In the third episode of Dangerous Liaisons, Pascal de Valmont (Nicholas Denton) accepts the challenge imposed by Camile (Alice Englert) to seduce a religious and impossible-to-conquer woman, Jacqueline de Montrachet (Carice van Houten, from Game of Thrones). Pascal doesn’t suspect – nor does anyone else – what Jacqueline’s true connection with Camille is, or even what motivates such hatred. With a few flashbacks, we already know that it was Jacqueline who expelled Camille from a rich palace and that the young woman tried to kill herself, ending up in prostitution to survive.

When the series was announced, a spoiler may have leaked because the character of Jacqueline exists only in the series and was described in a portal as “the mother of Camille”. However, so far it is not clear that this is the case or the real reason or what cardinal sin led to Camille being expelled, but we will find out soon enough.

The former lovers’ connection is now even more complex. Without the cards that provided material security (through blackmail), Pascal had to really work to support himself. But a guy like Javert from Les Miserables, Gabriel Carré (Hilton Pelser), obsessed with Camille, made Valmont’s life hell and he doesn’t have many options left for him than to accept the challenge imposed by Camille to recover a better lifestyle. It just won’t be easy. Jacqueline is indeed a fervent Christian and the first attempt at rapprochement went wrong. Nothing like a better observation: Valmont has already managed to reverse the situation.

Jacqueline de Montrachet is married – without love – to Henri de Montrachet (Tom Wlaschiha, another from Game of Thrones, where he played Jaqen H’ghar) and, if the version that she is Camile’s biological mother is true – it seems to me that she will have caught the daughter being sexually abused by her father (or stepfather). Personal theory.

Actress Carice van Houten was at first surprised by the proposal to revisit a story as definitive as the one in the film, but later she liked the feminist vision of the series and the fact that it will give life to an original character. “The character doesn’t actually exist in the book, so it was also a great opportunity for me to build her. I actually really like the fact that even though we are very different and obviously there is tension between the two women, they also have things in common,” she said in an interview. “They, in a way, have things in common. Because of their past – which I really can’t spoil – there’s a lot of tension, but there’s also love underneath. And that’s why it’s so complicated”, he carefully revealed.

The look designed for Jacqueline – the lady in white – pleased the actress. “I really liked the fact that she was dressed in white and had that innocent look. And she does good things, but she carries with her great sadness and great secrets, and that weighs heavily on her. The fact that she’s in a completely loveless marriage doesn’t help either. Yeah, I like to play around with where the sympathy and the changes [are] and have people a little confused about that,” she said.

In any case, the mystery surrounding Jacqueline promises to be the big surprise of season 1. The Marquis de Merteiul (Michael McElhatton, Game of Thrones Roose Bolton) is already trying to consider a second wife and we know who will win the title, so the toxic and passive-aggressive relationship between Camille and Jean tends to get worse. Jacqueline is attached to him, how could he not have recognized his daughter? Was Camille his employee? We will know.

In the adaptations of the story, I thought it was forced to bring Chevalier Danceny to the forced plot, after all, he was a boy when Camille included him in her game, but anyone who has read the book knows that he is essential to the story (he who publishes the letters), so can pass.

While they don’t tie up Carré’s purpose in the story, they also don’t empathize with the chase in the story, but we’re still halfway through the season with the 4th episode properly titled You Don’t Know Me. Nice to meet you, Jacqueline de Montrachet!