Louise de la Valliere by Alexandre Dumas. This illustrated title is #5 of the D'Artagnan Romance Series. Plot: Romantic events at the court of Louis XIV. Raoul de Bragelonne finds his childhood sweetheart, Louise de la Valliere, is maid of honor to the Princess. Fearing a tarnishing of Louise's reputation by affairs at court, Raoul seeks to marry her. His father, Athos, the Comte de la Fere, disapproves, but eventually, out of love for his son, reluctantly agrees. The king, however, refuses to sanction the marriage because Louise is of inferior social status, and so marriage is delayed until Louise has earned her fortune and Raoul grows in prestige. Alexandre Dumas, also known as Alexandre Dumas, pere, was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure. Translated into nearly 100 languages, these have made him one of the most widely read French authors in history."