Page 68 of Sweet Mead for Lady Martine

Chapter 16

“Empty?” gasped Martine, running to the other side of the table. “That’s impossible. I counted the money myself earlier today. What David says is true. There was enough there to cover at least three month’s rent, mayhap more.”

“Well, it’s not there now,” said Corbett, looking around at everyone looking at him. “I’m sorry, David Stone, but I have to take your inn from you since you cannot pay your debts.”

“Nay!” shouted Martine. “I own the inn, and I won’t let you take it.”

“Martine,” said her father in a low voice. “You had no authority to take over the inn. This is Corbett’s land and only he can claim the business since the agreement is broken. Not you.”

“You can’t just throw them out,” said Martine. “There is a thief here and we need to find him.”

That caused a ruckus with the rest of the customers.

“I’m not going to be blamed for this.” A man got up to leave.

“Me either,” said another, running for the door.

“Let’s all get out of here while we still can,” shouted another man, causing all the customers to panic. Everyone ran for the door, not wanting to be imprisoned or be blamed for the work of a thief.

“David, do something,” said Martine, but she knew as well as him that there was nothing they could do at this point. Patch started barking furiously from the stairs.

“My lords, if we can just talk about this, I’m sure we can figure out what happened,” said David, barely heard over the rustling crowd and the barking of the hound. “Someone shut that dog up,” snapped David, looking as if he were ready to lose his temper.

“Patch never barks,” said Dirk from the drink board.

“Nay, he doesn’t,” said Martine, heading over to the stairs where the dog was still barking. She found Cinnamon sneaking down the stairs with a travel bag over her shoulder. Patch kept barking and growling and actually grabbed the bottom of the whore’s gown in his mouth and pulled.

“Let go of me, you filthy mutt.” Cinnamon slapped at the dog.

Over Martine’s shoulder came David’s hand. He grabbed the whore’s wrist and yanked her down the stairs.

“Going somewhere?” asked David.

“Yes, I’m leaving. I can’t make any money here since Lady Martine showed up so why should I stay? Get this dog off of me.”

“Martine, would you mind?” asked David, seeming as if he didn’t want to let go of the girl, afraid she might run.

“Good boy, Patch,” said Martine, reaching over to the table and picking up a piece of meat from Rook’s bowl, giving it to the dog.

“Aw, hell, did you really just do that?” complained Rook, more interested in his food than what was going on around him. Rook pushed the bowl away from him and leaned back on the chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Give me your money pouch as well as your travel bag,” said David.

“What for?” spat the girl.

“What’s going on?” asked Dirk, pushing his way up to David.

“I think we’ve found our thief.” David yanked the travel bag away from Cinnamon, handing it to his cousin. “Look through there, Dirk.” Then he reached out and plucked the money pouch from the girl’s waistband, throwing it down on the table. “And there is all the money from the cash box, I’ll bet.”

“You can’t prove it,” spat Cinnamon. “That is all money I earned.”

“She’s got some fine things in this bag,” said Dirk, rummaging through it. “They look like items from nobles if I’m not mistaken.”

“Tokens,” said Cinnamon. “Things that the nobles don’t need and never missed.”

“Look at this.” Dirk held up a man’s ring.

“Let me see that.” David reached out and took the ring from him. “It has the letter R on it.”