Page 63 - RotalTutor

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