Cecile: Gates of Gold — Mary Casanova

Girls of Many Lands

Versailles, 1711

Madame stepped forward from the crowd. Knowing that I was in her service, I took a step in her direction but was stopped short. Francoise held me by my elbow. "Wait!" she whispered in my ear. "The first thing to learn, Cecile, is that every single event, every single movement at court, comes with a set of rules. It's called etiquette. Many a position has been lost for not knowing who goes first."