‘The Gambit’ is now available as a Kindle ebook from Amazon along with other works of mine.

This story of adventurous youth and mistaken identity, set in Tudor England draws upon Mark Twain’s tale, ‘The Prince and the Pauper’ and Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night.’ It is a work of historical fiction that tells of a young Lady Elizabeth, eager to experience life beyond the palace walls and Henry, an orphan boy seeking to flee the brutal conditions that are his lot in life. Though born into very different worlds, they so close in age and looks that each could, and are mistaken for the other.

In an effort to escape her guardian, Sir Robert, Elizabeth takes on the guise of a stable boy. While this allows her to roam the city at will, she is mistaken for Henry by youths who often torment the orphan boy. The young girl’s salvation comes in the form of Thomas Shaw, a soldier of fortune who looks out for Henry when not on campaign and also believes the crown princess is Henry. After rescuing the battered, bruised and befuddled Elizabeth from a street fight, Sir Thomas sets off on campaign with Elizabeth in tow.

A disheartened Henry who believes he has been abandoned by Sir Thomas is seized by men sent out by Sir Robert, Elizabeth’s minder, to find his wayward charge. Though Sir Robert recognizes their error, he takes advantage of Henry’s likeness to Elizabeth to cover for his failure to protect his reputation until such time as she returns. Henry, striped of his last hope to escape a bleak future, agrees to play along with this desperate plan, if for no other reason than to avail himself of the opportunity to enjoy a warm bed and decent food for a few days.

What begins as a lark and a case of mistaken identity evolves into an adventure of a lifetime for two youths, one that is as dangerous as it is exciting in ways neither Elizabeth nor Henry could have ever imagined in their wildest dreams. The freedom the Lady Elizabeth enjoys while assuming the role of a boy is tempered by the cruel realities of battle. For Henry, what should have been nothing more than a brief respite from a life of deprivation becomes something more as he is drawn up into court intrigues that can be just as vicious and unforgiving as alleys of London.

As the two youths carefully tread their way along uncharted paths, the English King arranges for the betrothal of the Lady Elizabeth. Though he has been exiled from court due to Henry’s machinations, Sir Robert finds he has no other choice but to do all he can to keep that from occurring, least his ploy to pass Henry off as the Elizabeth is discovered. When she learns of this the Lady Elizabeth, aided by Sir Thomas, races back to England in an effort to undo a comedy of errors that threatens to turn deadly.