Ella may have been involved in the diseemination of this book, but I think Nicholas was too; certainly, his diaries indicate that he read it and found it credible, at least after 1917. ... It is easy for those sympathetic to Nicholas and Alexandra to point to the inconsistencies and vagueries of their opponents - which certainly existed - but these can't in themselves always be taken a sign that N and A were always following a coherant line of thought which we should defend.
I also greatly enjoyed Janet's point about the tendency to attack the inconsistencies of Nicholas and Alexandra's enemies in an attempt to give credibility to the Imperial couple. I think that I have certainly been guilty of this more often than not.
The footnote in question was something I accidentally came across when looking for other information on Ella some time last year; I quoted it here to make clear where the information Griff referred to came from, but didn't mean to make it look like an attack.
I agree with Janet's remark about inconsistencies of N&A's opponents and N&A not being free of inconsistencies either. Yet I think it may be useful to point to some of the inconsistencies of Nicholas' and Alexandra's enemies in discussions - where relevant - as they may help to understand why Nicholas and Alexandra sometimes reacted as they did. And vice versa, of course!
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