The Sisters of Versailles (55 page)
Generally, the sisters’ lives were best documented when they were at or came into contact with Versailles (though subject to the contradictions outlined above), while their childhoods and early lives have remained fairly obscure. I have endeavored to be as faithful to the historical record (or what passes for it) as possible, with just a handful of deliberate changes for the sake of clarity or timing, including the date of Hortense’s wedding changed by a year and the dates of the Duc de Richelieu’s sojourn in Vienna extended. All of the primary and secondary characters (with the exception of Zélie, their childhood governess) are based on
real persons, and as much as possible tertiary characters are as well.
Every person that has ever lived is so much more than just the collection of dates and the handful of anecdotes that the void of history may provide. I’ve filled in the broad brushstrokes of the sisters’ lives and personalities with an array of foibles, quirks, and faults that we as humans all have. I like to imagine Louise, Pauline, Diane, Hortense, and Marie-Anne reading my book. Perhaps they would laugh and giggle, cry at the memories, raise their eyebrows at what I got right, frown where I missed the mark. My hope is that they would recognize at least a part of themselves and their fascinating lives in this book, my tribute to them.
Acknowledgments
Writing can be a very solitary pursuit, but many hands have helped to bring this book from initial concept to finished product. First, thanks have to go to my agent, Dan Lazar, at Writers House, and to my editor, Sarah Branham, at Atria, for all their wonderful work and ideas, as well as to Alison McCabe, who helped enormously with the first draft.
The research process for this book was very interesting and rewarding; thanks to the DILA in Paris for the informative tour of the Hôtel de Mailly-Nesle; to Deborah Anthony at French Travel Boutique and to Odile Caffin-Carcy for bringing me behind the scenes at Versailles; and to Google Books for making so many obscure eighteenth-century books available online and for free, an amazing boon to any researcher. And of course thanks to my family and friends for all their encouragement and support.
JOHN CARVALHO, EXPOSURES PHOTOGRAPHY
SALLY CHRISTIE
was born in England and grew up around the world, attending eight schools in three languages. She spent most of her career working in international development and is currently settled in Toronto.
The Sisters of Versailles
is her first novel. Visit
sallychristieauthor.com
to find out more.
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by Sally Christie
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.
ISBN 978-1-5011-0296-7
ISBN 978-1-5011-0298-1 (ebook)
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