“Uncomfortable?”
Jorgen looked her in the eye. “I have no wish to be betrothed to a fourteen-year-old girl, and therefore I do not think it’s a good idea to have her in my house. One of us needs to go.” Desperation resonated in his voice. “It is not that I am afraid of what might happen. It’s more that I am afraid of what people will think, and what Kathryn might begin to think.”
Odette smiled slowly. “Jorgen, you are almost too good to be true.” She covered her mouth, as if stifling a laugh.
“I do not know what you mean. This is not a humorous situation.”
She shook her head. “I mean that you are very sweet.” She cocked her head to the side in a most fetching way. “I think.”
“Now what does that mean?”
“I wonder whose reputation you are trying to protect.” Now there was a shrewd glint in her eye.
“Hers and mine!” He lowered his voice. “Both.”
She stared into his eyes, shaking her head. He wanted to ask her what she was thinking, but he decided to just enjoy the soft, sweet look on her face. She probably wouldn’t tell him anyway—or if she did tell him, he would not understand.
“So,” he prompted, “do you know of somewhere? Perhaps she could stay with you.”
Her brows went up, but they came back down and she bit her lip. “No, I do not think that would work.”
He didn’t see why not. Rutger’s house was three times bigger than the cottage he shared with his mother.
“I don’t think Rutger . . . That is, I would have to ask him first. He is unmarried, too, you know.”
He sighed. “I had not thought of that.”
“But he might know of some place. He knows nearly everyone in Thornbeck.”
“Could you ask him today?”
“Yes, and she can come home with me now. I can take her to meet Anna—perhaps she could stay with Anna and help with the children! I will ask her, and we can talk until it is time for me to teach my lesson to the children this afternoon.”
“Thank you, Odette.” He clasped her hand in his but then realized he probably shouldn’t have, as his heart did the strange stuttering it did every time he touched her or got too close.
She squeezed back. “Thank you for saving her. I hate to think what would have happened to her if you had not.”
Yes, and he hated to think what would happen if he ever asked to marry Odette. He was growing fonder of her by the day.
Later that day, Odette left Kathryn at Anna’s house, where she was playing with Anna’s two-year-old, Cristen. It was around the time Rutger usually came home, and Odette caught up with him on the steps between the first and second floor.
“May I ask you something?”
“Of course, my dear.” Rutger stood halfway up, looking down at her.
“It is a bit of a long tale.” She laughed nervously. “Jorgen rescued a girl from The Red House and took her to his home where she would be safe.”
Rutger’s mouth went slack and his eyes opened wider. “What do you mean he rescued a girl from The Red House?”
She nearly laughed at his reaction, as it was so similar to her own. “She was working there—a fourteen-year-old orphan girl. But Jorgen asked her if she wanted to leave. He helped her escape.”
Rutger’s face tensed. “What was Jorgen doing at The Red House?” His voice was raspy.
“It is not what you would think. He was trying to find out about a black market of poached meat.”
Rutger rubbed his chin with his hand.
“But that is not what I wanted to tell you. Do you know of any place where this girl—her name is Kathryn—might be able to stay? It is rather uncomfortable for Jorgen to have her staying at his home, and I thought perhaps she might stay with us.”
Again Rutger’s mouth went slack. “You know why she cannot. Surely you do not want her finding out your secret. She could turn you in to that forester, who would give you over to the margrave. They would think you were supplying meat to this black market.”
Odette wondered again who, besides her, could be poaching the deer in Thornbeck Forest. And Rutger was right. If Jorgen ever caught her poaching, he would think she was the one supplying the black market. “You have a lot of influence. Perhaps you could find out who is behind this black market.”
He didn’t look at her. “Perhaps I could. Perhaps I could.”
“As for Kathryn, I will ask Anna if she could stay with her. Of course, she will have to ask Peter, but Kathryn could help them with the children in exchange for food and a place to sleep.”