Read Online The Forgiving Heart (The Heart of Minnesota Book 1) by Becky Riker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Becky Riker
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helper?”
The man’s shocked face would have been comical if the girl herself hadn’t been so puzzled.
“A maid?” he finally managed, “Why would I employ a girl with your talents as a maid?”
“My talents, sir?” she shook her head, “I really have no talents.”
Mr. Sodergaard shook his head, an amused look covering his features, “You have more talent than you think.”
H e moved to sit down next to her again, “I hired you to work as my interpreter. I am sorry I was not more clear.”
“An interpreter?”
“Yes, Miss Bergstrom. I need someone to tell me what the letters from my French associates say.” He leaned back in his chair and smiled, “They, of course, have their own interpreters who rewrite the letters in Swedish, but I have learned through experience not to trust anyone, but my own man. Or,” he added with a sheepish grin, “my own woman.”
Karlijna swallowed hard. She wondered if Leif had any idea what she was getting into. Disappointment surged through her. Hoping not to offend, she spoke up.
“Mr. Sodergaard,” she forced herself to look into his eyes, “I think you ar e mistaken about my abilities. I do not have training with interpreting. I only speak those languages because we were taught them as children. I have never worked at this kind of job before,” she rose. “I am sorry for having taken up your valuable time.”
“Miss Bergstrom,” he rose with her and restrained her with a hand on her arm, “I was not mistaken. This is a job you can do.”
She shook her head and began to protest again but he stopped her.
“I’ll make a deal with you, Miss Bergstrom. You try this job for five days,” he released her and went to sit behind his desk. “If it does not suit you, then, after those five days are over, I will find you a different job.”
Karlijna found herself nodding, “In one of your factories.”
The man shook his head, “No, that is not work for a woman – especially not one as small as you, but I will find something.”
Karlijna walked over to the small desk and sat d own, “Alright, Mr. Sodergaard. I will try this job for five days.”
As sure as Karlijna had been that the job would not work for her, she was pleasantly surprised to find she enjoyed her tasks. The first two weeks, the work was very steady. Mr. Sodergaard said this was because he was so behind in his correspondence.
Once she caught up on all that, the interpreting work was spotty. Mr. Sodergaard gave her filing and other odd jobs to do to fill in the gaps. When she suggested she only work three days a week to save him some money, he laughed at her.
“I’m n ot going to do that, Karlijna. You may hire yourself out to someone else for the remaining days and then where would I be? I need you too much.”
Karlijna smiled at the thought, realizing he could hire anybody he wanted to at the wage he was paying. She was grateful for the job, though, and didn’t try again to convince him to lessen her hours.
Occasionally, he would let her go home ea rly if he had no jobs for her. One of such days, she decided to visit Rachel and Regina.
Stopping by the neighbor’s house to inquire whether Julius was home, Karlijna was pleased to discover that man was expected to be gone for the rest of the week.
She knocked on the door of the Goldbloom house. Regina answered it and, smiling, hurried her young friend inside.
“You are looking well,” the woman offered her a chair before calling up the stairs to Rachel.
“Thank you, Regina. I am feeling well.”
“I see your hair is growing back.”
Karlijna reached up and ran a light hand over her scarfless head, “Not as fast as I would like, but I’m not bald anymore.”
Rachel came into the kitchen, “What is it?” she began, but stopped talking when she saw the visitor, “Karlijna,” she smiled and stretched out her hands to take the girl’s in her own, “How good it is to see you.”
“Thank you. How are you
The man’s shocked face would have been comical if the girl herself hadn’t been so puzzled.
“A maid?” he finally managed, “Why would I employ a girl with your talents as a maid?”
“My talents, sir?” she shook her head, “I really have no talents.”
Mr. Sodergaard shook his head, an amused look covering his features, “You have more talent than you think.”
H e moved to sit down next to her again, “I hired you to work as my interpreter. I am sorry I was not more clear.”
“An interpreter?”
“Yes, Miss Bergstrom. I need someone to tell me what the letters from my French associates say.” He leaned back in his chair and smiled, “They, of course, have their own interpreters who rewrite the letters in Swedish, but I have learned through experience not to trust anyone, but my own man. Or,” he added with a sheepish grin, “my own woman.”
Karlijna swallowed hard. She wondered if Leif had any idea what she was getting into. Disappointment surged through her. Hoping not to offend, she spoke up.
“Mr. Sodergaard,” she forced herself to look into his eyes, “I think you ar e mistaken about my abilities. I do not have training with interpreting. I only speak those languages because we were taught them as children. I have never worked at this kind of job before,” she rose. “I am sorry for having taken up your valuable time.”
“Miss Bergstrom,” he rose with her and restrained her with a hand on her arm, “I was not mistaken. This is a job you can do.”
She shook her head and began to protest again but he stopped her.
“I’ll make a deal with you, Miss Bergstrom. You try this job for five days,” he released her and went to sit behind his desk. “If it does not suit you, then, after those five days are over, I will find you a different job.”
Karlijna found herself nodding, “In one of your factories.”
The man shook his head, “No, that is not work for a woman – especially not one as small as you, but I will find something.”
Karlijna walked over to the small desk and sat d own, “Alright, Mr. Sodergaard. I will try this job for five days.”
As sure as Karlijna had been that the job would not work for her, she was pleasantly surprised to find she enjoyed her tasks. The first two weeks, the work was very steady. Mr. Sodergaard said this was because he was so behind in his correspondence.
Once she caught up on all that, the interpreting work was spotty. Mr. Sodergaard gave her filing and other odd jobs to do to fill in the gaps. When she suggested she only work three days a week to save him some money, he laughed at her.
“I’m n ot going to do that, Karlijna. You may hire yourself out to someone else for the remaining days and then where would I be? I need you too much.”
Karlijna smiled at the thought, realizing he could hire anybody he wanted to at the wage he was paying. She was grateful for the job, though, and didn’t try again to convince him to lessen her hours.
Occasionally, he would let her go home ea rly if he had no jobs for her. One of such days, she decided to visit Rachel and Regina.
Stopping by the neighbor’s house to inquire whether Julius was home, Karlijna was pleased to discover that man was expected to be gone for the rest of the week.
She knocked on the door of the Goldbloom house. Regina answered it and, smiling, hurried her young friend inside.
“You are looking well,” the woman offered her a chair before calling up the stairs to Rachel.
“Thank you, Regina. I am feeling well.”
“I see your hair is growing back.”
Karlijna reached up and ran a light hand over her scarfless head, “Not as fast as I would like, but I’m not bald anymore.”
Rachel came into the kitchen, “What is it?” she began, but stopped talking when she saw the visitor, “Karlijna,” she smiled and stretched out her hands to take the girl’s in her own, “How good it is to see you.”
“Thank you. How are you
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