Roustam bowed and backed out of the room. Napoleon rubbed the gown against his flesh as he made for the door that led to his sleeping quarters. First Consul he might be, but his needs were the same as any other young man’s.

Dinner, like all meals shared with Napoleon, was eaten in a hurry. The First Consul resented spending any more time than was necessary on consuming food, especially when there was important business at hand.The stewards cleared away the plates, dishes, cutlery and glasses and left the four men to themselves, quietly closing the door on the room.

‘Well,’ Talleyrand said as he dabbed at his lips with a napkin. ‘The food was good, what little of it I had the chance to taste. So what is the purpose of this meeting, Citizen First Consul? Since I assume we weren’t just invited to enjoy your hospitality.’

Napoleon made himself smile at the foreign minister’s manner. Talleyrand represented much of what Napoleon despised, and admired, of the ancient regime. His manners were refined to the point of being an art form, and his offhand manner left people in no doubt that he considered them to be beneath him. His dry wit chafed Napoleon’s nerves, and yet if ever there was a man who was destined to deal in the duplicity of diplomacy it was Talleyrand, and therefore Napoleon was grateful that he had accepted the appointment. But he still loathed the man.

‘No, indeed. And now that we have eaten it is time to talk.’ Napoleon gestured round the table. ‘It falls to the four of us to decide what direction France is to take in the coming months. What does France need?’

‘Peace,’ Talleyrand said at once. ‘Citizen Consul, if you are to cement your hold on France then we must have peace. The people are tired of war. Our navy is in a deplorable state, the army is not much better and the treasury is all but empty. We need to make peace in order to consolidate the gains of the revolution.’

‘I have tried to make peace,’ Napoleon said wearily. ‘You know what the English said in their reply to me? “Peace is impossible with a nation that is against all order, religion and morality.” ’ He shook his head. ‘While that is their attitude there can only be war between us, and we can be sure that England will continue to subsidise any nation that stands against us.’

Talleyrand smiled. ‘It seems that the English are preparing to fight to the last Austrian.’

‘Quite,’ Napoleon continued, irritated by the interruption. ‘And while their navy controls the seas then we have to turn our attention towards the Austrians. What realistic chance is there of peace with Austria?’