Madame de l’Ambermesnil is a 36-year-old widow who lives in the Maison Vauquer, Madame Vauquer’s boarding house, for a brief time. She befriends Madame Vauquer but then thwarts the latter’s romantic intentions toward Goriot by trying to steal him for herself. After this scheme fails, Madame d l‘Ambermesnil leaves the boarding house with six months’ unpaid rent.