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Rose was still for a o to college College A Martinelli I was so proud, I’d told everyone”

“And then, me”

“Skinny as a itch, you were Hair that needed tending You looked like a young woman who didn’t kno to sht”

“I was all those things”

“It took me months to see that you were a woman more capable of love and co that ever happened to my son He’s a fool to have missed that”

“It is a kind thing for you to say”

“But you can’t believe it” Rose sighed “What da hi you too little”

“They tried to love me Just as Rafe did”

“Did they?” Rose said

“I was a sickly child I had a fever as a teenager and it leftand that I have a daed heart”

“And you believed them”

“Of course”

“Elsa, I don’t know about your youth or your illness or what your parents said or did But I know this You have the heart of a lion Don’t believe anyone who tells you different I’ve seen it My son is a fool”

“The last thing he said to ht he was being romantic”

“I i time, but Loreda and Ant need you Loreda needs to learn that it is this land that will save her, not her silly father”