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"I'o to fancy balls and all that when you're in London You ht"

"I alear comfortable shoes," she replied disdainfully

John wasn't sure why, but her sensibility pleased him "Well, don't worry," he finally said "I've treated many blisters, most worse than this"

"In the war?" Belle asked, her voice cautious

His eyes darkened "Yes"

"I iine you've treated far worse injuries than ine I have"

Belle knew that she should stop her questioning; the as obviously a painful topic for him, but curiosity overpowered discretion "Weren't there doctors and surgeons for that sort of thing?"

There was a noticeable silence, and Belle felt the pressure of his hands on her foot as the knife punctured her blister before he finally answered "Soeons available Sometimes you just have to do what you can, what makes sense And then you pray" His voice was flat "Even if you've stopped believing in God"

Belle sed unco such as, "I see," but the truth was, she didn't see She couldn't even begin to iine the horrors of war, and it seemed shallow to iain with the daht to do it" He stood up and held out his hand to her, but she ignored it, rolling over so that she could sit on the grassy knoll He stood there aardly until she patted the spot on the grass next to her He hesitated, and Belle finally groaned and slapped her hand down on the ground with considerable force

"Oh, please," she said in a se to bite"

John sat down

"Should I put a bandage on this?" Belle asked, twisting around so that she could exa to wear another pair of tight shoes It will heal faster if you leave it bare"

Belle continued to look at her heel, doing her best to preserve her modesty while she did so "I don't suppose too h Westonbirt barefoot, but I think I have enough clout to carry it off, don't you?" She looked up suddenly, offering hirin

John felt as if he'd been hit, the force of her s It took him several seconds to tear his eyes off her aze up to her eyes, which was a big mistake, because they were as blue as the sky Bluer, in fact, and so obviously perceptive and intelligent He felt her stare alh she never took her eyes off his, not even for an instant He shivered

Belle wet her lips in a nervous gesture "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" he whispered, barely aware that he'd spoken

"Like you're… like you're…" She stu at her Her eyes widened in shock as it came to her "Like you're afraid of me"

John felt dizzy Was he afraid of her? Did he fear her ability to upset the precious internal balance he'd only recently been able to achieve? Perhaps, but he feared no one s he wanted to do to her…