Episode 2

1815, St Helena: Napoleon moves into the Balcombe family's Pavilion.

Surrounded by sycophants, he finds the young English girl's frankness amusing.

Then Betsy goes too far and has to be punished.

Betsy Balcombe was 13 when Napoleon Bonaparte came to live in her garden on St Helena. The two forged an extraordinary relationship.

As the only French-speaker, she takes the role of intermediary between the Emperor and the islanders.

Drawn from contemporary accounts, Julia Blackburn's drama recreates the meeting of innocence and a great burden of experience.

Napoleon ... Alex Jennings
Betsy ... Michelle Tate
Balcombe ... Ian McNeice
Las Cases ... Rupert Wickham

Director: Mary Ward Lowery

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2005.