Not now, Napoleon !

One summer afternoon at Malmaison

                             

                 
           

N   Impatiently - Joséphine, here I am, making time to spend with you and I sense you are not pleased to see me. Come here, my darling, I will soon change that.

 J   How kind of you to visit, Napoléon, but as you see, I have this day received a large shipment of roses from my dear friend Joseph Banks in London.

N   Hah! These Englishmen, you have them under your spell. Even when the English Navy blockades us, they allow you to have all the roses you desire. [Wheedling tone as he takes her hand] Do your roses mean more to you than me? [Smoochy kiss on her wrist].

J   Not now, Napoléon. [Sweet smile] Maybe later. There are some absolutely new China roses in this shipment. Do come and admire these beauties. My garden is going to be enchanting.

 N  Deep sigh It’s clear I would have more of your interest if I were a rose.

J    Mmm, [gives him a quick kiss], Now what kind of rose would that be, I wonder.

 N  One day there will be a rose named after you, my Joséphine. But now, let us enjoy the time we have....

  [c] Beth Elliott

Lamarque - a tea-noisette rose [1]

        

Fortune's Double Yellow - China rose [1]

[1] Rose photos from   https://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/roses.html

[2] portraits of Napoléon and Joséphine courtesy of Wikipedia.

Wikipedia

 The English nursery Lee and Kennedy was a major supplier, despite Britain and France being at war, his shipments were allowed to cross blockades. Specifically, when Hume's Blush Tea-Scented China was imported to England from China, the British and French Admiralties made arrangements in 1810 for specimens to cross naval blockades for Joséphine's garden.^[32] Sir Joseph Banks, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, also sent her roses.