Images began to assault his mind. A vendor’s face rose before him, a man who had yelled at him for trying to steal some fruit from his stand. A baker who had ordered him from his shop and called him “a filthy beggar.” A woman who had wrinkled her nose at his little sister and told her to move out of her way. The face of his sister, Helena, her big eyes staring up at him in horror and pain as she lay dying.
He could not allow those memories to overwhelm him now. Those things had happened long ago. He was no longer the despised orphan child he had been then. But as he gazed upon the children who looked much like he and his little sister must have looked, a fist seemed to grab his insides and twist.
Focus on the task. He had already counted the children and knew there were fourteen of them. He cleared his throat. “Each of you may take home two hares to your family.”
The gamekeeper opened his sack, and Jorgen did the same. They began to distribute the game to the children, who grabbed them eagerly by a hind leg, talking excitedly about having hare stew or roasted hare on a spit for supper.
Jorgen stepped closer to Odette. “There will be two left over. Who should I give them to?”
Tears were shining in Odette’s eyes as she watched the children. She turned to him and blinked rapidly. “Oh. Let me think.” She studied the children for a moment. “Pinnosa here and Fritz there.” She called to them and motioned them to come toward her. Jorgen gave them each a third hare, trying not to think how much the little girl looked like his sister. Her eyes were shining, but she was pale and she didn’t smile. When was the last time she had smiled? No child should ever have that haggard expression.
“How can I ever thank you?” Odette was gazing up at him. The sheen of tears was back in her eyes.
“I shall tell the margrave how thankful the children are.”
“But I am sure it was you who asked him to donate this food for the children. Lord Thornbeck would not have thought of this on his own.”
“Why do you say that?”
“He never has before.”
“It was I who suggested he give some of the hares we were trapping to the poor, but the margrave was kind enough to agree to it.”
“Of course. Please give him our thanks.”
The children were dispersing, hastening home with their bounty, and the gamekeeper gathered the sacks and turned to leave. He and Odette said farewell and parted.
Even though it had brought back painful thoughts and made him remember things he wished he could forget, he was not sorry he had been able to give away the food to the children. Odette had inspired him to do it. If only she could be his inspiration for a long time to come.
11
TWO DAYS LATER, Odette was teaching her lesson to the children when Jorgen appeared at the edge of the forest. He stood leaning against a tree while she finished up.
Odette had been unable to refrain from thinking about the margrave, about the rumors that he had killed his own brother so he could claim the title of Margrave of Thornbeck. Anyone who would do such a thing must be evil and capable of any deception and cruelty. It was yet another reason why it was unfortunate that Jorgen was the margrave’s forester.
When the children had all gone home and she and Jorgen were alone, she couldn’t seem to stop herself from asking, “Have you seen any more evidence of poaching?”
Jorgen sighed, staring down at the ground with a morose look. “Sadly, yes.” He glanced up at her as he shifted his feet. “I found an injured deer with the same type arrow as the one I found before.”
“Injured deer?” Her stomach sank, and her heart thudded sickeningly.
“He was dying so I had to finish him.” He stared at the trees several feet away. “I do not like doing that—shooting an animal that is helpless and cannot even flee—but I didn’t want him to suffer anymore.”
“Of course,” Odette whispered. “You did the right thing. I am sure he would have died, and you kept him from further misery.” Even as she said the words, her breath shallowed.
“But you do not want to hear about suffering animals and poachers. We should talk about something more pleasant.” He turned a smile on her that was like the sun breaking out from behind a cloud. But remembering that deer, she wasn’t sure she deserved to see the sun or feel its warmth.
“I am interested in anything that interests you,” she said honestly. Thanks be to God, he did not know she had injured that stag. Her knees trembled at the thought of him finding out.
“Something that interests me is that the margrave is giving a ball at Thornbeck Castle.”