to the appointed place in the hope to prevent it, which enrages Chervinsky against her. When Aleksey fails to appear, Nikolay goes searching for him and finds his friends' body at the abandoned mill.

Having examined Aleksey's body, the district superintendent rules the cause of his death was a suicide. Nikolay has his doubts but doesn't act on them just yet. Grigoriy finds an excuse to leave the city for the duration of the investigation, taking Natalie away on a honeymoon.

Having come back from Paris, Natalie and Grigoriy find Larisa at their house. Grigoriy fights with Piotr over her presence. Piotr accuses his son of being greedy: he believes Grigoriy came back only to be present at the discovery of his mother's last will. Larisa attempts to go back to her apartment, but Piotr stops her. Piotr mentions his son's infatuation with Katerina.

Katerina meets her father for the first time and finds out the truth about her family. Meanwhile, Piotr decides to sell Katerina at an auction. Grigoriy tries to talk him out of it and fails. He takes out a loan to buy Katerina but fails to outbid Lidiya. Galina attempts suicide, but Afanasiy saves her life and proposes to her in spite of her being pregnant with another man's child.