Prisoners of love . . .
Prisoners of love . . .
Elizabeth Wakefield is furious. She was swept off her feet by Prince :aurent de Sainte-Marie – the most romantic guy she’s ever met in her life. But that certainly isn’t the problem. The problem is Antonia, his fiancée! And Antonia’s mother, the Countess di Rimini, will do anything to keep Elizabeth away from the prince – including locking Elizabeth and her twin in a dungeon!
The countess has another reason for imprisoning the twins. Jessica Wakefield stole her precious emerald! Or so the countess believes. Jessica is enraged by the accusation – and miserable about being separated from her brand-new boyfriend, Jaques Landeau. She swears she’ll find out who framed her . . . but will the truth break her heart?
Excrept:
Elizabeth had already filled seven pages of a yellow legal pad with her ideas and observations about the thefts. “Both items belonged to the di Riminis . . . one missing from the train . . . one from the Château . . . ,” she read. “The diamond necklace was stolen from Antonia’s room in the château – and the de Riminis family heirloom was stolen from the countess’s luggage.”
Elizabeth circled the word heirloom and drew a big question mark next to it. She didn’t know what the heirloom object was exactly and made a mental note to find out.
Elizabeth realized the she and Jessica were the most obvious suspects. They were the only people who had been on the train and who were staying at the château.
Except for the countess and Antonia, of course, Elizabeth reflected. The more she considered the possibilities, the more convinced she was of the countess’s guilt. All her bluster and rage in the srevant’s wing that morning might have been nothing more than an attempt to divert suspicion from herself.
Suddenly the door burst open and Jessica rushed in. “Come on, Liz, let’s go!”
Elizabeth jumped up, responding to the urgency in her twin’s voice. “Go where?” she asked, following Jessica to the stairs.
“To find the jewel,” Jessica hissed.
Elizabeth’s mouth snapped shut, and she shivered with excitement. We might just crack this case, she thought.