The Emerald Swan
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- ¥1,000
発行者による作品情報
Dear Reader,
My new story begins on a terror-filled night when two babies--identical twin girls of noble birth--are separated. One grows to womanhood as the frail, manipulative ward of the handsome young earl of Harcourt. The other becomes an enchanting, street-smart urchin who earns her way as a traveling player on the streets of England and France.
The two girls' paths might never again have crossed if Harcourt hadn't run into Miranda in the midst of an exuberant performance. The resemblance to his ward is unmistakable--uncanny, in fact...and an ambitious plot begins to take shape in Harcourt's mind.
His ward, Maude, will commit herself to a convent rather than marry the love-struck king of France, who will soon be traveling to London to claim her. What if Miranda were to take Maude's place? Harcourt is confident that with the right training, the right clothes, and the right attitude, the lithe, carefree Miranda will captivate society--and the king.
So begins Harcourt's breathtaking scheme to turn an ugly duckling into a gorgeous swan. But if he succeeds too well, Miranda may become something irresistible--even to Harcourt....
It's a delicious dilemma and a dangerous deception...and the twists and turns surprised even me.
Warmest wishes,
Jane Feather
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Feather's latest addition to her Charm Bracelet series (The Diamond Slipper, The Silver Rose) starts during the St. Bartholomew's Eve massacre with the murder of a Duchess and the disappearance of one twin daughter. Some 20 years later, the twins' English second cousin, Gareth Harcourt, earl of Harcourt, finds himself trying to improve his family's standing by marrying the remaining twin, Maude, into the French Huguenot court. Maude, however, has strong Catholic leanings; so the desperate Gareth takes advantage of the appearance of Miranda, a traveling tumbler, who happens to look just like her, as a back up. Unfortunately, Gareth is not well-developed (he's of the man-scarred-by-philandering-wife category), and Miranda comes off as improbable rather than complex. Although she manages every obstacle with little training--audience with Queen Bess, formal dance--she too often acts like an apologetic pup. Feather also overuses Miranda's little monkey as an emotional device for conveying her loyalty, sympathy and mischievousness.
