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Chapter 6 Learning To Deal With Father l Louise stood there in shock. She thought she had gotten Alexander back, only to lose him again. She wanted to call after him, to make everything right. She couldn’t catch her breath, let alone call after him. Not for pride was her tongue silent this time, but for shame. She was ashamed that her father felt Alexander was not worthy of her, for, if anything, she felt unworthy of Alexander. She was sickened by the knowledge that she, too, had felt that way. That was why she had treated him badly all of those years. She had always felt she was better than he was, yet the goodness she had found in him made a mockery of her superior feelings. It had been easier to hate him than it was to wade through the confusion in her heart. As the reality of it all stripped away the facade she had built up over those many years, she collapsed, sobbing, into her pillow. Elizabeth and Marina heard her and came to her. “Princess, what is the matter?” Marina begged to know. “My father is sending Alexander away!” She could hardly utter the words. They shot like arrows at her heart. The girls tried to stay and comfort her, but she sent them back to bed. She needed to be alone, to think, to contemplate. As her tears grew weaker, her resolve grew stronger. She could feel a change come over 68