Firsltly----welcome Charlie !
Secondly----I agree with Sarushka.
OTMAA were isolated.
But Tsarevich Alexei druring war wasn't isolated as OTMA were, for example. Because he oftenly visited military, and knew many persons, soliders.
Empress was interesting person. She was good mother, often in misgiving about her son. She wanted to protect her children, and because this, OTMAA were devilish isolated. We have to understand her, fear ,heed made she maybe hardfeatured person.
Remember her son and husband could died very often(Aleksie due to hemophilia, NII due to possible assassination.)
Hope, Charlie, Sarushka, me, Ally helped.
Nena