“Yes. Go on.” The margrave didn’t seem surprised.
“Odette started poaching deer almost a year ago because she wanted to be able to feed the poor of Thornbeck. Her uncle, Rutger Menkels, provided her with three to five young men to help her dress the animals and take them from the forest. He also helped distribute the meat to the poor. But six months ago, he had just lost two shiploads of goods, as well as a caravan from the Orient, and, unbeknownst to Odette, he started selling the meat out of the back of The Red House.”
Jorgen tried to read the margrave’s reaction, but he wasn’t sure if his expression was cold, hard, or something else.
“Odette is the young woman who was wearing the white swan costume at my ball, is she not?”
“Yes, my lord.” No doubt he had seen Jorgen dancing with her.
“Mathis Papendorp seemed very interested in marrying her. I think I may have heard something about his having banns published.”
“Yes, my lord.” It made his heart sink just to acknowledge it. “But Mathis had a small part in all of this as well.”
“Yes?”
“Rutger had not lost his land shipment to robbers after all. In fact, my friend Dieter Vogel discovered that Mathis was playing a trick on a fellow merchant. This fellow merchant thought a caravan of his goods had been stolen en route to Thornbeck, but Mathis had connived to have his own men steal them, after bribing the guards who were protecting the caravan. Mathis planned to hold the goods until this friend helped Mathis get something he wanted.”
Lord Thornbeck was staring at him with a fierce look in his brown eyes. “I want names.”
“The merchant Mathis had duped was Rutger Menkels. Once Mathis got what he wanted, then he would miraculously recover the goods from the brigands who stole them and give them back to Rutger. He seemed to think it was a great jest.”
“Very interesting. Go on.”
“It turned out that Rutger was not rich anymore. Instead of being one of the wealthiest merchants in Thornbeck, he is in debt after losing his last few shipments of foreign goods. Mathis made sure Rutger thought he was completely ruined. Then he told Rutger that he would help him restore his fortune if Rutger would use his influence to convince Odette to marry him.”
Lord Thornbeck nodded. “Thank you, Jorgen. You have been very helpful to me. You have rooted out a most unstable advisor in my chancellor and proven your loyalty to me by telling me that the woman you love was the notorious poacher.”
Jorgen’s face heated at the margrave’s words. “I surmised that you would find out anyway, my lord.”
“You surmised correctly. I had already found out the identity of the injured person you were harboring at your home. I merely wanted to see if you would tell me the truth yourself. And you also hoped that she would not be punished since she was marrying Mathis. Is that correct?”
“Ah . . . yes, my lord.”
The margrave said nothing for several moments as he stared down at his desk. “Tell Odette that I shall wish her to answer for her crimes as soon as she is enough recovered to stand trial.”
His throat clogged, and he had to swallow before he could speak. “Yes, my lord. At the moment, she is very ill. Her leg wound has turned septic.”
“I am sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do? The healer in the forest has a very good salve for septic wounds, I have heard.”
“Susanna—and my mother—are tending her now. I thank you, my lord.”
“She shall recover, then, I dare say. I shall expect her when she has. And her uncle I shall arrest today. And now . . .” Lord Thornbeck paused, staring at Jorgen for a long time. “I have need of a new chancellor to keep up with my letters and ledgers and other documents. I have been impressed with you, Jorgen, and I would like you to take over the position.”
“My lord, I would be honored.”
Another trace of a smile came over the margrave’s face. “Good. I shall speak with you later about all your duties and the other details of the office. For now, you may go.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Suddenly, Jorgen was not sure he had done the right thing. Odette’s uncle would be thrown in the dungeon, and with this new information, the margrave might not allow Mathis to protect Odette.
Jorgen would do what he could to protect her, but he would also be praying hard for God’s mercy and power to save her.
29
ODETTE AWOKE THE next morning to the turpentine smell. This time Frau Hartman was spreading it on her leg.