Challenge issued!

Lady Diane quietly slips out of bed and grabs her robe from the floor. It was still dark, the wee hours of morning. She imagines what her father is going to say if he finds out where she has been. They had so many plans for her that she was not ready to commit to. If only she had been born to someone of lower class, she would not be forced into marriage and the dull role of being someone's wife. Once you married, the men stopped looking at you for fear of your husband's wrath and your husband started looking at other prospects. Everyone had mistresses and ladies on the side! She didn't expect her marriage to be any different.
Peter stirs, pulling her out of her thoughts and into the present. She needed to move quickly before he woke and started asking questions she didn't want to answer right now. She grabs her slippers and tiptoes towards the door. Carefully she opens the door just wide enough for her to slip out and quietly pulls it shut behind her.

 It is quiet early for the sun is just now peaking over the trees. A thick white cloak of fog lays over the land and softens the early rays of the sun. Henry brings Soup down the lane towards Burwick Manor, set on his mission to confront it's lord. The architecture of the house is very old. Burwick has been around for generations and its lords have the respect of the people. Nevertheless, this is not going to stop Henry from achieving his goal. He wants Diane as his own and no stuck-up, rich pig is going to keep her from him.
Henry steels his jaw with determination as he approaches the heavy iron gate. The gate-keeper stumbles out of the house and glares at him. Obviously the man had just rolled out of bed at the sounds of Soup's hoofbeats since he was still tying his belt and buttoning his shirt.
"What do you want," growled the gatekeeper at Henry.
"I'm here to see the lord of the house and challenge him to a test of strength," sneered Henry. "Open this gate immediately!"
With a snort and another angry glare, the gatekeeper proceeds to open the gate to let Henry in.
Henry brushes past him into the courtyard.
Dismounting, he looks for the stable boy that should be waiting to take his horse. Finding no one, he grows impatient and nervous. Surely Peter would not be rude to him before he even has the chance to challenge him! Another minute or two goes by as Henry debilitates. Should he look for the stables on his own? Soup needed a good rubdown and feed. Hospitality demanded that his horse at least be looked after.
Suddenly a small boy, no more than eight or nine winters old, appeared and asked if he could take Soup to the stables. Relieved, Henry hands the boy the reins and quickly approaches the door. The butler opens the door after the third knock and escorts him into the drawing room.

Peter wakes to the sound of gentle knocking at his door. His butler, Simeon, pokes his head inside. "Sir, pardon the intrusion, but you have an early morning visitor." Simeon quietly says. "It is Lord Henry of Westchesterfieldville, I do believe he is here on behalf of the Lady Diane, sir."
Peter shuts his eyes against the immediate headache at the mention of Henry's name. The poor bloke is probably here to issue another challenge at which he will again have to dump him in the dirt. When was the guy going to learn?
"I'm up, Simeon." Peter grumbled. "I'll be down shortly. Coffee is needed, I think, before discussing anything with Lord Henry."
"Very good sir, I'll have the maid bring it up."
"No, need. I'll take it at the breakfast table. Henry can wait a few more minutes since he felt it necessary to wake me this early."
"Very well sir." Simeon gently pulls the door shut while Peter grudgingly gets out of bed.

An hour later, Peter enters the drawing room to a very agitated and irritable Henry. "Have you had your breakfast yet, Lord Henry?" asks Peter.
"How could I have since you are the first person I have seen in the past two hours that I've been waiting here!" exclaims Henry. "Hospitality requires that you at least offer a guest something to drink!"
"You are entirely right, Lord Henry, and I am deeply sorry for the delay on behalf of my servants," Peter states. "Unfortunately they are not used to having guests this early in the morning, but lets remedy that now shall we?" He calls for Simeon to bring his guest coffee and scones. Simeon nods and makes a hasty retreat. He reappears a few moments later with an appropriate tray of breakfast delicacies and a hot pot of coffee.
 After giving Henry a few moments to stave off his hunger, Peter asks, "Now what was so important as to require an all night ride?"
"I am here to issue a challenge on the tournament field for the hand of Lady Diane!" exclaims Henry.
"Ah," sighs Peter, "I thought as much. Are you really ready to end up in the dirt once more over this woman?"
"I refuse to allow her to go to a man like you! She belongs with me!"
"Lord Henry, it might be out of line for me to say, but have you tried asking the Lady Diane what she wants?"
"Of course!" replies Henry. "But, she is uncertain as to her true desires." {And it is my hope to sway that desire in my direction by taking you out of the picture} Henry thinks to himself.
"Very well then," sighs Peter, "If you truly want to revisit this yet again, I will indulge you once more. But hear me, when you end up with your face in the dirt and your rear to the air, don't say I didn't try to talk you out of this."
"That will not happen again!" storms Henry. "You had a lucky shot last time and I was still recovering from my illness over the winter, thus giving you an unfair advantage!"
"If you say so, Lord Henry. If that is the case then at least this time you might present more of a challenge then." taunts Peter.
"You will see!" Henry exclaims angrily as he heads towards the door. He was going to put that pompous rear of Peter's in the dirt if it was the last thing he ever did.
"Good day, Lord Henry, I'll see you soon." Peter calls to Henry as Henry yanks open the front door and storms down the stairs. One of these days that man will learn. Peter wondered how many more times he would have to put Henry's face in the dirt to get the message across that he is not the one standing in his way. The Lady Diane has her own mind and there is much more to taming her than a simple gesture of strength. Remembering last evening, he smiled. She was definately worth the headache though!