Page 24 of Sweet Mead for Lady Martine

“Oh, that,” he said, clearing his throat. “Yes. Gifts.”

“You seem surprised,” she said. “What did you think I meant?”

“I wasn’t sure.”

“Lady Sage felt bad about ruining your bed,” Martine continued. “Please accept not only a new pallet but a new bed in total.” Martine waved her arm through the air and another two servants entered carrying what looked like a wooden bedframe, more elegant than anything he’d ever owned. “Go right through the kitchen,” she instructed the servants. “There is a room attached with the living quarters.”

“Aye, my lady,” answered one of the servants.

“Thank you,” said David, feeling so choked up at the moment that he could barely speak. Just being in her presence made him feel excited yet uneasy all at the same time.

“You are the proprietor, David Stone?” asked the guard, taking a folded parchment from his pouch at his waist.

“I am,” said David.

“Lady Devon of Blake Castle asked me to deliver this missive to you.” The guard handed it to David and he took it.

“What is this?” asked David.

“It’s an invitation,” said Martine before the guard could even answer.

“Invitation? To what?” David stared at the folded missive stamped with a wax seal, feeling dumbfounded. Not he, nor any of his family had ever had an invitation from the castle before.

“You may leave now, Dexter.” Martine dismissed the guard who left through the front door. Then she directed her focus to David. “It’s our way of thanking you and your family.”

“Thanking us?” he asked, still staring at the closed missive, for some reason feeling apprehensive to open it.

“Yes. For giving us shelter and lending us your living quarters when we were in great need,” explained Martine.

“Of course. I see.” He took a deep breath and released it, wondering about this whole situation.

“God’s eyes, David. What are you waiting for? Open it,” said the blind man, hobbling over. “If I could see, I’d read it myself.”

“I can’t wait to see what it says.” Dirk hurried over and ripped the missive out of David’s hand. David didn’t even flinch. He still felt numb for some reason.

“Wouldn’t you like to read it yourself?” Martine asked him, sounding disappointed that he wasn’t doing so.

“He’ll give it back to me,” said David, not sounding at all concerned. “Dirk doesn’t know how to read.”

“Dammit, take it.” Dirk pushed the missive back into David’s hand and took his father’s arm. “Let’s go to the kitchen and get something to eat,” he told Joe.

When Dirk and Joe exited the room, it left Martine alone with him now. David slowly opened the missive, his eyes quickly scanning the contents.

Martine’s stomach flip-flopped as she watched David reading the missive with no expression at all on his face. She had hoped he’d feel elated to be invited to the castle. Any commoner getting an invitation from a noble would be. David was different. Suddenly, she started thinking this wasn’t a good idea for her to come here after all. It wasn’t actually her choice, but she hadn’t resisted since she really wanted to see David again.

“Lady Devon is inviting you and your family to a meal at the castle tomorrow at midday,” she told him, even though he’d just read the missive for himself. She was searching for a reaction of any kind from him but had yet to get it.

“I know, my lady. I can read.” He very carefully folded the missive back up and stuck it into his waistband, heading back to the table and continuing to pick up the tray of dirty dishes as if none of this had happened.

“I wasn’t insinuating that you can’t read,” she said, following him across the room. “I just was waiting for you to respond to the very generous and kind offer.”

Without saying a word, he stepped around her and started for the kitchen.

“Well?” asked Martine. “Will you and your family be there? I’ll have to give Lady Devon a reply.”

“You can tell Lady Devon that my family will be happy to join her.”

“Your family?” she asked in confusion. “You mean you too then. Right?”