Alexandra R
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"Those pictures were old, about five years, I believe, and out of focus," the Colonel replied going to a table on the near wall. "Her Majesty has been in seclusion since the death of her brother, the Crown Prince Albert a year ago, so there have been no recent official portraits. However," he opened a leather portfolio on the table and extracted a black and white glossy, "Captain Detchard, Hans, took this himself about six months ago. Since we had nothing better it was released to the press this morning." Genie took the picture the Colonel held out to her but nearly dropped it, in shock. It was almost like looking in a mirror. Certainly she had never worn her hair in a style that formal, swept up and piled in curls atop the head. But the rest of what she saw -- the even features, the smooth oval shape of the face, the neatly arched dark brows -- could easily have been a portrait of herself. Queen Alexandra might easily have been her twin. She knew she was in severe trouble. "It's..." for a moment words failed her. "It's me!" The Countess took the picture away and returned it to the Colonel then handed Genie a cup. Genie took it in shaky hands, saying, "That explains that. I wondered why that old guy eyed me so strangely. And I certainly understand your suspicions." She started to stammer, feeling fear for the first time since this strange encounter had begun. "But I can explain why I was on the road. Really, I can. I was going to Kest.
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About the Book
Eugenie Bronstein, a young American tourist, is accidentally forced into posing as the monarch of a small East European country in order for her coronation to take place. Queen Alexandra is mysteriously missing and it is too late to cancel the ceremony, so Eugenie is pressed into service as her double. When the coronation is over, the Queen's aides and advisors believe that she has been kidnapped by her uncle, Prince Nicholas, who covets the throne for himself and desires Alexandra's abdication. With Eugenie on the throne in Alexandra's place, Prince Nicholas cannot release the Queen or demand ransom without exposing himself to prison or exile. Eugenie must keep up the masquerade in the face of threats from Nicholas’s faction and the danger of being unmasked by the Queen's former fiancé, Prince Rupert, and his journalist friend Joan Wright. To complicate her ability to play the role, which she plays for Alexandra's sake, Eugenie finds herself very much in love with the Queen's future Prince Consort, Prince Freidrich. The dilemma Eugenie faces is how to safely abandon the throne, restore Alexandra to it, and endure the pain of leaving Freidrich behind to marry the Queen as he is duty bound to do.
About the Author
Eleanor Anne Greene is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she studied writing with Paul Green. She practiced as a Certified Public Accountant for years before retiring to devote her time to her first love, the reading and writing of novels of mystery, suspense and romance. She has written two novels of which Alexandra R is the second and is currently working on a third, which will be set in the world of competitive amateur sports. At this time she lives in Los Angeles in the company of her faithful and patient companion dogs.