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

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 36 - The Portrait

In which a secret rendezvous is arranged through a concealed trap-door, allowing La Vallière to meet the king and sit for a celebrated portrait painter in a secluded chamber, surrounded by the attentive company of courtiers. The painters’ brush captures not only her likeness but also the lovers’ tender glances, while subtle jealousies and courtly intrigues quietly unfold behind the scenes.

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 35 - The Apparition

In which La Vallière and the king engage in a delicate discourse about secret meetings, cautious stratagems, and the precarious nature of their intimacy as they navigate the perils of courtly observation. Meanwhile, La Vallière confides in Montalais, grappling with the heavy burden of promises made and the looming shadows of suspicions that threaten her innocence and honour.

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 34 - The Promenade by Torchlight

In which Saint-Aignan devises a daring plan to bring the king closer to La Vallière by secretly connecting their chambers, while the court prepares for an evening promenade that conceals a web of subtle manoeuvres and guarded intentions. As the palace stirs with intrigues and contrived accidents, the delicate interplay of loyalty and affection unfolds beneath the surface of whispered schemes and concealed passages.

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.