To prepare for this trip to Belgium, Josephine had made many arrangements. First, she bought a pearl necklace worth 250,000 Francs. It had once belonged to Marie Antoinette, been used as collateral during the French Revolution, and later ended up in the hands of the jeweler Fossier.
"250,000 Francs?" Georgiana cried in astonishment.
"Don't you have a Mughal Diamond?" Charlotte said as she chewed on chocolate. "Guess how she got the money?"
Georgiana shook her head.
"She went to Berthier and had him find a way to raise it."
"Berthier embezzled public funds?" Georgiana asked.
"At first, he wanted to sell the timber from Brussels's city walls, but the mayor stopped him. So he went to the army's medical contractors in Italy and demanded compensation on the grounds of poor service. There was a great deal of profit to be made there." Charlotte ate another chocolate. "And so that pearl went from the jeweler's safe to Josephine's jewelry box."
Georgiana frowned deeply, thinking she ought to write to Bonaparte and ask where the money for his diamond had come from.
"Why don't you wear a tiara?" Charlotte asked.
"I don't think it's a good idea," Georgiana answered.
"Josephine wore one to the ceremony in Lyon last time."
"She got criticized afterward."
"You must have one, right? Take it out and let me see!" Charlotte urged.
Georgiana suspected Charlotte had taken this job because she wanted to wear those jewels.
"I really don't have one~"
"Do you have any idea how many people want to give you gifts? Do you know Buliang?"
"You ask too many questions."
"The last time I met the Swedish ambassador, he told me about it. In 1797, he went to Milan to see Napoleon. Napoleon had been in a bad mood then and thundered at the