RATING: GOOD
SPOILERS!!!
In this novel Gabriel finds himself involved in some intrigues in the court as well as the enmity between two apparent friends, Lesbia and Amaranta. Amaranta tells Gabriel that she wants him to work for her and she feels that he is destined for a bright future. The boy who dreams of becoming something grand like Godoy accepts, and Amaranta tells him that they would go to Aranjuez. Gabriel, who is in love with Ines, a fourteen-year-old girl, the daughter of a seamstress, Juana, goes to see her, and Ines, who is kind, loving and very sensible, thinks that Gabriel needs to accept his station of life. They have a small quarrel, and Gabriel goes thinking that he will remember Ines, but he won't see her again.
In Aranjuez Amaranta tells Gabriel what she wants to do for her. What she proposes is for him to spy on Lesbia, and that doesn't sit well with Gabriel, who realises that he has been fooled. He refuses and Amaranta takes offence. Gabriel swears to return to Madrid, and then in the palace he hears that there has been an attempt to overthrow the king and his Minister Godoy. Some letters have been found in the Prince of Asturias's and they are evidence that he was part of a plot. Lesbia seems to be involved in the plot alongside the man she loves Juan de Mañara. Lesbia gives Gabriel a letter for Mañara, which says that she loves him and putting down Isidoro, the actor who is in love with her and Lesbia flirted with. When Gabriel is on his way to hand the letter, Mañara is arrested and he hears that Lesbia will also be questioned.
Gabriel returns to Madrid and when he visits Ines, her uncle, the priest, tells him that Doña Juana is dying and Ines is very sad. The priest is worried because if Juana dies, Ines will finds herself destitute. Celestino has been expecting a position for years, but it hasn't arrived yet, so he has no money either.
When Gabriel goes to his employer, Pepita, he is told that he needs to play a part in the play that Pepita and some of her acquaintances, including Amaranta and Lesbia, will be performed in a palace. That night Pepita takes hold of Lesbia's letter that Gabriel has, and he discovers its disappearance the next day. Pepita refuses to give it back, and Gabriel is worried, and he plans to find the letter during the play.
The day of the play Pepita talks to Isidoro, who she is in love with. The man is smitten with Lesbia, who he suspects of being unfaithful to him. Pepita confesses that she is love with someone that doesn't love her back but she has planned her revenge. It is during the play that Isidoro receives the letter that Lesbia wrote for Maraña, and the man sees red. It is Gabriel who saves Lesbia from Isidoro. The public thinks that what they saw was a terrific performance from Isidoro.
Later Isidoro and Pepita talk and he realises that she loves him, and he tells her that he doesn't love Lesbia any longer.
Gabriel tries to find the letter, and he realises that Amaranta has it, but she also refuses to give it to him. Then Gabriel tells him a story that he has heard on the grapevine. He says that there was a girl who years ago fell in love with a young man who her family disapproved. The young man eventually went to France, and the girl had a baby who was never heard of again. We understand that the woman Gabriel is talking about is Amaranta, who is very upset. She gives him the letter, and Gabriel also mentions a position he wants, which we later realise is for Celestino.
When Gabriel goes to Ines's house, Celestino tells him that Juana has died, but Ines won't be left alone as he has his position now. He also tells him that before dying, Juana confessed that Ines wasn't her birth daughter, but she didn't say who her real mother is. Gabriel then wishes he could bring her back to life and ask her because I imagine he suspects that Ines may be Amaranta's daughter.
I loved this novel, especially the historic context.
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