Louise

Also known as: La Vallière / Mademoiselle de la Vallière · Family: French court · Role: court favorite · First appears: Chapter 10

In chapter 10, Louise was courted by Louis XIV while Raoul was dying of love for her, and she served Henrietta until her dismissal was sought in disgrace. By chapter 12, Louis XIV was eager for a chance to speak with her; after the supper at Vaux in chapter 13, he met her in the gardens and declared, “I love you,” with D’Artagnan and Fouquet nearby. In chapter 15, Louise regarded Louis XIV as her king and master, defended Fouquet from arrest in his own house, and silenced Colbert when he tried to implicate her; after Colbert presented a letter as hers, Louis XIV discovered its truth in chapter 16 and turned violently jealous of Fouquet, attacking both him and Louise by chapter 17.

In chapter 19, Fouquet wished to fall in love with Louise, while by chapter 28 Montalais was her companion and revealed that Louise had loved Raoul and should have married him before his departure. Raoul warned Guiche of a plot against the king’s mistress in Henrietta’s household, and Guiche swore to defend her. In chapter 32, D’Artagnan confirmed that “She loves the king,” leaving Raoul to depart so he would never see Louise again; chapter 34 records that Louise had rejected him, ending their engagement and sending him to war, while Athenais taunted her and D’Artagnan caught her as she nearly collapsed.

In chapter 60, Louise confessed, “I know,” said she, “I have caused the death of the Vicomte de Bragelonne.” Athenais, now Madame de Montespan, was described as jealous of her, while Louise told Athos that the death of the son had killed the father and that she had two crimes and two punishments to answer for.