Page 1 of Sweet Mead for Lady Martine

Chapter 1

DEVON, ENGLAND NOVEMBER, 1375

“Hold on to me, Sage. We’ll be out of this weather soon, I promise. Everything is going to be all right, you’ll see.” Lady Martine Blake sat in the back of the wagon gripping the hands of her pregnant sister-by-marriage who had unexpectedly gone into labor a sennight early. With the girl’s back up against the side of the wagon, Sage winced every time one of the wheels of their vehicle hit a rut and almost threw them over the side.

“It’s starting to rain,” said Josefina, Martine’s newest family member who had recently married Martine’s cousin, Lord Gar. “I’m afraid to say we’re about to get drenched.”

Martine glanced upward at the late afternoon sky. Dark clouds covered what little sun there was to begin with, making it a very dreary day. The wind picked up, sending a shiver right through her. Sure enough, what Josefina said was true. The ominous-looking sky started to open and she felt the sting of cold raindrops hitting against her.

“Damn it, what else could go wrong today?” came the gruff voice of Gar who was on his horse leading their traveling party to Blake Castle. Gar was a big man with long, dark hair. He loved the sea and sailing and had even been raised by pirates as a baby. Gar was the best protector anyone could want. “We never should have attempted this trip. I knew it, but no one would listen to me,” he continued to complain to no one in particular. “Josefina is right. We’re going to be drenched in a downpour in another few minutes.” He raised the hood of his cloak to cover his head.

“Gar, you’re not making things any easier,” snapped Martine. “Josefina, help me to cover up Sage with this blanket.” She pulled her hands away from Sage who was now breathing heavily. The poor girl looked so frightened. Sage reached out to rub her very pregnant belly.

“I feel so helpless,” moaned Sage who was a healer by trade. She had been a commoner who married a noble– Martine’s brother, Robin. It was becoming a frequent act in Martine’s family circle for one to marry from below the salt. And each time it happened, her Uncle Corbett Blake became angry, wanting nothing more than to clear the family name. The more he tried, the worse it got. It was almost funny in a way that two of his own children as well as some of his nephews and nieces married below their status even though at first he fought it. Lord Corbett accepted these pairings eventually, but still had hope for someone to marry wisely. Martine had the feeling as soon as he returned he’d be talking with her father about betrothing her to a noble next.

“You’re not helpless. Now, hush,” Martine told Sage.

“But I can usually help others with any ailment,” Sage continued, really bothered by the fact that she was now the patient instead of the healer. Right now, I can’t even help myself.”

“No one expects you to. Not in your situation,” Martine pointed out, trying to soothe her.

By the contorted twist of Sage’s face, Martine was sure the girl was feeling contractions from the baby. That wasn’t good because it meant the baby was coming and they weren’t ready yet for it to be born.

“I want Robin,” cried Sage. “I can’t birth this baby without my husband by my side.”

Martine let out a sigh. “Sage, you know that’s not possible. My brother is serving the king with most of the men of our family right now. We don’t even know when they’ll return. But we’re here with you so there is no need for worry. You are in good hands.” Martine hoped to ease the girl’s nerves, but her words unfortunately only appeared to do the opposite.

“Nay, nay,” wailed Sage, her head thrashing back and forth, bouncing against the side of the wagon as they traveled down the bumpy road. “Robin is going to die in battle, I just know it. He’ll die and never even get to see his baby.”

“Enough with that kind of talk!” scolded Josefina. “You are stronger than that, Sage. Hush now.” Josefina was once the widow of a trade merchant before she married Martine’s cousin, Gar. She was also a very independent woman who was never afraid to say what she thought. “You’re only going to make this baby come faster with all your fussing.” Josefina gripped one end of the blanket while Martine held the other, creating a tent over the pregnant woman so she wouldn’t get wet. While it might have given her temporary protection from the rain and cold, it would do nothing to stop the baby from being born early.

“You know Robin would be here if he could,” Martine told the distraught woman. “He’ll be so excited to return to find out he is a father.”

Sage moaned and started to cry. Martine didn’t know what to say to help the dire situation. It was already as dark as nighttime with the approaching storm. Lightning flashed in the sky, followed by the sharp crash of thunder, making them all jump. The rain started to fall harder and faster. She wished they’d get to Blake Castle soon so Sage could be in the comfort of a soft bed and able to enjoy a warm fire. The castle’s midwife would be there and know what to do. Only then would they have all the help they needed. Then, everything would be all right and they’d have no need to worry.

Their trip from Hythe started over two days ago. They’d been at Saltwood Castle where they were visiting with Martine’s cousin Eleanor and her family. Martine’s family didn’t want Sage staying at her own castle in Shrewsbury while Robin was away and she was so pregnant. They never would have left Saltwood if it hadn’t been for the missive that arrived saying Lady Devon, Martine’s aunt, had taken ill.

Sage was the family’s healer ever since she’d met Robin. It was her choice to leave Saltwood at this time because she decided she wanted to help Lady Devon in Lord Corbett’s absence. Sage had talked the rest of their little entourage into making the journey with her. Now, Martine realized she should have insisted Sage stay put until her baby was born.

The traveling party consisted of Ladies Martine, Josefina, and Sage. A teenaged servant boy named Hamlin drove the cart with Sage’s handmaid, Lavinia, and Martine’s younger sister Regina riding on the bench seat with him. Two armed guards and Lord Gar served as their escorts for protection.

Another flash of lightning split the sky, immediately followed by a loud boom that scared the horse pulling the wagon. The mare reared up, pawing the air. Then the horse started running frantically. The servant boy tried to hold her back, but she raced down the road, out of control. The wagon jerked violently, making Martine believe they were about to be dumped. When they hit the next sloppy rut in the rain-filled road, she heard a cracking noise that sounded like splintering wood. The wagon tilted dangerously to one side causing the women to roll.

“Josefina, help me hold Sage down before we lose her in the road.” Martine covered Sage’s shaking body with her own. Josefina tried her hardest to hold the blanket over the three of them, but the rain fell harder, soaking them all.

“Whoa! Whoa!” she heard Gar call out, realizing he had turned back to help stop the startled horse from pulling them any farther.

“The wheel is broken, my lord,” announced Hamlin. “It will need to be fixed before we’re able to continue.”

“Then do so,” instructed Gar.

“My lord, we left in such a hurry that I’m afraid we don’t have the proper tools to repair it.”

“Damn it,” Gar ground out.

“Stay here with Sage,” Martine instructed Josefina, crawling out from under the blanket. “Gar,” she shouted to her cousin, hoping to be heard over the raging weather. She raised the hood of her cloak over her head, but the rain continued falling harder and faster than ever. “Gar, Sage is in labor,” she shouted from the wagon. “We need to find shelter immediately.”

“What?” Gar called over his shoulder, getting off his horse to inspect the damage to the wheel and cursing some more. The handmaid and Regina clung to each other on the front seat of the wagon, shivering in the cold.