A Balkan Tangle: The Story of a Royal Courtship

"The Story of a Royal Courtship" by Eleanor M. Ingram presents a romantic political comedy set in the Balkan kingdom of Balka. Prince Paul is tasked by his cousin King Cyrian to scout Mademoiselle Borisof as a potential bride—a politically neutral choice to avoid empowering rival factions. Traveling incognito as Colonel Delmar, Paul discovers Count Borisof has two daughters. The elder, Dorine, resembles the king's detested Countess Antonia. However, the younger, Irenya—who spent her childhood in America—proves ideally suited to Cyrian: golden-haired, spirited, and unconnected to court politics. Paul must sketch her portrait and report within a week. The narrative captures court intrigue, mistaken identity complications, and the minister Kalrov's suspicious observation of the king's signet ring.