This book (the dreaded second novel!) would not have been written if it wasn’t for the support and encouragement of many. Therefore, many thank-yous go to my agent, Olivia Maidment, who believed in the story enough to allow me to go a bit rogue and who kept me going through times of self-doubt and near creative burnout. Knowing I can always fall back on your support and wisdom is priceless. To my editors at Sourcebooks, the fabulous MJ Johnston and Liv Turner, whose insightful notes brought the final novel much closer to my initial vision! Thank you, as well, to the wider teams at Sourcebooks and at Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV and Film Agency for their help shaping and promoting this story. To name but a few: Jessica Thelander, Gianni Washington, Anna Venckus, and Cristina Arreola at Sourcebooks; Valentina Paulmichl, Hannah Kettles, Hannah Ladds, and Casey Dexter at Madeleine Milburn Agency.
I have taken much creative license with Camille’s job in an art auction house, as well as the places mentioned in this book. I am extremely grateful to Francesca Whitham for sharing her experience and insight as a picture specialist at Dreweatts. Her enthusiasm and passion for her job really shone through, and Camille’s personal experiences bear no resemblance to what came from our discussions—thank you so much, Francesca, for so patiently answering all my basic questions and letting me know about the measuring tape you always carry in your bag! Thank you to Fanny Goujon from Bretagne Buissonnière who arranged the best research trip in and around Rennes, Brocéliande, and the castles in the area. D’Arvor is made up, but if the area has caught your imagination (as I hope it will!), I would highly recommend the Château des Rochers and Château de Combourg, both residences of prominent French writers, as well as one of Fanny’s guided visits of Brocéliande. Thank you too to Belinda, chauffeur-guide extraordinaire, who drove me around and provided me with many Breton culinary delights.
The eagle-eyed of you might have noticed that a quote from Camille Claudel opens the book and that aspects of Constance Sorel’s life and art bear some resemblance to Claudel’s, especially her relationship with Rodin. Although most of Sorel’s life is entirely invented, I would encourage readers with an interest in sculpture to check out Claudel’s work. Since I discovered her in my teenage years, I have felt she deserved better recognition beyond France, and her complex, sometimes controversial story is certainly worth exploring.
It is a while since I completed my master’s in medieval French studies, and I hope the poetic license I took with Arthurian legends and characters will be forgiven. What is the point of these stories if not their tweaking to fit our own narratives? They have been constantly reinvented since their inception, and I wanted to pay homage to them here, as they have played an important part in my imagination.
A special thank-you to my mother, Barbara Jost, to whom this novel is dedicated and who bears no resemblance to the Maman in this book. Having lived the first few years of her life in Brittany, she’s always felt a connection with it in heart and spirit, and she and Dad brought us moody teenage girls along to explore it on a few summer holidays. I’m grateful to you for introducing us to that beautiful region and its rich heritage and legends. I hope I’ve done it justice in this book. Thank you for loving us much better than the fictional parents I wrote here.
Finally, thank you, Luke, for keeping me going through doubts and meltdowns and patiently helping me make sense of my plot. Without you I’d still be trying to untangle myself from this story. I’m so grateful for your patience, honesty, and love.