Ten Years Later Chapter 48 - Fontainebleau at Two o'Clock in the Morning

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 33 - Which Treats of Carpentry Operations, and Furnishes Details upon the Mode of Constructing Staircases

In which the judicious plotting of Malicorne and the hopeful collaboration of Saint-Aignan set in motion a discreet carpentry scheme, designed to bridge the space between the secluded chambers of Mademoiselle de la Vallière and the king’s confidant quarters. With a mixture of caution and daring, these gentlemen prepare to fashion a secret staircase, as silent as whispered promises, that may render access from one forbidden abode to another a matter of mere footsteps.

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 32 - Which Treats of Gardeners, of Ladders, and Maids of Honor

In which the troubled king, thwarted by the vigilant Madame and her maids, seeks clandestine means to communicate with La Vallière, discovering the precarious situation wrought by an overlooked ladder and the watchful eyes of the palace. Amidst these gentle intrigues and whispered conversations, Malicorne and Montalais devise a plaintive stratagem to outwit Madame’s strict guardianship, preserving hope in the king’s tender pursuit.

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 31 - Mademoiselle de la Valliere's Pocket-Handkerchief

In which the king and Madame engage in a wily contest of attention and subtlety, centred upon a delicate communication through Mademoiselle de la Vallière’s pocket-handkerchief. The tale unfolds with deft manoeuvres and mistaken deliveries, revealing the gentle complexities of court intrigue and the sovereign’s acute discernment of humankind.

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 30 - Madame

In which the tense relations at court unfold through a charged encounter between King Louis and Madame, centring upon the dismissal of Mademoiselle de la Vallière and the tangled loyalties it reveals. The king’s rare admission of vulnerability contrasts with Madame’s unyielding pride, offering a glimpse into the delicate and often painful balance of power within the royal family.

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 29 - Chaillot

In which the king, accompanied by D’Artagnan and others, arrives with haste at a sombre cloister to find Louise de la Vallière in a state of near collapse, where they engage in a heartfelt and turbulent exchange of love, despair, and steadfast resolve. Though surrounded by forces intent on exile and disgrace, the tender affection between sovereign and subject is woven with delicate pleas for mercy, honour, and the promise of unyielding devotion amidst the shadow of looming opposition.