***
Friday came soon enough and it was after midday when rumours that the Royal Guard had apparently killed a republican protestor in Monte Vista first reached the palace. In response, the king gave urgent orders for a mounted messenger to rush to the lower signalling station. It was a fine afternoon, and the king knew that it would not be long before a basket containing his message would be delivered to the upper station by pulley. In the meantime, the king’ telescope focused on a crowd of around eight hundred angry protestors gathered at the entrance to Monte Vista harbour. He assumed that their numbers would begin to swell as the rumours of the dead protestor spread.
‘Your grace, I expect that the protestors will stay at the harbour entrance until the French frigates arrive later.’
‘Yes, your majesty,’ Duke Le Riche replied. ‘We estimate that the frigates will arrive at about four or five this afternoon.’
‘In that case, your grace, send a signal to those royal guards near the harbour. They must withdraw from the harbour for now.’
‘What if the protestors start to riot, your majesty?’
‘They are unlikely to do anything until the French arrive to support them.’