Ms. Shaw examines a portrait of Susan, His Majesty's beloved, and notes the striking resemblance to herself. Simon reveals he engineered a chance encounter between Ms. Shaw and the king because of this similarity. As they analyze the painting, Ms. Shaw realizes the artwork’s quality is surprisingly poor, inconsistent with what the king would commission. This discrepancy raises doubt about the portrait’s authenticity, prompting questions about the true identity of His Majesty's beloved and setting the stage for deeper intrigue.