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  Her emperor’s reddish-brown hair looked silky above his short neck and broad shoulders. He wore his green jacket with scarlet collar and cuffs of a colonel of the Chasseurs of the Guard, his medals glinting in candlelight from the wall sconces. His belly protruding over his breeches altered him from the gaunt young officer who wrested France from the Directors. Napoleon’s portrait as First Consul, hanging in their Paris cottage, had shown a hawk-like visage with penetrating eyes.

  Amélie glanced down at her shapeless body in the high-waisted Greek style chemise, popularized by former Empress Josephine. People seldom controlled the packages they came wrapped in.

  Her desire to rise in importance possessed her. She stepped forward, intending to catch the emperor’s eye. Saint-Denis grabbed her arm and jerked her back. Count Bertrand flicked them a surprised glance as he and Napoleon continued past. The two men disappeared around the corner.

  “You can’t approach His Majesty like that, you know it’s forbidden,” the valet whispered with a wry smile. “I told you that on the ship. Now try to behave yourself.”

  Amélie wriggled from Saint-Denis’ grasp. She poked her sharp shoulder blades into the wall behind her and ran her hands along her arms. If she resembled a moth more than a butterfly, a moth could thrust out its wings and soar just as high.

  About the Author:

  Diane Parkinson (Diane Scott Lewis) writes book reviews for the Historical Novels Review and worked at The Wild Rose Press from 2007 to 2010 as a historical editor. She has two published historical novels: Elysium and The False Light. Her sequel to The False Light, Without Refuge, was released in March 2012.

  For more information: DianeScottLewis