Part 3/9:
The Gout and Herbal Treatments
As Abigail acclimates to her new reality as a maid, Sarah finds herself embroiled with the opposition led by Lord Harley, who advocates for peace with France to alleviate the burden of war taxes. With her husband, Lord Marlborough, successfully commanding the troops, Sarah remains steadfast in her belief that the French must be defeated rather than appeased.
One evening, tasked with attending to the queen's ailment — her debilitating gout — Abigail's proximity to Anne sparks her to venture into the forest to gather herbs for an unapproved remedy. When she surreptitiously applies this ointment to the queen's legs while she sleeps, Abigail unwittingly sets off a chain of events that tests the loyalties of those around her.