The False Chevalier or, The Lifeguard of Marie Antoinette

In the spring of 1786 a young man named Germain leaves the quiet river town of St. Elphège, Quebec, after his fur‑trader father blesses him for the journey to France. Raised among Montreal’s markets and French‑Canadian customs, he carries modest education and a fierce pride in his heritage. The farewell is steeped in ritual, his father's warning about Paris’ temptations echoing the moral stakes of the era. Germain sets out with a modest purse, a letter of introduction, and a promise to uphold his family’s name.

In Paris, Germain is drawn into the glittering yet dangerous royal court, where his looks and quick wit earn him the nickname of a false chevalier. He becomes part of a covert circle protecting the young queen, navigating intrigue, duels, and the rising threat of revolutionary fervor while testing his own honor. The story blends romance with the looming shadow of a kingdom on the brink, offering a tale of loyalty, deception, and the clash between New World vigor and Old World decadence.