Page 4 of Sweet Mead for Lady Martine

“My name is Lady Martine Blake.”

“Blake?” he gasped. “As in Lord Corbett Blake of Blake Castle?” David’s town was under the protection of Lord Corbett Blake. He was also whom David paid taxes to each month. David was not on good terms with the man since he was severely behind in his payments and on the verge of losing his inn.

“Yes. Lord Corbett Blake is my uncle,” she replied. “His brother, Madoc is my father.”

“Wonderful,” David mumbled, thinking this was anything but a good omen.

“Martine, Sage is in bad shape,” whispered the younger noble girl with her.

“I know, Regina. I am securing a spot for her right now.” Martine looked back at David, causing him to feel very uncomfortable being in the middle of this awkward situation.

“You realize, this is a tavern as well as an inn. And right now we are overcrowded,” he told the girls. “This is no place for noblewomen and certainly not for one about to give birth. You’d best be off now to find somewhere else to go tonight. The storm will only worsen so you should leave at once.” He had hoped to convince them to go, but of course it didn’t work.

“Leave? In this bad storm?” asked the girl named Martine, her smile disappearing and her face turning hard now. His words seemed to have made her hazel eyes light on fire. “This woman is in a lot of pain. Her husband is fighting for the king, and we are all nobles. Now find a bed for her at once. Hurry!”

The woman’s brash nature caught David by surprise. She had seemed like such a gentle, gullible young woman at first, but not anymore. Now she had taken on the demeanor of a wicked baroness. He stood there with his jaw almost hitting the floor.

“She’s right, David.” His mother, Greta, wiped her hands on her apron and hurried across the kitchen to join them. “You can’t turn them away. They are nobles and in need of our help. We must do what we can to aid them.” She turned and spoke to Martine now. “Please, bring the pregnant lady into our private living chamber. Follow me, I’ll lead the way.”

“Our living chamber? Mother, what are you doing?” David rushed over to his mother, trying his best to make sense of any of this.

“Thank you,” he heard Martine say from behind him. “We’ll require a midwife as well. I’ll pay whatever it costs.”

The pregnant girl moaned and wailed and squirmed in the big man’s arms as they pushed past David, following his mother to the small room off of the kitchen that was shared by his entire family.

“It’s t-time,” said the pregnant women that he’d heard them call Sage. “P-please. Hurry.”

“Our family’s living space is right through here. Just follow me.” David’s mother opened a door and led the entire procession of people into the small room. Inviting them in had somehow made David feel violated. Never had a noble entered their humble private quarters. It was embarrassing since these people were used to large rooms in a castle. His family’s living area held one larger bed shared by his mother and both his sisters. A raised pallet was shared by his cousin Dirk and Uncle Joe. David had his own bed.

Lord Gar put Sage down right on David’s bed, making him want to protest once again. But just as he opened his mouth to speak, the spitfire named Lady Martine walked up to him, staring up at him once again.

“Don’t you dare say another word against this,” she whispered so the others wouldn’t hear her. “My good friend is in a lot of pain and needs help. She is having her baby earlier than she should. This is dangerous and we’re not even sure if she or her baby will survive.”

“I see,” was all he managed to answer, not having realized how dire the situation really was. Now, he felt like a fool for even protesting in the first place.

“We need a midwife. Quickly.” Martine ripped off her wet cloak and shoved it into his arms.

“This is an inn, my lady. We have no midwife,” explained David, hanging her cloak on a hook on the wall.

“Then go quickly and find one in town,” she commanded.

“I can’t do that. My inn is busier than it’s ever been and I am short on help as it is. I’m not leaving.” David knew he shouldn’t be speaking this way to nobility, but it angered him that they came in here and basically took over his tavern, his inn, and now even his bed.

“Then send a messenger to do it, I don’t care. Just get one,” said the girl.

“Messenger?” David shook his head. Did she really think he had one?

“This lady cannot wait for a midwife to arrive,” said David’s mother, pulling up Sage’s gown a little and looking between her legs. “David, call to your sisters. I need them in here immediately to help me.”

“Help you?” asked David. “To do what? Cecelia and Matilda are helping me by serving food and drinks unless you’ve forgotten.”

“We have no midwife and I will need to perform the birth although I’ve only done it once before. I need their assistance and I need it now,” continued his mother.

“They’ve never done this before, have they?” asked David, wondering how much help his sister would really be.

“Nay, but Cecelia is having a baby of her own in another few months and she needs to see this,” said his mother. “I know both of your sisters will be a great asset right now.”

“Lady Sage’s handmaid can help out in the kitchen,” offered Lady Martine. “And if you need help serving drinks or handling the customers, I’ll have our guards and servant boy do that.”