BON-BONS! Josephine's court ruled Society! See how in LORD ASHLEY'S BEAUTIFUL ALIBI!

Have you ever wondered how people got on in that very rare high society?

In 1802, Bonaparte and Josephine dominated social life in Paris. They lived in the Tuileries, a palace along the Seine, given them as their abode by the constitution of the Consulate.

I did. And so I have read about it so much, I decided that the doings of Bonaparte and his wife merited my attention to them in my new series, SCARLETT AFFAIRS!

Society did revolve around Josephine and her friends. Most notable among them were Madame Tallien and Julie Recamier, a widow who was scandalous in all she did. She even went nearly naked at the opera!

Many however did not care for the man who took so much power to himself. 

And as in the first chapter of ALIBI, we see one of the attempts at the assassination of Bonaparte. In June 1800, a group of rebels who may have had funding and advice from British agents, did attempt to abduct the First Consul on the road to Malmaison, Josephine's and his home soouth of Paris.

Today that original road is well paved. Leading to the well-preserved enclave adored by Josephine are modern sidewalks adorned with the Emperor’s emblem, bees, embedded in the cement.