droplets of water flinging in their direction. “Back to the common room with ye.”
Sarah’s face heated, and she was sure it flamed as red as her own hair at what the woman suggest with that line about “dirty business.” She might not be as worldly as some, but she knew exactly what that referenced.
“We got turned around,” Thane explained. “We just arrived and came in the back door.”
The irritation dissipated from the woman’s face. “Well, in that case, welcome to Balthazar’s. He’s my da. I’m Carrie, and this is our tavern. Will ye be taking a room?”
“Aye, that would be verra much appreciated,” Thane said.
“Of course, I’m just back here helping out while I waited for my own room to be tidied up after it was let out to someone else.” The woman narrowed her eyes, wet, red hands on her hips. “Ye wouldna be here causin’ trouble, would ye? We’ve had a few troublemakers about the past fortnight or so.”
“Oh, nay,” they both answered at the same time. Then as if they’d been playing this game for more than a few minutes, they glanced at each other and laughed like two lovebirds.
“Sorry,” Sarah said with a giggle. “Newlyweds. I’m S—Samantha Lindsey, I mean Samantha Munro now. This is my husband—Tobias Munro.”
“Och, I see. Welcome, welcome and congratulations. Ye’ll have a round of ale on us, I’ll see to that. Go on out to the common room, and in the meantime, I’ll have a room set up. Oh,” she squealed. “And one more thing. I’ve go’ a special room here, my Chamber of Sorrow, if ye’d like to pay respects to anyone that ye lost in the battle. Doesna matter the side. We all lost that day.”
Carrie had a whole chamber devoted to prayer for the dead Scots and traitorous dragoons? Immediately she wondered if anything belonging to her brother would be in that room.
It was a mighty task to hide her horror, but Sarah managed it. “Thank ye kindly, Carrie. I’m sure we’d love to enjoy it later today.”
“Excellent. Now go on with ye. Cook is going to begin serving soon, and if ye miss out on the meal, it will be a while before supper.”
Carrie ushered them out of the scullery through the kitchen, where this time they dodged scraps of cabbage tossed their way and finally made it into the common room. The tiny windows barely let in any light, and the ceiling was low. The floors were made of dirt, strewn with straw, which was a shock to Sarah, given the only taverns she’d ever been in had either wood or slate flooring. What were they trying to hide beneath the straw? But she needn’t have wondered, for the stench in the commons quickly dispelled the delicious scents from the kitchen. It smelled like…
Dog excrement.
Sarah tried not to gag at the overpowering smell. She glanced up at Thane to see if he’d noticed, but he was busy scanning the patrons and available tables. Several dogs lounged by the hearth sleeping, but there was one who’d taken up the telltale curved back pose of disposing of his bowels.
“Dear God,” Thane muttered to her under his breath. “We’ll take our meal in a chamber. Hopefully, the private rooms are better.”
“Good idea.” She leaned closer to him as if that would somehow make her feel better.
A large, bald, older man slapped his hand on a table with a friend, shouting for the dog to cease his business, before addressing them. “Welcome, newcomers. I’m Balthazar.”
His beard looked similar to the fake one Thane had been sporting at Campbell castle, and if she had to guess, Sarah thought it probably smelled worse.
“Thank ye, sir. We’re waiting on a room your daughter is having prepared for us,” Thane said. “And if we could have our meals served there? Newlyweds.” He added a wink for emphasis, which got a round of cheers from those in residence and started the hounds to howling.
Sarah was not against dogs; she loved them dearly. Her own sweet Mildred had just passed the month before. But these hounds were unruly, and she guessed it had something to do with the tavern owner himself, who seemed something of a wild man.
“Come, come. I’ve got one already set up.” Balthazar ushered them through a series of chambers. “Will this do?”
But before they could reply, Carrie shouted, “Da, I’ve got another one prepared for the newlyweds.”
She took them to a door across from the one her father had suggested. Before opening