Palmerston appeared perfectly composed on the surface, but even he had not expected the Spanish Republic to collapse so quickly.
Palmerston did not approve of his colleagues' decision to prop up the Queen Regent Christina. He felt Ferrante Duway had greater potential, and would be easier to control.
As for why Palmerston believed Ferrante Duway would choose to cooperate, it was because the former felt that the latter's backing would betray him at the critical moment.
Someone like Cabrera was never worthy of trust to begin with. If he could surrender to Ferrante Duway, then naturally he could also choose to surrender to the Austrians.
As for the French, they were not as formidable as they imagined themselves to be. Besides, the Austrian Empire had operated in Catalonia for so long that it must have made preparations; the French advance was certain not to go smoothly.
Beyond that, there was one most important reason: Palmerston could not afford to return empty-handed again.
Originally, persuading Carlos VI should have been a great merit, but in the end Carlos VI had somehow been overthrown, and now no one could even say clearly whether he was alive or dead.
Even now, Palmerston still felt it was unreal. How could such a huge country change masters just like that? Without the slightest ripple?
Now he had to negotiate cooperation with Ferrante Duway. Palmerston did not care about Britain's position, nor did he want to care about Britain's strategy. Right now, he only wanted to preserve his own future.
Palmerston knew very well that once his political career ended, his life would also come to an end. The countless people he had once offended would never let such an opportunity pass, and when that time came, living would be more painful for him than dying.