Charles is a childhood acquaintance of Sandybell from her time living in the Scottish village at the beginning of the story. As one of the local children, he is typically seen as part of a trio of boys, accompanied by his two friends, George and Thomas. In the early episodes, Charles functions as a minor antagonist and a source of mischief for Sandybell. His behavior is characterized by teasing and troublesome antics, as he and his friends frequently try to bother Sandybell and her companions. For instance, he is shown kicking a football and hitting Sandybell with it, only for her to angrily kick it back at him. On another occasion, he and his friends attempt to prank her by looping a string around her, though their plans are often thwarted. Their behavior extends to more destructive acts, such as when they follow Sandybell to the garden she created and named Mother s Garden, only to begin destroying it before being chased away by Mark.

Despite his role as a nuisance, Charles is not portrayed as a genuinely malicious character. His actions are typical of neighborhood children engaging in low-level bullying and horseplay. He is part of the group of boys who, after a point, declare themselves as Sandybell's friends and express a willingness to help care for the Countess s garden alongside the other children. This indicates a development in his character, as the conflict between him and Sandybell diminishes over time. The narrative establishes that he and his friends become her friends after she leaves Scotland, showing a clear transition from an initial antagonistic role to that of a friendly acquaintance from her past. His primary role in the story is to be one of the local village children, contributing to the depiction of Sandybell's lively and sometimes difficult early life in Scotland before her journey to London.