‘And whom would they choose?’ asked Napoleon. ‘Some fat Bourbon imbecile?’

Don Francisco shrugged. ‘That is not for me to say, sire. But if that was their choice I would feel duty bound to honour it.’

Napoleon stared at him, and then laughed coldly.‘Then you are truly a self-deluded fool.’

‘That is not helpful, brother,’ Joseph protested.

‘Be quiet!’

Don Francisco looked at them with raised brow and a faint mocking smile. ‘Clearly I would be a fool if I imagined that Joseph would be anything more than your mouthpiece, sire. The moment he attempted to be his own man, you would call him to heel.’

Napoleon shook his head. ‘I have had enough of this! Further discussion is pointless. Go back to the junta and tell them to surrender. If they don’t, I will start bombarding the city’s defences at dawn tomorrow. Once they are breached I will let my soldiers sack the city.’

Joseph turned to him with a horrified expression. ‘No, brother.You cannot threaten that.’

‘It is my will,’ Napoleon said firmly, his steely gaze fixed on Don Francisco. ‘Now go back to your junta and tell them what I have said. If I do not have your surrender by first light, I will order my guns to open fire.’

Don Francisco returned the Emperor’s gaze unflinchingly. ‘I will tell them exactly what you have said, sire.’

He bowed, and the other representatives followed suit before they were escorted from the room by the grenadiers. Once the door was closed Joseph turned towards his brother.

‘They will not surrender.’

‘I know.’

Joseph was silent for a moment before he spoke again. ‘And I will not be King.’

‘Yes, you will,’ Napoleon replied flatly. ‘I made you King of Spain, and only I can choose to remove you from the throne, should I wish it. Not some antiquated committee of inbred aristocrats.’

Joseph cleared his throat. ‘And what if I choose not to be King?’

Napoleon stared at his brother with a surprised expression, and then laughed. ‘Why would a man not want to become a king?’

Joseph clasped his hands behind his back as he composed his thoughts. ‘You misled me about conditions here in Spain. The people are not like those of other nations.They are profoundly inward-looking. They are suspicious enough of the people in the next village, let alone any foreigner imposed upon them as a king. I tell you what they are like, brother.They are like Corsicans.’

‘Then you are surely the man to be their King!’ Napoleon grinned, but Joseph’s expression remained quite serious.

‘No, brother. They will never be ruled by someone they have not freely chosen.You have made a grievous error in forcing me upon them. They will resist me until I am dead.’

‘Let them try. I will not let you come to any harm, and I will not let them oust you.’