‘Very well, then,’ Napoleon responded. ‘If we can’t influence events from Egypt, then we must return to France.’

Murat laughed. ‘Return to France? And how do you propose we do that, sir? March the army back into Syria, through Turkey, across the Balkans, over the Alps, and back through Italy? I warrant we’d get as far as the Sinai before the troops mutinied and shot us all.’

‘Then we go by ourselves, and leave the army here.’

The three generals looked at Napoleon in shocked silence. It was Lannes who responded first. ‘Abandon the army?’

‘They would hardly be abandoned,’ Napoleon countered. ‘I will leave Kléber in command. After the defeat at Aboukir Bay it’ll be a while before the Turks mount any further invasions. If the situation here worsens then the army can be evacuated at a later date. I give my word on that.’

‘As long as you can persuade the Directory to send the ships.’

‘My dear Lannes.’ Napoleon smiled. ‘I think the Directory is a spent force in France. The people, and more important the army, are desperate for a change. They crave a government with the will to act decisively and save the revolution. France needs strong men, now more than ever. It is our patriotic duty to return to France and do what we can to save her.’

There was a moment’s silence before Berthier said, ‘My general, you know I would follow you anywhere, but what exactly do you intend to do if . . . when we reach France, when we reach Paris?’

‘It’s impossible to say exactly. We’ll have to see what the situation is when we arrive. But let’s assume, for the moment, that conditions are ripe for leading France in a new direction.’ Napoleon’s eyes glinted as he opened his hands to gesture to his three subordinates.‘Why should it not be we who determine the course of that new direction? Are we not patriots? Have we not risked our lives for France on the battlefield? Who better, or more deserving, to lead the nation forward to victory, and peace?’

Lannes shook his head. ‘You are talking treason, sir.’

‘Treason? What have I ever done to betray France? No.This is not treason. Treason is what those corrupt politicians in Paris practise every day they mismanage the war and drive our people into poverty.’ Napoleon stabbed his finger down on the table. ‘The time for change has come, Lannes. All that matters now is to determine which side you are on.’

Lannes looked at Napoleon with a hurt expression. ‘General, I am on your side, and at your side, whatever happens, until the day I die.’

Napoleon nodded. ‘Thank you. And you, Berthier? Murat? Are you with me?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Then it is settled. Never forget, my friends, that we do this for France, and for no other reason.’

‘When do we leave?’ asked Berthier. ‘I will need time to plan for the transfer of authority to Kléber, and to brief my replacement here.’

‘There will be no mention of this to anyone outside this room,’ said Napoleon. ‘If word got out then the morale of the men would sink like a rock. We’d risk a mutiny.’ He lowered his voice a little. ‘There are two frigates at Alexandria, provisioned and ready to sail at a moment’s notice. In addition to you three, I will be taking my personal servant, Roustam, some of my household staff, a few good officers and two hundred picked men of the guides. None of them are in the know. Tomorrow, we leave Cairo, ostensibly on a tour of our outposts on the Nile delta. We will make straight for Alexandria, board the ships and set sail.’

Berthier was stunned. ‘But when will you inform Kléber?’

‘I will send him a message as we embark.’

Lannes took a sharp breath. ‘Can you imagine how he will react? The man will be incandescent.’

‘That can’t be helped,’ replied Napoleon. ‘We have to put France first, ahead of our friends and comrades. It is painful, shameful even. I accept that, but it is necessary. I am sure all of you understand that. Now, time is short, my friends. You must take as little away with you as possible; we cannot afford to arouse suspicion. Be ready to leave at dawn tomorrow.’

‘How long will you be away?’ asked Pauline as Napoleon dressed himself beside their bed by the light of a lamp. Outside the sun had not yet risen.

‘No more than two weeks.’

‘Good. After last night, I can hardly wait to have you back in my arms.’ She smiled dreamily, recalling the frenzied lovemaking, and the tenderness of her general as she lay in his arms afterwards. She raised her arms towards him.‘One last kiss, before you go.’

Napoleon hesitated as he looked down at her. Pauline lay there, in the twisted sheets, with all the drowsy beauty and allure of the recently awoken, and he felt his passion for her stirring again. Only now it was tempered by the imminence of his betrayal. Still, it was better that she suspected nothing. Napoleon smiled, climbed on to the bed and kissed her on the mouth, responding in kind as Pauline’s tongue darted between his lips.At length he eased himself up, picked up his hat and sash and made for the door.

‘Don’t take too long, my love,’ Pauline called softly after him. ‘Return as soon as you can.’

‘I will,’ Napoleon replied, and then the door closed behind him.

Outside, in the courtyard, the rest of the officers and men were waiting for their commander. Napoleon mounted his horse and urged it forward.As the small column headed out of the gate, he glanced back once, and saw, as he knew he would, Pauline’s silhouette at the window of their bedchamber. She waved and blew him a kiss, and he lifted his hat, and then turned his back on her and spurred his horse into a trot as he led his companions down the darkened street.

Chapter 46

Arthur

Amboor, India, February 1799

When General Harris and his army reached the range of hills known as the eastern Ghats they found the reinforcements sent by the Nizam waiting for them. True to the word of the new treaty he had signed with Britain, the Nizam had sent the six Company battalions in addition to several of the units formerly commanded by French officers, and over ten thousand cavalry. The army was under the command of the Nizam’s senior minister, Mear Allum, and was almost as large as that of General Harris.When they marched to war against Tipoo, Harris decided, they would advance in separate columns so as not to make the entire force too unwieldy.

As the general explained at a briefing to his senior officers, ‘This is the first time that a British army has been able to operate independently in India, thanks to the arrangements that Colonel Wellesley was able to make with the brinjarri merchants. The difficulty is that, in addition to the soldiers, we will have over a hundred thousand camp followers. If we marched in one formation the vanguard would have made camp and turned in for the night long before the rearguard even struck their tents.’

It was no exaggeration, but even so a number of the officers smiled at the image and Harris indulged them before reluctantly moving on to the unavoidable implication of marching in two columns. He coughed, then looked around the tent before his gaze fixed on the slight figure of Mear Allum, neatly dressed in flowing white robes. ‘Even though the Nizam places great faith in Mear Allum, as do I, we have agreed that the Nizam’s army would benefit from having a King’s regiment assigned to it, and a British officer to act as adviser to its commander, Mear Allum.’

The Nizam’s senior minister nodded politely. ‘I thank you for your most courteous and generous description of my role, but I will be commander in name only.The day to day running of the Nizam’s army, and the command of it in battle, will be the job of the British officer.’

‘As you say.’ General Harris bowed his head and smiled at Mear Allum. ‘And I thank you, and the Nizam, for your forbearance in this matter. While I have every confidence in the men and officers of the Nizam’s army, it is essential that they are commanded by someone familiar with the operational practices of the British army. My original intention was to appoint Colonel Ashton to the post, and since - tragically - he is no longer with us, the logical choice for the position is Colonel Wellesley.’