[2] In parallel, Marie Anne persuaded Louise Julie to write to Cardinal Fleury and resign her own post as dame de palais in favor of their sister Flavacourt by convincing her that the king wished to favor her sisters for the sake of Louise Julie.

[1] When Cardinal Fleury received her request of resignation, he called upon her and warned her about the danger it would mean to her position, and Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, Count of Maurepas also warned her: “Madame, you do not know your sister, de la Tournelle [Marie Anne]; when you hand over your office to her, you may expect your dismissal from Court”.

[2] Although the queen retracted her approval, Marie Anne was appointed to the position on 19 September,[1] and the next day, Cardinal Fleury refused Louise Julie's compensatory future post as dame d'atours of the dauphine.

Marie Anne de Mailly reportedly felt threatened by her sister Madame de Flavacourt, who distanced herself from her and whom she therefore suspected of having the ambition to replace her as royal mistress, and she suspected the queen of trying to disturb her relationship with the king by presenting a rival to her position.

In reality, however, she had no wish to become a royal mistress and only wanted to enjoy her position as courtier because it gave her independence from her spouse: she once told the minister of war, count d'Argensson, that she wished for her husband to be promoted, because otherwise he would leave the army and return to her, a prospect she lamented.