L'espion de la Couronne

The story weaves espionage and romance seamlessly, but I'm curious how much of that was planned versus evolved during writing. Did the plot come first or the character relationships?

The mix of historical detail and lighthearted banter made the world vivid. Was that an intentional contrast to keep the tone lively despite the serious themes?

The character's secret identity added so much suspense — I wonder what led to that particular backstory and how it influenced the story's direction.