Chapter One
From "The Anastasia Syndrome"
With a combination of reluctance and relief, Judith closed the book she had been
studying and laid her pen on top of her thick notebook. She had been working
steadily for hours, and her back felt cramped as she pushed back the
old-fashioned swivel chair and got up from the desk. The day was overcast. Long
ago, she had turned on the powerful desk light she had bought to replace the
elaborately fringed Victorian lamp which belonged in this furnished rental flat
in the Knightsbridge district of London.
Flexing her arms and shoulders, Judith walked over to the window and looked
down at Montpelier Street. At 33, the grayness of the January day was already
merging with the approaching dusk and the slight shudder of the windowpanes
testified that the wind was still brisk. Unconsciously she smiled, remembering
the letter she had received in answer to her inquiry about this place:
"Dear Judith Chase,
The flat will be available from 1 September until 1 May. Your references
are most satisfactory, and it is a comfort to me to know that you will be
engaged in writing your new book. The Civil War in sevente ... read full excerpt from The Anastasia Syndrome ebook
