She was the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy duke. Everyone knew except her.

Caroline Thorpe - no great beauty, but a real little charmer - was summoned to the home of the Duke of Cley.

The Duke's household was a strange one, and his home not the happiest place to be. "Don't think," said Charlotte, "that Amelia and I are going to be sisters to you. We won't, Miss Bastard Thorpe."

So when young Tremadoc (who wrote poetry, very bad poetry) asked her to elope with him to Gretna Green, she readily agreed.

What a tangle it all was. And it would be even worse before Caroline could sort everything out and discover who were her friends - and who were her enemies.