Alejandro responded as Diego had imagined he would respond. Delight mixed with annoyance obviously ran their course through his father, as Alejandro opened his mouth, and then closed it, shocked into complete silence for a few moments.
"Is this a disappointment for you?" Katherine said softly. Alejandro quickly assured her he was overjoyed, and Diego could see the truth of the statement written all over his father's face.
"He is happy for us, Katherine. It's just come as a shock."
"I had no idea you felt this strongly about Lady Katherine," Alejandro said.
Katherine eyed Diego spectulatingly. Neither did she, obviously, Diego thought. Come to think of it, the urge to propose in such a strange way had come very much unbidden to his mind. He wasn't going to back down on the marriage. Katherine was much more accomplished and wonderful than most of the women he had met so far, her heart was full of compassion, and her head was full of knowledge. Such a combination in a woman was rare indeed. He wouldn't find another lady like her.
"You do realise that this means I have to return to London immediately? I just got back from the city, and now I have to return? Come along, Felipe," Alejandro said, nodding to the servant holding his luggage to return it to the coach waiting by the door. "I will show you how to talk with lawyers about marriage settlements..."
"Father?" Diego followed his father outside to the coach, leaning on his cane to aid his walking. "Have I offended you?"
"No," Alejandro said, holding his son's arm gently. "She is a wonderful choice. Just right for you. It's just that these things are complicated, and the Duke might well refuse our suit."
"Because we are Spanish?"
"Let's not get over excited, Diego," Alejandro said, reacting slightly to a tone in his son's voice. "I'm sure our wealth will speak for itself. The man does find himself overrun with debts at the present time."
Felipe shrugged his shoulders at Diego. He seemed to be a little exhausted by Alejandro's pace of travel, and Diego realised the boy wanted to enjoy himself a little more in the country. Felipe was a horsesman coming into his skills, and having Eric Balgair's stables at his disposal was a joy. Diego only wished he was strong enough to be permitted to ride a few of the more feisty ones.
"And," Alejandro added, glancing back at the lady in the doorway. "You do realise you can't stay in this cottage anymore. It was borderline when I left you at the end of last week, but I thought you would behave yourself."
Diego glanced down at the ground. Alejandro nudged him and grinned. "Joking, but you will need to arrange other accomodation. Hopefully this business will be finished before Thursday, and life can settle back down to normal until we head back home."
Diego startled a little. "No, Father, take your time. Don't rush things. Stay an extra day if you need to. Not so fast...I want to say goodbye to my son."
He turned to Felipe. He seemed to have grown two inches since the last time he had seen him. He embraced him, and whispered into his ear. Felipe tensed up and nodded. He gave Diego a stern look and nodded again.
Diego hoped Felipe would do as he asked, but the look he gave him was very judgemental and forboding. He just wanted his son to keep Alejandro away for a few hours for the sake of the duel on Thursday. Felipe had done much more than that in the past. Why now was he reluctant?
Zzz
The cool pre dawn air caused Eric Balgair to shiver with a mixture of cold and anticipation.
"Again, Balgair..." Diego said firmly, saluting with his maddening calm.
"Surely it is too cold, it's hardly good for your recovery," Eric complained. Diego raised one eyebrow speculatingly and Eric sighed.
"Sometimes I wish you were as bad as your father assumes," Eric muttered, as the swords clashed once again. Diego smiled a little.
"My father believes what he wants to believe. It's annoying but it's easier that way. He has seen me do things that would lead him to believe otherwise if he would choose to, but it's easier all around this way," Diego said, his words keeping time with the blocks and the thrusts of his rapier.
"I was worried, I must admit," Eric said softly. "Lord Jack is very good."
"Remember, Kendall said arrogance is one of the worst mistakes you can make," Diego said, and with a swift movement he flicked his friend's sword out of his hand.
"Yes, never underestimate an opponent. Some may surprise you," Eric said.
"Point and match, I think," Diego said grinning. "You are not a serious challenge in the slightest."
"I wasn't trying to be," Eric said, and realised he had said the wrong thing. Diego frowned and sighed.
"I know, I know...Again, Balgair..." Eric said with a half smile. "I'll beat you this time, Diego."
"Stop babying me and fence properly, damn it!" There was a serious note in Diego's voice and the frown took a moment to disappear.
"Sorry, de la Vega," Eric said softly. He had touched a sore point in his friend, and immediately regretted his tactic of humouring his friend.
"I'm going to stop babying you as well, and we can have a proper match," Diego said with a cheeky grin.
"Babying me?"
"You are out of practice, Eric. Shall we time the match?"
"And now who is arrogant?"
Diego smiled a little.
"And a trifle angry...I do recall Kendall saying make your opponent angry, don't get angry yourself."
"Indeed," Diego said, dodging a flurry of sword thrusts. "Are you auditioning for a Shakepeare production, my friend? This technique of yours is very theatrical."
Eric managed to knock the rapier from Diego's hand, but immediately was blocked with a speedily grasped stick.
"What?"
"Fight with whatever weapon you have to hand," Diego said, lowering the branch and shrugging.
"That was almost instinctual...what have you been doing in far off California?"
Diego dropped the branch and sighed.
"Again?" Eric suggested. Diego smiled slightly as he shook his head.
"I win, finally..."
"I dropped the weapon."
"You surrendered to my amazing fencing abilities."
"I was getting tired," Diego said with a shrug.
"Pride will be your undoing, de la Vega. I won, just one match. You won all the rest. Can't I have one victory over the master pupil?"
Diego laughed softly. "Yes, well, I suppose I did surrender."
"Come inside, before you get chilled," Eric said, leading his friend back to the house. "What a morning, and the sun isn't even up yet."
