AustLit

'The country manor house of Greyladies is always owned by a female descendant of the Latimers. When Harriet inherits it, that comes as a complete surprise.

'She's been working as a maid in a large country house, but when she realises that her stepmother wants to get her hands on her inheritance, she runs away. She goes with the partly crippled son of her employer, with whom she's great friends. Joseph has quarrelled with his father. She had been going to work as Joseph's housekeeper, now she's unsure what will happen, so they go to look at her house, expecting to find only a cottage.

'When the stepbrother finds out she's inherited a big house, he and his mother cause trouble. Who is to protect her from danger?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.