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"Yes, well, relivingwounds, tearing away scars, bleeding and bleeding Healing is way overdue," he said

Grant did have a strong, resonant voice that he could shape with sincerity and feeling He will be a great political candidate I thought

I glanced at Victoria and sa she was fixed intently on hi to her and not to me It was only when she looked at him I realized, that her face showed any softness That held

"Now, no one is here to deny you what is rightfully yours No one here wants you to return to your previous, unfortunate state," he continued

"No one?" I asked glancing at Victoria

"No one," he insisted "However," he said "there is an obvious ood intentions, an obvious lack of balance I'm sure Mrs Hudson saw all this as an opportunity far her to right the wrongs she believed had been inflicted on you Like any s committed by her child," he explained

While he spoke about me and as my mother's affair with an African-Alance at her He could have been talking about anyone, any client Always the professional apparently, he could distance himself even from his oife

My ht hand rose to flutter at her throat as if it were seeking so of pearls to fondle, while her left hand squeezed her thigh She looked like she was holding onto a railing to keep fro,

"I don't believe uilt," I said "She wasn't the type She did what she believed was right and she had her reasons You can call it disproportionate or whatever fancy word you want to use, but it's what she decided and she wasn't crazy at the ti to swear on the stand about that"

"I know, I know" Grant said, still talking in reasonable tones "but when these things reach courtrooes, what seems clear and sier will be the first to admit on the stand that he is not qualified to evaluate someone's mental condition He's not trained as a psychiatrist or any sort of doctor He's only an attorney doing the bidding of his client"

Grant smiled

"Another good attorney will make that quite clear and then, if there is and I fear there is, soreat eht suddenly have a different appearance, especially to objective third parties

"Now look at the facts Rain You weren't living here with her all that long before you went off to London Before you left Mrs Hudson had great difficulty keeping domestic help They either couldn't tolerate her or she wouldn't tolerate them"

"There was nothingwith her," I insisted "Jake will swear about her too"

Victoria blew a laugh out of her stiff, thin lips