First Impressions Count

Before her royal wedding, the Duchess of Lauzun had never met her husband to be.  Amélie was engaged to the Armand Gontaut-Biron, who would become the duc de Lauzun. The boy was gifted with both ambition and charm (and he wasn't hard on the eyes either!)

He had had a few flings here and there so one can imagine the suspense to an engagement with a lady he did not know.  What did he know? She was very accomplished.  Raised by a grandmother who was an infamous member of the court of Louis XV, Amélie was well versed in court etiquette.  Elegant and graceful, she had been described as "exquisitely beautiful."  Elegance and grace certainly don't hurt a girl's beauty!

So it may not be surprising that the young duc had to see his beautiful bride to be.  An arrangement was made for him to attend a ball where Amélie would also be in attendance.  He would go in a disguise as not to be recognized by the guests.  When he got there,  he saw his bride, and was happily captivated by her beauty!

Unfortunately for Amélie, her husband-to-be was admiring the beauty of a Mademoiselle de Roth. Oops!  When he figured out his error and saw Amélie, as exquisite as she was, her beauty paled in comparison to Mademoiselle de Roth.  A circumstance beyond her control, the duc had a bad first impression, and never let go of that!