Chapter 19 Summary:
Lisette is summoned to a high-stakes meeting with the Dowager Queen, Joshua’s formidable mother. Also present are the manipulative Lady-in-waiting, Hilda, and her daughter, Lady Caroline, the woman once intended to be Joshua's bride. The atmosphere quickly turns hostile as Hilda and Caroline launch a calculated attack on Lisette’s character, bringing up her past and accusing her of being a mere prostitute to shame her before the former Queen. However, Lisette maintains her composure and explains the truth behind her circumstances with such sincerity that she manages to put the Dowager Queen's heart at ease. Refusing to accept defeat, Caroline later seeks out Joshua, attempting to poison his mind by slandering Lisette’s behavior during the meeting, desperate to reclaim her lost position.
