““What’s California like?” Jared asked after another minute’s silence. “Warm, very sunny,” Catherine replied. “They’ve got almost everything they need there. They can grow their own food, harvest their own lumber, and mine their own gold—that they sell to the Mexicans and Confederates. Plus the British in Victoria. Probably others.” “Do they even know they’re technically still part of this country?” “You won’t see any stars and stripes there, that’s certain. Each city is practically its own state.””
