Page 74 of Sweet Mead for Lady Martine

“I’ll do it,” scowled the whore.

“That sounds more than fair to me,” agreed the Lord Warden. “So be it.”

“David, that was kind of you, but why did you do that?” whispered Martine.

“I’m not as kind as you think.” He smiled and nodded to the door. Ava and Cinnamon were arguing, their faces almost touching. Oldrich was trying to break them apart.

“Oh, I see,” said Martine. “Very clever. Now, they are all imprisoned with each other.”

“Exactly,” said David, pulling her into his arms and kissing her on the mouth. He heard someone clear their throat and looked up to see all the noblemen staring at them. “Shall I open another bottle of Mountain Magic or did you want to go back to the castle?” asked David.

“No sense wasting all this good food.” Rook was the first to sit down and start eating.

“I need a drink,” said Madoc, holding out his cup.

“I think we all do,” said Corbett, sitting back down at the table.

“Now, we have something else to celebrate,” Martine announced to the table. She held up the bottle of whisky. “Let’s drink to my marriage to David Stone.”

A little too enthused to celebrate the good news, she foolishly took a swig of the Mountain Magic and started coughing. It was so strong that it burned her throat and she struggled to breathe.

“Martine, give me that.” David took the bottle from her and pushed a goblet filled with a golden liquid into her hand.

“What is this?” she asked, still coughing.

“Something I know you can handle and that you like,” David answered. “It’s sweet mead.”

“You are the best, David.” She raised her goblet while the others raised their cups. And together they celebrated the beginning of a promise of a new life between Martine and David.