Owen Oliver

“ I was like enough to go there any way, for the baron was a stout man and heavy of hand.
The next day she sent a herald to him, saying that John Dare, suitor to the Lady of Mere, would met him sword to sword, when and where he chose; and the strife between them should be to the death. I fumed and fretted while the messenger was gone, fearing that the baron would refuse to demean himself by fighting with me. The next day but one his herald came back with ours.
"My lord takes scant courtesy from your hands, fair lady, that you should ask him to fight with your serving-man," he told her boldly. ”

“ My lady threw her dainty head back in the air, and laid her white hand on my arm.
"The man who is good enough for me is good enough for your master," she said. "Tell him that the bridal is next week, and I bid him to dance there."
"My master," said the herald, "dances with one thousand five hundred men, and his ally, the Count of Langlay, with one thousand two hundred more." ”

“ She looked me up and down again and tossed back her floating hair. Long yellow hair it was, the colour of ripe corn, and she had great blue eyes.
"I would have you slay a man." There was a sudden ring in her voice like the clash of steel. ”

“ It was the first time she had called me so, and my heart was like a great fire.
"There are harder things than death," I told her, "and, if I live, the hardest is mine."
Then I rose and left her, and stood over the armourer while he ground my sword, and a spare one in case of need, and a little dagger that would pierce through a coat of mail, if you struck fairly in the join at the throat ”