‘No. Now go. Please.’
Please?She smiled to herself at the first sign of his weakening.
‘I cannot go. I love you. I would die if I could not be at your side.’
‘Then you can die for all I care.’
She felt anger rising inside at his words, but forced herself to maintain her pleading tone. ‘Very well, my love. I will go. But only if you let me see your face one last time. I will not say goodbye to a door, Napoleon. Open it and make your farewell face to face.’
There was a short pause, before he said suspiciously, ‘Why?’
‘We are adults, my love, so please let’s behave with the dignity of adults.’ She made her tone as gentle and reasonable as possible. ‘Now, open this door.’
There was silence, then the soft padding of bare feet. Her heart beat fast against her breast as a key turned in the door and a moment later the handle twisted and the door opened slowly.
Next morning Lucien arrived on the doorstep of his brother’s house and rapped the knocker. A moment later the door was opened by the preposterously dressed servant Napoleon had brought back with him from Egypt.
‘Has my brother risen?’
‘No, sir.’ Roustam stood aside to let Lucien pass, and Lucien could not help smiling as he saw that the hall was empty of all the baggage that had been there when he had called the day before. ‘Ah - she’s gone then.’
‘Sir, I—’
‘Just get some coffee brewing and take it to the study. My brother and I will be in conference this morning.’
‘But, sir . . .’
‘Just prepare the coffee!’ Lucien repeated. He climbed the stairs two at a time. He felt elated by the departure of Josephine. Now his brother would be able to concentrate his full energies on other, far more important, matters. Reaching the door at the end of the landing, he did not knock, but turned the handle and entered the room.
‘Napoleon, it’s late.You were supposed to be at my house an hour ago. As it is I’ve come to you and—’
He stopped abruptly and stared towards the bed. Napoleon was propped up on a pillow, his pasty white chest naked and his dark hair as rumpled and untidy as the tangled bedclothes that covered his lower body. Resting her head on his shoulder was Josephine. Lucien took a deep breath and clenched his teeth to hold back his surprise and anger. He took a step back towards the door.
‘I apologise, madam. I had no idea you were here.’
‘Evidently,’ she smiled. She leaned further into Napoelon and nuzzled up to his breast, kissing his flesh.
Lucien flushed with irritation and embarrassment. ‘I, er, need to speak with my brother. At once.’ He fixed his eyes on Napoleon. ‘It’s very important. I’ll wait for you down in the study. Don’t take too long.’
He turned and left them, shutting the door behind him. As the sound of his footsteps retreated along the landing Josephine smiled to herself.
‘Now that you’re here,’ Lucien said testily, ‘we can finally begin.’
Napoleon did not reply, but smiled and helped himself to a cup of coffee and sat down. He took a careful sip and grimaced as he realised it was cold. He set the cup down and looked at his younger brother. ‘Well?’
‘You have picked a good time to return. A very good time indeed, brother.’
‘Good?’ Napoleon’s brow rose in surprise. ‘France is at war with England, Austria, Naples, Portugal and Turkey. The only enemy who is willing to discuss peace is Russia, and then only because Tsar Paul hates the English even more than he hates us. Our army is still recovering fom the defeat at Novi. Most of the departments of France are on the verge of rebellion, our troops haven’t been paid for months and the treasury is almost empty, and the Jacobins are pushing for a new Committee of Public Safety.What have the Directory done with the country that I left so powerful when I sailed to Egypt? The situation could hardly be worse.’
‘And therefore the opportunities for change could hardly be better.’ Lucien smiled. ‘Especially as those who govern us at present are so hopelessly divided. Talleyrand is in disgrace since he tried to get a bribe out of a treaty with the Americans. General Bernadotte is hardly making a secret of his schemes to seize power. Barras, so my informants tell me, is even plotting a coup to return the Bourbons to power. And now you arrive in Paris, on the crest of a wave of popularity thanks to your victory at Aboukir. That’s about the only news the people have had to celebrate for months. They are desperate for change.’
Napoleon eyed him shrewdly. ‘And you are keen to give it to them, no doubt.’
‘Me, and others like me,’ Lucien admitted. ‘I’ve managed to stay clear of political scandals, and I command the support of a large number of the deputies, but I lack the affection of the people. If something is going to happen, if my comrades and I are to change the government, then we’ll need a figurehead to lead the movement. It has to be someone untainted by the politics of the capital. Someone who is popular with the mob, and who can command the respect and loyalty of the army.’
‘Someone like me, I imagine.’ Napoleon smiled.
Lucien’s expression remained serious. ‘It has to be you. Any other choice would be too divisive. You’d only have to be the public face of the new government. Once things have settled down, you could return to the army and retire from public life.’
‘I might not want to,’ Napoleon said carefully.
‘It’s possible that your . . . retirement from public life, might not be in the best interests of France. But I wouldn’t express such a view in front of those whose help we will need in the days to come.’
‘I understand.’ Napoleon eased himself back in his chair.‘Who else is in on your plans?’
‘Two of the Directors, Sieyès and Ducos. We’ve sounded out Talleyrand, Joseph Fouché and some of the other ministers. They’re all for a change in government and want a new, more powerful executive in its place. The thing is, many of them are afraid of using a soldier as the putative leader of the coup.’
‘Very wise of them. And at the same time they’re being foolish. They want a centralised government with the authority to act swiftly and decisively, and at the same time they’re afraid of the consequences of such a move.’ Napoleon shook his head with contempt. ‘They can’t have it both ways.’
‘They know that,’ said Lucien. ‘That’s what has been paralysing them for months. The trouble is with Bernadotte and Barras circling like wolves their hand is finally being forced.You weren’t their first choice. Sieyès wanted Joubert, but he was killed at the battle of Novi and you’re our last chance. Sieyès isn’t keen on you. He is worried about your “incendiary temperament” as he put it, and your ambition.’
‘Then he’s no fool.’
‘We must handle him carefully, brother.’
Napoleon nodded. ‘When do we make our move?’
‘I’ve thought about that. Not until after your official reception by the Directors. We have to see how they react to your popularity.They might question your reasons for abandoning the army in Egypt. They may try to fling some shit at you and hope enough sticks to taint your public image.’
‘A compelling vision, Lucien, but hardly poetic.’
Lucien slapped his hand down on his thigh in irritation. ‘This isn’t a game, Napoleon! We are playing for the highest possible stakes. We foul this up and it might cost us our lives.’
‘You know, if we succeed, it might also mean the fall of the revolution.’
‘Perhaps, but anything is better than a return to the monarchy. Almost anything.’
Two days later, Napoleon presented himself, in full uniform, before the Directors in the audience chamber of the Luxembourg Palace. There were far fewer officials there to witness the meeting than there had been on his last such appearance.The president of the Directory, Louis Gohier, greeted Napoleon cordially and offered him the congratulations and gratitude of the Directors, on behalf of the people of France. Then he glanced at Barras, and Napoleon noted that Barras gave a slight nod before Gohier turned back and continued.