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"Neither have I recently Not all the exhibits were there when I went through it It's coh, I understand But what I saas fascinating" Reht about the people who had irated to Minnesota from all over the world "It doesn't deal with just the discovery of iron and itsand develop theca the issue that had brought them here

"The people were oslavia, Gerland, Ireland, and ions and languages There's a film that tells some of the reasons why they came to America and their first ilish and were unaccustomed to the extremes of the Minnesota climate Homesick—"

"Alanna," Kurt broke in i, I'm sure, but that isn't why I'm here"

"I know" She sighed reluctantly, turning to face hiround "I don't knohere to begin"

"Try at the beginning," he suggested dryly "Why did you marry Rolt if it wasn't for love or money?"

"Because I hated hiave her a momentary qualm Before Kurt could ave you the i with you, but it wasn't true He came over to the house once on a Sunday afternoon and that was the only time I saw hiaze and it ht I didn't have time to meet Rolt—unless you think I slipped out to ht me home"

"All right" Kurt conceded the possibility she was telling the truth "If you hadn't been seeing hiht?"

"Because he said he knew so about my parents"

"Your parents?" Her answer startled him

Alanna breathed in deeply and began to explain about the financial proble with, "Rolt said he would help dad without hi about it if I would marry him"

A spatter of raindrops fell Kurt took hold of her aro to ainst the scatter of fat drops Alanna hurried toward Kurt's car Neither spoke as Kurt opened the passenger door for her and walked around to the driver's side Rain pattered on the roof, the only sound for several seconds once they were inside

"How do you explain that love scene I walked in on?" Kurt asked finally, sliding her a challenging look "You weren't by any stretch of the i him"

"No, I wasn't" Alanna stared at the twisting hands in her lap "I haven't any excuse for that, except that your brother is very experienced at physically arousing a woman It was an exercise to prove I wouldn't find his love unpleasant"

"Obviously you don't," Kurt ht ahead

"I—I don't know" She shook her head, feeling the piercing swiftness of his gaze turning to her