her time. At the start of the novel, the reader meets Clotilde and her husband during a precarious dinner scene that reveals the Baron’s lascivious and abusive nature, starkly contrasting with Clotilde’s innocence and desire for freedom. After a heated exchange, during which the Baron attempts to assert his control over Clotilde, she retreats to her room, reflecting on her loveless marriage and yearning for her true love, Maurice. The tension escalates when Clotilde discovers a note from Maurice imploring her to meet him, igniting her internal conflict between loyalty and her longing for escape. This opening sets the stage for a gripping tale involving love, desperation, and the quest for autonomy in a repressive society. (This is an automatically generated summary.)