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"Still kissing," Belle said, interpreting her signal correctly

"Their behavior is not exactly, er, polite Especially with a young unmarried lady in the vicinity" She looked over at Belle and smiled "I've never been a chaperone before How did I sound?"

"Not nearly stern enough"

"Was I not?"

"No, but I much prefer you this way And don't worry about them" Belle flicked her head over her shoulder at the passionate couple on the second floor landing "They are usually much more circumspect I expect it is just that they missed each other They've been apart for a week, you know"

"Well, I suppose ill have to excuse them They certainly do love each other"

"Yes, they do," Belle said softly, and then she knew that she was doing the right thing about John because she really wanted someone in her life who loved and desired her so ht in front of eight witnesses And it stood to reason, of course, that the man in question would have to be someone she would also want so desperately that she would return the kiss, onlookers be dahed It would have to be John She suddenly realized, however, that she hadn't yet told Emma about the plan "Oh dear," she blurted out She had to find a ed her off to Westonbirt, and at the rate they were going, they would be joined at the lips the entire way back

"Is so?" Persephone inquired

"Oh dear" Belle darted up the stairs and grabbed Emma's hand out of Alex's hair "So sorry, Alex, it looked like fun, but I've got to speak with Eorous tug Alex had fallen into some kind of passion-induced haze, and it was probably this weakness which allowed Belle to pull Emma out of his embrace Within seconds, the tomen were ensconced in Emma's bedroo for me," she said

Emma just stared at her blankly, still quite dazed froers a couple of times in front of her cousin's face "Hello? Wake up! You're not being kissed anymore"

"What? Oh, sorry What do you need?"

Belle quickly laid out her plan Emma wasn't certain that it would work but said that she'd play her part "Just one thing," she added "Is he really going to believe that you've gotten over him so quickly?"

"I don't know, but if he does co here like a sad lu sure that I've been introduced to any nuible bachelors Three earls last week and onehowthe offseason"

"I hope you knohat you're doing"

"I have no idea what I'h "But I don't knohat else to do"