Madelaine is the poor cousin of the aristocratic de Gramont family in France of the 1850’s. She is cherished by the beautiful young Bertha and secretly the beloved of the handsome Maurice, but she is barely tolerated by the haughty old countess. When her uncle’s scheming manages to cause a serious rift within the family, Madelaine finds she must rely on the skill of her “fairy fingers” and make her living as a seamstress. She winds up as the sought-after couturier “Mademoiselle Melanie” in Washington, D.C. and has an opportunity to help the now financially-imperiled de Gramonts. - Summary by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapters
1 Chapter I. Noblesse 33 min 2 Chapter II. The Cousins 20 min 3 Chapter III. Madeleine 43 min 4 Chapter IV. Proposals 12 min 5 Chapter V. Heart-beats 35 min 6 Chapter VI. Unmasking 38 min 7 Chapter VII. A Crisis 32 min 8 Chapter VIII. Flight 45 min 9 Chapter IX. The Empty Place 42 min 10 Chapter X. The Humble Companion 21 min 11 Chapter XI. Pursuit 16 min 12 Chapter XII. The Sister of Charity 28 min 13 Chapter XIII. Weary Days 25 min 14 Chapter XIV. Diamonds and Emeralds 29 min 15 Chapter XV. The Embroidered Handkerchief 20 min 16 Chapter XVI. A Voice from the Lost One 36 min 17 Chapter XVII. "Chiffons" 23 min 18 Chapter XVIII. Maurice 19 min 19 Chapter XIX. The Aristocrats in America 20 min 20 Chapter XX. The Incognita 28 min 21 Chapter XXI. The Cytherea of Fashion 16 min 22 Chapter XXII. Meeting 40 min 23 Chapter XXIII. Noble Hands made Nobler 37 min 24 Chapter XXIV. Feminine Belligerents 32 min 25 Chapter XXV. The Message 13 min 26 Chapter XXVI. Meeting of Lovers 22 min 27 Chapter XXVII. Count Tristan's Policy 15 min 28 Chapter XXVIII. Lord Linden's Discovery 18 min 29 Chapter XXIX. A Contest 21 min 30 Chapter XXX. Bertha 28 min 31 Chapter XXXI. A Surprise 16 min 32 Chapter XXXII. The Nobleman and Mantua-maker 30 min 33 Chapter XXXIII. Madame De Gramont 14 min 34 Chapter XXXIV. Half the Wooer 22 min 35 Chapter XXXV. A Revelation 16 min 36 Chapter XXXVI. The Suitor 9 min 37 Chapter XXXVII. A Shock 28 min 38 Chapter XXXVIII. The Mantua-maker's Guests 20 min 39 Chapter XXXIX. Ministration 29 min 40 Chapter XL. Recognition 13 min 41 Chapter XLI. Unbowed 23 min 42 Chapter XLII. Double Convalescence 15 min 43 Chapter XLIII. Outgeneralled 21 min 44 Chapter XLIV. A Change 32 min 45 Chapter XLV. Reparation 15 min 46 Chapter XLVI. A Mishap 21 min 47 Chapter XLVII. Inflexibility 14 min 48 Chapter XLVIII. The New England Nurse 38 min 49 Chapter XLIX. Ronald 11 min 50 Chapter L. A Secret Divined 18 min 51 Chapter LI. Seed Sown 16 min 52 Chapter LII. A Lover's Snare 19 min 53 Chapter LIII. Resistance 12 min 54 Chapter LIV. An Unexpected Visit 14 min 55 Chapter LV. Amen 20 min 56 Chapter LVI. The Hand of God 33 min 57 Chapter LVII. Conclusion 22 min
