Page 35 of Sweet Mead for Lady Martine

Chapter 9

“Let me get this straight,” said Lady Devon the next morning as she, Sage, Josefina, and Martine sat sewing in the ladies solar. Raven was there as well, still feeling ill. She didn’t usually sew but was trying to learn the skill since she’d soon be a mother. “Martine, you took ownership of the Cross Hare Inn?”

“Father’s not going to like that,” said Raven, squinting and trying to thread a needle.

“Nay, I don’t suppose Corbett will,” said Devon, not sounding too concerned.

“I only did it so the Stone family wouldn’t lose their home,” explained Martine. “I’m going to help them earn the rent money. By the time my father and Uncle Corbett return, I’m sure David will be caught up with the rent and I’ll hand him back the deed.”

“Why would you even do such a thing?” asked Devon.

“Because, they helped us. Especially Sage. I’m just returning the favor.” Martine saw the smiles on Josefina and Sage’s faces and knew they were going to spill her secret.

“She’s sweet on the boy named David,” said Josefina.

“He’s a man, not a boy,” Martine corrected her. “And I’m not sweet on him. Not really.” She couldn’t even look at the others. Neither could she focus on her sewing.

“God’s teeth, Martine! I had no idea you had feelings for that innkeeper,” said Raven. “It all makes sense now why you did what you did.”

“We knew about it all along,” said Sage with a giggle.

“Why am I always the last to know?” Raven gave up trying to thread the needle, tossing it into her sewing basket and then proceeding to retch into the basket afterwards. “Ooooooh, why am I so ill? Sage, did you feel like this when you were pregnant?”

“Nay, not at all,” said Sage sounding much too cheery for so early in the morning. “I have some herbs that will help you.” Sage put down her sewing and got up. “Come with me.” She held out her hand. “We’ll get the herbs and then go check in with the nursemaid to see little Martin. I miss him.”

“You spent all morning with the baby,” said Josefina. “Let the nursemaid take him for a while so you can rest.”

“I have more energy when I’m around my baby,” protested Sage. “You’ll all see what I mean as soon as you have children of your own.”

“I agree,” said Devon, focusing on her stitching. “Being a mother is a wonderful thing.”

Once Sage and Raven left the room, Devon brought up the subject again of the inn. “Martine, won’t it be tiring traveling back and forth to the inn every day?”

“Not really,” said Martine, putting down her sewing. “It’s not that far away. If it’s bad weather, I’ll just… stay there overnight, I guess.”

“What?” Josefina gasped, pricking herself with a needle. “Ouch,” she said, bringing her finger to her mouth. “I’m not good at this.” She put down the basket. Josefina was a merchant by trade and she and Sage and Rose had been trying their hardest to learn the skills of a noblewoman now that they were married to lords. “Martine, you can’t stay at the inn with David. It’s not right or proper.”

“Not right? Not proper?” asked Martine, blowing air from her mouth. “Unless you are forgetting, I stayed on the ship with you and a bunch of men when you traveled to trade shows to sell your wares.” Martine spoke of the journey she took recently with Josefina and Gar. “If anything isn’t right, I’d say it has to be that.”

“That’s different. Robin was there to protect you and so was Gar,” Josefina reminded her. “And don’t forget, I wasn’t a noblewoman at the time. I was just a merchant who hired Gar to sail my ship for me.”

“Everyone is worrying too much,” interrupted Devon. “You are mature women and can make decisions for yourself. Even if the men won’t agree with it, I support you.” Devon had caused Corbett a lot of trouble in the past. It was at a time when she was his servant, before she discovered that she was noble.

“Thank you, Lady Devon,” said Martine. “I am sure there is nothing for anyone to worry about. I will be fine. I’ll just be in town, not on a stormy ocean. It’s safe, I tell you. Besides, David will be there to protect me.”

“Oh, does David have skill with weapons?” asked Devon curiously, making Martine wish she hadn’t asked that question.

“I don’t think David even owns a weapon besides his eating knife,” blurted out Josefina. “Or at least, I didn’t see any weapons when we were there.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Martine tried hard to convince the others as well as herself. “I’m sure he knows how to fight. After all, I saw him and his cousin Dirk throw men out of the tavern on their ear. With force,” she added, rubbing her arm, remembering being knocked down when one of the men being tossed out knocked into her.

“It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind, my dear,” said Devon. “Therefore, there is no need to discuss this any further.” She held up a baby’s garment she was sewing and smiled.

“Does that mean you’re not going to stop me?” asked Martine, astonished that this was going so smoothly.

“Did you want me to stop you?” Devon lowered the baby clothes and looked over at Martine.

“Nay. Of course not.”