Le Collier de la Reine, Tome II

Jeanne de La Motte‑Valois has spent years nursing a dangerous secret, dreaming that a single bold move could lift her from obscurity to the heights of courtly power. Armed with a modest fortune, an eye for opportunity, and the support of influential patrons, she decides to trade petitions and pleading for a dazzling entrance at Versailles. Her plan is simple: appear not as a beggar but as a noblewoman with a sizable annuity, a coveted marriage, and the queen’s favour.

When she arrives at the palace without a formal audience, a chance encounter with an eager usher thrusts her name into Marie‑Antoinette’s conversation. The queen, intrigued by the newcomer’s reputation, summons Jeanne into the royal apartments, offering her a fleeting glimpse of the privilege she seeks. The encounter sets in motion a web of intrigue, promises, and peril that will test Jeanne’s cunning and reshape the delicate balance of power at the French court.