Could it be that Odette was married before?
I suddenly remembered that Merante refers to Odette as „Madame Odette”. Not “Mademoiselle”. It may very well be out of respect, but given the time period we may safely consider the possibility that, at some point in her life, Odette was married.
Now, this scenario brings a whole new level to Odette’s story. Possibly, her husband supported her while he was alive, and it was only after his passing that she became a cleaning Lady. Alternatively, the husband had left her with debts, potentially forcing her to sell almost everything she owned – which would explain her living at Madame Le Haut’s. Going further along this road, it might have been Madame Le Haut to whom Odette’s husband owed money, and Odette simply stayed with her even after the debt was paid, since she had nowhere else to go.
Odette’s status as a widow also explains why Merante refrained from getting closer to her until the situation with Felicie. He may have thought it was too early, or that she had no wish to be with a man again. Admiring her from afar seemed preferable to confessing and risking rejection.
What do you think?
