The Bath Keepers; Or, Paris in Those Days, v.2 (Novels of Paul de Kock Volume VIII)

"The Bath Keepers; Or, Paris in Those Days, v.2" by Paul de Kock is a story set in 19th-century Paris that shows us the lives of everyday people and how they deal with the challenges and rules of their society. The book mainly follows Ambroisine and Bathilde as they deal with subjects like love, disloyalty, and being excluded from society, after Bathilde is rejected by her family. The story kicks off on a stormy night, and Ambroisine is worried about her father, Master Hugonnet, and is also concerned with the problems of her friend Bathilde. After some trouble, Ambroisine finds Bathilde knocking on her door. After being kicked out of her home because of being pregnant, Bathilde is in need of a place to stay. As Bathilde shares her situation, including her love for Comte Léodgard and her need for him to accept her, the story builds tension and shows how much personal decisions matter in a world full of social pressures.