White Lies

In the quiet valleys of Brittany, the twenty‑ninth Baron of Beaurepaire enjoys a life many would envy—a prosperous estate, a loving wife, two bright daughters, and a reputation that commands respect in Parisian salons. He shuns ambition and court intrigue, finding his greatest treasure in the simple contentment of his ancestral home, where even festivals seem to celebrate his very presence.

When the turmoil of revolution erupts across France, the baron’s world is shattered. He rides away to fight for the crown, only to fall in the Vendée, leaving his wife draped in perpetual black. With the family’s fortunes in jeopardy, the aging Dr. Aubertin—once a carefree scholar of republican theory—steps forward as their unexpected protector, navigating fines, mortgages, and the restless politics that threaten to consume the once‑stable estate. As debts mount and loyalties are tested, the once‑peaceful chateau becomes a crucible for survival, loyalty, and the fragile hope of renewal.