Maria's a godsend -- in so many ways, but specifically (this week at least), she's the godsend that has allowed him to at last line up his funds and finalize the sale. The Arums are what he personally thinks of as 'decent people'; their approach to life has a straightforwardness matched with underlying complexity that he can appreciate. The details of further dealings have yet to be hammered out, but a quick go around with the chief himself led to the concession that perhaps this peculiar foreign swordsman might have something useful to teach the young clansmen.

In particular, the clan chief is interested in Martel's own personal innovations. (He'd drawn back from completing the parry-pas-nine at the last possible moment, but Koleika got his point almost immediately. A blade in front of a man's face tends to bring things sharply into focus.) 

Conversations later decided more or less for him to make his way to Mawor when he's got the leisure to do so; he doubts he'll have the opportunity to speak with this architecturally inclined Duke personally, but a look at those walls would be...interesting. If nothing else, he might get a few ideas. 

For now, making the necessities liveable is enough of a project. He's not getting ahead of himself.

(Much. Yet.)