Two days later.
Peace Hall, Palace of Versailles.
Joseph put away Charles IV's letter and looked at Count Florida Blanca, puzzled: "You mean to say that the Americans' 'deadline' is actually serious?"
The Chief Minister of Spain nodded: "It seems indeed so, Your Highness. They have been recruiting a large number of refugees and bankrupt individuals in Georgia for over a year, often raiding Florida.
"After the 'Repatriation of Runaway Slaves' memorandum, Wilkinson assembled nearly two thousand troops in Charleston.
"Governor Morales of East Florida believes that the Americans might launch an attack on Frederick at any time."
Frederick is the town in eastern Florida close to Georgia, and also the only barrier north of Saint Augustine, the capital of East Florida's governor district.
Joseph shook his head slightly: "The Americans wouldn't risk declaring war on Madrid just for over two thousand runaway slaves."
