enough fellow. He will find another maiden to dance with him.” Disdain dripped from his tone.
So Mathis and Jorgen knew each other?
Jorgen looked into her eyes, as though to see if that was what she wanted. Not wanting to slight either of them, she wasn’t sure what to say.
“I thank you for dancing with me.” Jorgen bowed to her. “Perhaps I will see you again.” He smiled before walking away.
She bit her lip as she watched him go.
But when she turned, Anna gave Odette a wide-eyed look and raised her eyebrows. Anna seemed to be asking her what she thought of Mathis and Jorgen. Odette was under no illusion that Anna would let her go home without telling Odette her thoughts, and in great detail.
The section of the cobblestone town square devoted to dancing became less crowded as some moved closer to the bonfire. Odette danced with Mathis but found herself glancing over at Jorgen, who was dancing with a pretty red-haired girl.
When the song ended, Mathis leaned down and said with a grin, “You dance as gracefully as a swan.”
“Thank you. You probably say that to every maiden who dances with you.”
“Indeed, I do not.” He feigned seriousness and leaned even closer. “You must come to my father’s house when he gives his next party. As the most graceful woman in Thornbeck, you must come to all the mayor’s gatherings.”
She simply smiled back at him.
“I believe I should dance with Jorgen now.” She turned away from Mathis before he could protest.
At seeing Jorgen talking with the red-haired maiden, Odette’s heart sank. Would he want to dance with her again?
He seemed to be bidding the girl farewell and turning away. She caught his eye. He just stood there, looking at her, so she walked toward him.
One side of his mouth quirked up. “Would you like to dance?”
“Ja.” She tried not to exhale too loudly the breath she had been holding as she took Jorgen’s hand. Never had she been so attracted to a man. Would her uncle deem him worthy? Not that Jorgen would ask her to marry him, but it was never too early to find out.
When the dance was over, Jorgen gave her hand a small squeeze and held on to it. “Are you thirsty?”
Odette nodded. “Let us go for water.” She looked around Jorgen’s shoulder at Anna and Peter. “We’re going to the fountain for water. Do you want to come?” She didn’t wait for their answerbut turned and walked with Jorgen, her hand on his arm. She was too afraid to ask him his profession—afraid he would think she was using that to judge his acceptability—and afraid his profession would not be acceptable to Uncle Rutger. What could she ask him to make him talk about himself?
Peter and Anna caught up with them, and Peter said, “You may not remember me. I’m Peter Voreken. Do you live in town?”
“In Thornbeck Forest. The margrave has appointed me the new forester.”
The new forester? Odette’s heart sank into the pit of her stomach, then seeped all the way down to her toes. It was worse than she’d feared. Much worse.
This was the man who could send her to the margrave’s dungeon.
It was as Jorgen had feared. Peter Voreken’s smile faltered when Jorgen told him he was the forester. Peter’s father was a wealthy merchant and a prominent person in Thornbeck. Jorgen was orphaned by the Great Pestilence of 1348 and left destitute. His adoptive father had taught him all about taking care of the game animals and all the duties of a gamekeeper, and although Jorgen still aspired to greater things, he was not ashamed of his position. But perhaps it had been a mistake to set his sights on Odette Menkels.
He dared a glance in her direction. A flicker of something akin to fear crossed her face, and her smile seemed frozen on her lips. Of course she thought his status too low, but she seemed afraid of him. Her fingers went loose on his arm. He should give her an easy way to excuse herself from his company, but . . . hewasn’t ready to let her go. He
So Mathis and Jorgen knew each other?
Jorgen looked into her eyes, as though to see if that was what she wanted. Not wanting to slight either of them, she wasn’t sure what to say.
“I thank you for dancing with me.” Jorgen bowed to her. “Perhaps I will see you again.” He smiled before walking away.
She bit her lip as she watched him go.
But when she turned, Anna gave Odette a wide-eyed look and raised her eyebrows. Anna seemed to be asking her what she thought of Mathis and Jorgen. Odette was under no illusion that Anna would let her go home without telling Odette her thoughts, and in great detail.
The section of the cobblestone town square devoted to dancing became less crowded as some moved closer to the bonfire. Odette danced with Mathis but found herself glancing over at Jorgen, who was dancing with a pretty red-haired girl.
When the song ended, Mathis leaned down and said with a grin, “You dance as gracefully as a swan.”
“Thank you. You probably say that to every maiden who dances with you.”
“Indeed, I do not.” He feigned seriousness and leaned even closer. “You must come to my father’s house when he gives his next party. As the most graceful woman in Thornbeck, you must come to all the mayor’s gatherings.”
She simply smiled back at him.
“I believe I should dance with Jorgen now.” She turned away from Mathis before he could protest.
At seeing Jorgen talking with the red-haired maiden, Odette’s heart sank. Would he want to dance with her again?
He seemed to be bidding the girl farewell and turning away. She caught his eye. He just stood there, looking at her, so she walked toward him.
One side of his mouth quirked up. “Would you like to dance?”
“Ja.” She tried not to exhale too loudly the breath she had been holding as she took Jorgen’s hand. Never had she been so attracted to a man. Would her uncle deem him worthy? Not that Jorgen would ask her to marry him, but it was never too early to find out.
When the dance was over, Jorgen gave her hand a small squeeze and held on to it. “Are you thirsty?”
Odette nodded. “Let us go for water.” She looked around Jorgen’s shoulder at Anna and Peter. “We’re going to the fountain for water. Do you want to come?” She didn’t wait for their answerbut turned and walked with Jorgen, her hand on his arm. She was too afraid to ask him his profession—afraid he would think she was using that to judge his acceptability—and afraid his profession would not be acceptable to Uncle Rutger. What could she ask him to make him talk about himself?
Peter and Anna caught up with them, and Peter said, “You may not remember me. I’m Peter Voreken. Do you live in town?”
“In Thornbeck Forest. The margrave has appointed me the new forester.”
The new forester? Odette’s heart sank into the pit of her stomach, then seeped all the way down to her toes. It was worse than she’d feared. Much worse.
This was the man who could send her to the margrave’s dungeon.
It was as Jorgen had feared. Peter Voreken’s smile faltered when Jorgen told him he was the forester. Peter’s father was a wealthy merchant and a prominent person in Thornbeck. Jorgen was orphaned by the Great Pestilence of 1348 and left destitute. His adoptive father had taught him all about taking care of the game animals and all the duties of a gamekeeper, and although Jorgen still aspired to greater things, he was not ashamed of his position. But perhaps it had been a mistake to set his sights on Odette Menkels.
He dared a glance in her direction. A flicker of something akin to fear crossed her face, and her smile seemed frozen on her lips. Of course she thought his status too low, but she seemed afraid of him. Her fingers went loose on his arm. He should give her an easy way to excuse herself from his company, but . . . hewasn’t ready to let her go. He
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