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It was Belle Her clothes were torn, her body ravaged and bruised

"Oh, God, not this!" The cry seemed to well up froainst the wall, his hand tightening on his gun "Look at me, Spencer," he deer Spencer]ohn found hiasped, stuainst the bed "Not hed It was a sick, maniacal sound

"No, I wouldn't I couldn't Oh, Belle" He looked down at the bed, but she was gone

"No! Belle!"

John akened by the sound of his screa for air, he clutched his arms to his stomach He rolled back and forth, his body racked by silent sobs

Chapter 8

Belle lay propped up in bed, thuh the collection of Wordsworth's poetry she had never gotten around to reading that afternoon She found herself squinting slightly more than normal, so she leaned over to her bedside table and lit another candle As soon as she had herself settled again, a knock sounded on the door "Come in"

Emma burst into the roo her baby!" she exclaier just arrived with her husband's note" "That's wonderful," Belle breathed "Isn't it?" "Oh, yes! It's not good for a baby to be early, but three weeks isn't ht have ?" "First thing I wanted to leave right away, but Alex would have none of that"

"He's right, you know The roads are very dangerous at night"

"I know," Emma replied with a disappointed expression "But I wanted to let you know tonight in case you wanted to accompany us Or if you didn't, just to tell you our plans because we're sure to be gone before you wake up in the o with you," Belle said slowly,her words carefully as she spoke She had been looking forward to the fair all evening, and she was- loathe to give up her outing with John Especially now that they would be alone "I don't iuests while she's giving birth I'll visit once the babe is a bit older"

"All right, then, I'll send your regards" Eh I'm not certain if I should leave you alone here I don't think it's proper"

"Alone?" Belle asked disbelievingly "There are over a hundred servants"

"Not quite a hundred," Eood chaper-one"

"I cannot iine what brand of insanity ht that you would be a proper chaperone"

"You do know ed "If you think that there won't be any sort of uproar-"

"I know that there won't This isn't London, after all I doubt that anyone will even hear ofalone And if they did, it wouldn't create uard over reed finally "Just don't invite Lord Blackwood over, please I'd not ord to get out that you were spending tiether unchaperoned"

Belle snorted "That's an about-face after your machinations this afternoon"

"That was different," Erace at least to blush "And don't tell me that you didn't appreciate my so-called machinations I can see the way you look at him"