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     tall, strong, and good-looking, and she knew he could     easily find a good wife.            That thought made her feelings hurt all the more.  He     didn’t need her.  Why should he give her another chance     when he had already given her so many?  All she had ever     done was mock and belittle him.  She felt a desperation     growing deep within her.  If he walked from this ball as he     now felt, he would surely always try to avoid her, and any     hope of changing things back to the way they were would     be gone.            As the ball was drawing to a close in the early hours     of the morning, she saw her father call Alexander over.     Alexander knelt before him.  Her father spoke sternly to     him.  Alexander bowed and arose.  What had her father     said to him?  She looked at her mother and Lady Margaret     for clues.  By the look on their faces, she knew it was not     good.            Alexander talked with his mother.  She was crying     now.  He turned to leave the hall.  Louise wanted to leave     the dance floor - to run to him, to stop him.  Lady Margaret     grabbed Alexander’s arm.  She shook her head, and he     obediently returned to stand by his parents’ side.  But his     face was so downcast that Louise thought her heart would     break within her.            All eyes turned to her when the last dance of the ball     was announced.  By custom, this was the one time she was     allowed to select her partner.  This was the time for her to     show who was the man of her choice, or she could choose                                       61
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