Chavarriaga struck the floor with his cane, his jaw tight. "It doesn't matter whether it is a lie or not," he said sharply. "The problem is that the situation is developing against us."
The Alguacil leaned forward, lowering his voice. "For now, sir, they are only rumors. Even if we continue to harass that man, they will likely do nothing more than curse our names. Still, we must be careful. We should not deploy our warriors as openly as before. Discretion will make this easier."
Chavarriaga nodded slowly. "Yes, we must be cautious. The orders from the Crown were clear: provoke Francisco, but do not cause a direct conflict. Spain is already fighting France, and they do not have troops to spare. Even in Cartagena, the Viceroy is acting carefully, afraid that a single misstep could cost him all of New Granada."
The Alguacil asked in a grave tone, "And what does the Governor of the Captaincy of Venezuela say? Will he not send troops to support the Viceroy?"
