The Peacock Throne (34 page)

One of my chief pleasures in writing historical novels is immersing myself in a world that is as foreign to our modern sensibilities as any high fantasy setting. I've done my best to get the details right, but there is also a good deal of invention on my part. And sadly, some of the really good stuff I was unable to use in the story because, frankly, no one would have believed me.

It may interest readers to know that the Peacock Throne was real. Crafted at the order of the great Mughal ruler Shah Jahan, it was supposedly captured in 1737 by Nadir Shah of Persia. I say supposedly because one of the seed ideas for this story was born when I realized that the Peacock Throne carried away from India looked nothing like the Peacock Throne that had been painted and described in Delhi. The first thing that popped into my head was: “What happened to the real throne?” With a moniker like the Peacock Throne, I was quite certain that it must have been something fantastic—and I promptly set about imagining what that might have been.

I tried to stay true to French strategies when it came to the development of the overarching plot to distract and divide British forces. I alluded to it in the story, but Napoleon had already attempted to reach Tippoo Sultan by invading Egypt and marching overland. Those plans never came to fruition, and when Napoleon realized that there was fresh political turmoil at home to be taken advantage of, and little chance of further victory where he was, he abandoned his men in Egypt and hastened back to France.

Sprinkled throughout the story are real people such as William Pitt and Lord Wellesley. I tried to distil what I learned about these gentlemen into characters that were fairly true—at least to who they were perceived to be by historians and biographers. Although if I'm honest, I can only hope that a contemporary would have recognized them.

Finally I would draw your attention to one of the most fascinating twists of history that didn't make it into the story. On the island of Mahe in the Seychelles,
Le Jardin du Roi
spice plantation remains to this day. The lovely woman who runs it traces her lineage back to French nobles who fled the French revolution. This great great ancestor of hers claimed to be the lost dauphin. Late in life he confessed—or claimed, as your point of view may dictate—to be the surviving son and rightful heir of Louis the XVI and Marie Antoinette. There is a surviving legend that the lost dauphin was smuggled out of prison by English aristocrats and ultimately made his way to Mahe with a few loyal retainers. My character Pierre-Louis Poiret is based on this man. I hinted at his heritage but couldn't bring myself to announce it out loud in the story. I feared that readers would refuse to suspend disbelief for such a stretch, even if it was one of the better-supported parts of the story!

Any and all errors in accuracy are my own. Some were made for the sake of the story, but others will have snuck in because I didn't think to question my own assumptions on a given topic. Please forgive these oversights. If you've spotted something glaring, I'd love to hear from you! I can be contacted through my website: www.lisakaronrichardson.com.