There it was again—the Crown Prince was mocking her for her inability to read. Rose didn't find it the least bit humorous. He must know that finding any form of education as a peasant was extremely hard, especially one living in a backwater town like Edenville.
Even the baron and his children hire tutors from the neighboring town. She didn't live like him, with nothing but expensive tutors at his beck and call.
Her inability to read wasn't a choice; it was the circumstance she found herself in. His constant mockery was so ignorant and insensitive. It was a cruel, deliberate attack that, surprisingly, had an effect.
Rose didn't like that she couldn't read. It was something she would fantasize about, and she even pretended to read the sign over the marketplace. She was happy when Lady Delphine gave her some lessons. She was even happier when she recognized the letters by herself.
