Page 33 of Sweet Mead for Lady Martine

“Yes, here.” Martine was sure of this and wasn’t going to let anyone intimidate her or sway her decision. “I am good at running the household back home. My mother trained me. I know all about keeping ledgers and taking inventory and what to do to make certain things run smoothly. It can’t be that different.”

“Nay, my lady. You can’t do this,” said David.

“Why not?” asked Martine. “Don’t you think I’m capable?” Her hands went to her hips.

“I am sure you are quite capable. I just meant, because you’re a noble,” David answered.

“I’m well aware of my status, thank you. Don’t let it bother you because I’m not going to let it stop me.”

“Nay, Martine. David is right,” agreed Raven. “You can’t be working alongside commoners. What will people think? Your place is at the castle.” Raven still rubbed her aching belly.

“Raven, for heaven’s sake, don’t give me a hard time about this,” spat Martine. “I’ve made my decision. I want to do it. Besides, it’s not like I plan on waiting tables. There are other ways I can help the Stone family. And it’s only for a short while.”

“I still don’t like it,” snapped Raven. “Neither will my brother or my father once they hear about this.”

“What is there not to like?” Martine wanted to know. “I’m only here to help them get back on their feet. Why are you so upset? For goodness sake, it’s not like I’m telling you I’m going to marry the man.”

“Marry?” mumbled David, his head going back and forth as the women quarreled. Just the word put a knot in his stomach. This is something he’d been avoiding for quite some time now. He wasn’t at all in a hurry to marry anyone.

“I sure hope you won’t marry a mere innkeeper,” remarked Raven. “That’ll make your father as well as mine furious. Don’t do that to them.”

“I don’t know why you’d even say that to me, Raven,” continued Martine. “I mean, after all, you married a blacksmith and Rook married a gardener. So if I wanted to marry a commoner too, what’s the difference? Try to be a little more understanding about my situation.”

“Father would never agree with this crazy idea of you helping them. A tavern is not where a lady should be.”

Martine swished her hand through the air. “Uncle Corbett is not here to object. And by the time he returns I am sure David and his family will be back on their feet again. So, you see, it is nothing to worry about at all,” stated Martine.

“Well, what about your mother? Or mine for that matter? What will they think?” asked Raven, her face starting to turn a pale shade of green. “Oh, Martine, I really don’t feel well.” Raven grimaced and bent over slightly.

“Raven, you’re pregnant and should be back at the castle with your feet propped up in the ladies solar. I’ll go back with you now and finalize things with Lady Devon. You don’t need to concern yourself with any of this.” Martine turned back to talk with David. “Relay the message to your family that I will return here tomorrow. We’ll have to work hard to raise the rent money before the knights return, so I suggest we get started immediately.”

“Thank you, my lady, but are you sure about this?” asked David, not able to see how this was going to work even though he appreciated her offer. “I don’t understand what you’re actually going to do here at the inn.”

“We’ll figure something out,” she told him.

“Martine, I really need to leave. Right now,” Raven told her. “I feel as if I’m going to vomit.”

“My cloak. Quickly,” Martine held out her arm to David.

He ran and got it and helped her don it.

“I need to take my cousin back to the castle, but expect me here bright and early in the morning,” said Martine, taking the deed to the inn and leaving.

David’s mother and sisters walked in as the nobles walked out. His family curtsied and didn’t say a word until the ladies had left.

“David? What’s going on here?” asked Greta.

“I saw you enter the room with Lady Martine,” said Matilda with wide eyes. “Brother, what were you thinking? Why were you in here alone with her?”

“I was giving her something she wanted.” As soon as David said the words he realized how improper that sounded. “I mean we were conducting business.”

“In the bedroom?” Cecelia gasped. “Oh, David, what did you do?”

“Nay! Stop it.” He held up a halting hand to his sisters. “That’s not what I meant at all and you know it.”

“No, we don’t know it,” said Cecelia. “The door was closed and no one knows what went on in here.”

“David? What did you give her?” asked Greta curiously, coming to his side.