The year is 1812 and life for Charlotte Kempe changes dramatically when her mother marries Sir Basil Hendry, a gentleman with an eye for the ladies.

When he attempts to seduce his new step-daughter, she shoots him and flees the family home of Betton House.

Dressed in her brother's clothes, she rides to Robin Hood's Bay and shelters with the retired family cook, Mrs Smailes. Disguised as a boy, she becomes Charlie, grandson of Granny Smailes, and gets a job at Howebeck Hall. On meeting Marius Howe, she finds it hard not to show her feelings, but decides to keep up her male masquerade because he is already spoken for by Sophy Maddox.

Soon she is caught in the excitement of smuggling as part of a team led by Joseph, a big, powerful fisherman. They carry contraband tea to be hidden at Granny Smailes. Charlotte knows she has dug a pit of lies but she is not the only one to carry out a deception.

Written by Gillian Kaye, who lives near Pickering, this is an easy going, light-hearted novel, very much in the style of her fellow local author Jessica Blair who, appropriately enough, is actually called Bill Spence.

Updated: 08:53 Wednesday, November 26, 2003