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With anxious haste, I dressed, re-braided reen ribbon, beforeht limp now My father was sound asleep in his room and wouldn’t wake for hours

It gavenice for Randal withoutanything about Randal I had never been courted by anybody, but I’d been through enough with—to a royal carpenter, would bring out his worst and most awful cruelty

Was I being courted? Or was it just wishful thinking?

I didn’t want Randal knowing about my father, either I was embarrassed by his nastiness, laziness, and drunken ways If Randal knew my father, I was sure he wouldn’t look at me the way he did yesterday

As though I was special I so wanted to be special

For him

Froathered an extra-wide bit of Gouda and put in a generous portion of that day’s loaf of whole with a small pot of butter and a small jar of raspberry preserve

It wasn’t much, but it was the best of e had With h the back door to head for the stables

It was much earlier than I usually left, but I couldn’t wait My early departure was rewarded by dozens of ripe cherries hanging low on the cherry tree, still untouched by the birds These I picked quickly and added the myself to dream for a little while that Randal and I would soether

To my surprise, I found hi bales of hay, one on each shoulder

His hulking frame eaty and shirtless, and I clutchedto hts turned wild, wanting to seewhat a s…

God, why are you sending hts?