When Napoleon Bonaparte is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, and exiled on the forbidding island of St Helena, he is overseen by the English Balcombe family. 14-year-old Betsy Balcombe is terrified of the famous man, but she is also intrigued. As she gets to know him, she sees a different side of the infamous Emperor - a softer side that few people are allowed to witness - and plots to help him escape his captivity. The plan falls apart, but Betsy and the Emperor form a fascinating and intimate relationship as a result.