England, North Yorkshire, 1813
Miss Phoebe Elgie and her younger brother, Thomas, flee when an accident results in them being labelled ‘machine breakers’ in the cotton mill where fate had them trapped.
Hunted, with nowhere to run, they are aided by a mysterious stranger called Matthew. They soon discover that he is a man who appears to assume a variety of roles.
Phoebe instinctively trusts Matthew, unlike Thomas who doubts. She is drawn to this stranger; lives and destiny intertwine as their journey crosses the path of smugglers and traitors. This hinders their quest to uncover the truth behind the demise of their family, which left them so vulnerable.
Phoebe’s challenge is three-fold.
•She must secure their escape beyond the reach of the overseers of the mill and the crime they have been accused of.
•Uncover what happened to their mother.
•Cope with the confusion of her developing friendship with the mysterious, Matthew, and determine if there could be a future for them.
Swept along by the swiftness of the serious events that dog their progress to uncover the truth, Phoebe struggles to overcome and resolve these challenges.
Determined, Phoebe has no time to doubt, but how will she succeed…?
