Like her companions, she holds onto the hope that one day, a happy liaison will elevate her from the state of a prostitute to an adored courtesan. A count, a duke, a prince? She dreams of grand private mansions and carriages, imagines herself adorned in lace and jewels. She knows well that to capture both the heart and mind of the man she possesses and rise in high society, one must not only be pretty but also clever and daring….
He possesses caressing blue eyes, a face of childlike sweetness, and a silky beard: the young count does not regret having entered the doors of Maison Souquet, one of the most sought-after pleasure places in the capital. Douchka, his chosen one for the night, sensual but seemingly unaware, simultaneously naive and mischievous, perfectly embodies his feminine ideal.
Enthusiastic, Douchka then has only one thing in mind: to become an actress. The count is indebted? Her name is Emma Elisabeth Crouch. Born in Plymouth, England, the highest aristocrats of the Second Empire cannot resist the sharp charm of this extravagant brunette who loves money as much as carnal pleasures.
The decline of the Empire marks the end of the beautiful Englishwoman. After ruining a younger lover, Cora falls ill and dies at forty, forgotten by those who once idolized her. My independence was my entire fortune: I have known no other happiness. This would be the art collector Alfred Mosselman. There are musicians such as Berlioz, painters and sculptors like Meissonnier, Vidal, Jalabert, Courbet, writers including Gautier, Dumas father, Flaubert, the Goncourt brothers, and poets such as Musset, Nerval, Baudelaire, who make her their muse or model.
All have great respect for this free, intelligent, and audacious woman who, unlike other women of the demimonde, seeks more to learn than to please. With her long, bouncing red hair cascading over her milky shoulders, her sparkling black eyes, her curvaceous body, and mischievous smile, Luce is as carefree as a summer morning. Her ethos is carelessness, to avoid opening the door to melancholy. Cultivating a zest for life, she generously offers her heart and her bed, delighting in ensnaring men who hardly resist her charm.
