Page 40 of Sweet Mead for Lady Martine

“Now!” His voice was a loud, deep bellow that even made Martine jump in surprise. She wasn’t expecting this out of him.

“Oh, all right. But let go of me first. You’re hurting me, Davie.” She twisted out of his grip, rubbing her wrist.

“Go on, then,” said David, glaring at her.

“Hmmph,” sniffed Cinnamon, pulling her coin pouch out of her bodice. “Sorry, my lady.”

It didn’t sound sincere, but Martine didn’t want to start trouble by mentioning it.

“Now, give me your pouch.” David held out his hand.

“Really?”

“Really.”

Cinnamon sighed and opened the ties of the pouch, starting to pick out a few coins to give him. David grabbed the pouch and threw it on the drink board. The coins spilled out, showing even more than Martine had originally thought she had. My, this girl knew how to make money.

“You weren’t that busy last night,” said David, pushing the coins around. “Where did all this money come from?”

“David, you’re not saying I’m stealing, are you?” asked the girl. “Because my customers pay me well. I swear I earned every penny.”

Martine wouldn’t put it past the girl to steal. Then again, Martine did witness the whore getting a man who’d already paid for her services to give her even more coin.

“You’ll split your earnings with the inn from now on, just like Lady Martine said.” David swept half the coins into his hand and brought a wooden box out from under the drink board, depositing them inside. “Take the rest and go to your room. I want you rested for tonight.”

“I don’t like this change in you, David.” The whore collected the remainder of her money in her pouch and headed back to the stairs. “She’s going to ruin you and also break your heart, mark my words.”

There was no need to ask who she meant this time. Martine knew the whore was talking about her.

“Lady Martine, so nice to see you.” Greta walked into the tavern, hurrying over with her eldest daughter to greet Martine.

“How is Lady Sage and baby Martin?” asked Cecelia, rubbing her belly, obviously thinking about her own baby who would arrive soon.

“Everyone is fine, thank you for asking.”

“I’ll go help Matilda clean the rooms upstairs.” Cecelia hurried upstairs.

“I’d better go make sure Farley doesn’t cut the meat for the pottage into big chunks,” said Greta. “We need it to last for another three days.” Greta started for the kitchen but stopped and looked over at Joe still sitting at the table. “Joe, you’d better make sure Dirk gets all the barrels into the cellar.”

“He knows how to do it,” said Joe.

“Just go,” said Greta, making Martine realize the woman was trying to let David and Martine have time alone.

“For heaven’s sake, I don’t know what is going on around here today,” complained Joe, getting up and heading out of the tavern.

“I’m sorry about all that. Won’t you please sit down?” David escorted her to a tall stool at the drink board and helped her get seated.

“I’ve never actually sat at the drink board before,” she told him, looking back at a table. “Perhaps I should sit over there.”

“This is where I conduct my business in the mornings,” said David. “Now please, stay here. I have something for you.”

“You do?” she asked, curious as to what he meant. Did he have some sort of present to give her? No man had ever given her a present before.

He put the small barrel on a low shelf and looked to be tapping out some liquid into a cup but she couldn’t be sure. Then, to her surprise, he plunked down a metal goblet in front of her.

“My, that is ornate,” she said, admiring the goblet, running her finger along the etched designs. “I didn’t know you even had something like this here.”

“It’s only for nobles to use. Very important ones,” he said, nodding at the cup. “Take a sip. I hope you like it.”