‘Yes.’ Napoleon glared. ‘I shan’t keep you.’

Whistling off key to himself, Murat strode away and Napoleon quickly steered his mother to the doorway leading through to the salon.

‘You’re getting married?’ Letizia said loudly as they entered the crowded room. ‘To whom?’

Some of the other guests at the salon turned briefly to look at Letizia before returning to their conversations. Napoleon winced and his mother instantly noticed the gesture.

‘It was your idea to bring me here. Kindly do me the courtesy of not being embarrassed by my presence. Especially since it is only now that you tell me this news.’

‘Yes, Mother.’ Napoleon had been putting the moment off for as long as possible, even after he had arranged to bring her to the salon to be introduced to Josephine.

‘So then. Who is this woman you think you want to marry?’

‘Her name is Josephine Beauharnais.’ Napoleon replied calmly. ‘She’s a widow with two children, well connected, intelligent and witty. She will be a fine wife, and one day I hope she will be the mother of my children. And she’s over there.’ Napoleon nodded to a table where Josephine was playing cards with Paul Barras and two young cavalry officers.

Letizia squinted for a moment. ‘She looks older than you.’

‘She is,’ Napoleon admitted.

‘And she’s flirting with that man.’

‘That’s Paul Barras. He’s an old friend of hers.’

‘More than that, I should say,’ Letizia muttered.

Napoleon frowned, and then abruptly turned and waved a hand to attract Josephine’s attention. She looked up from her cards and smiled at him. Napoleon beckoned, and after a brief word of apology to her male companions she rose from her seat and crossed the room to join him.

‘You wanted me, my love?’

‘Yes.’ Napoleon felt his heart lift at her words. ‘I’d like you to meet my mother.’

Josephine smiled graciously and bowed her head.‘I have heard so much about you, and the rest of the family, from Napoleon. I feel I almost know you already.’

‘And I know almost nothing of you,’ Letizia replied flatly, in her heavy Coriscan accent. ‘But I will make sure that I find out everything I can about you.’

‘Mother . . .’

‘Oh, don’t fret!’ She turned back to Josephine with a forced smile. ‘I’m just keen to know more about any person who might join our family. I’m sure you understand?’

‘Of course,’ Josephine replied. ‘It’s a natural instinct for any mother. Especially the mother of one of France’s most promising soldiers.’

‘Precisely. It is important that Napoleon marries well. To someone deserving of his fame.’