Her Only Chance
It’s nearly impossible for such an old child to get a permanent home, so the orphanage didn’t tell Dale everything about her background. Those running the orphanage knew he’d find out eventually, but she’d already be chosen.
A Good Fit
Dale and Lise hit things off well. She was definitely on her best behavior, and he feared that he’d have issues if he tried to adopt again. Single men rarely adopted young girls, but things were falling into place, and he didn’t want to rock the boat.