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"Getting married?" he said loudly "Married? Ha! I hope she's lass and poured a new one Unfortunately the whiskey did not dull the pain that was squeezing at his heart When he had told Belle that she'd be better off without hily painful to think of her in another et e had been hazy and unfocused Now he couldn't get the picture of her and this faceless earl or whoever he was out of hisher smile in that impish way of hers and then lean up to kiss him And then once they were married, oh God, it ful He could see Belle, nude in the candlelight, holding her arer And then her husband would cover her body with his and…

John drained his second glass of whiskey At least he didn't knohat this man looked like He certainly didn't need to picture the scene in any more vivid detail

"Da each "damn" with a kick to the side of his desk The desk won the battle handily, being made of solid oak, and John's foot would no doubt show bruises the next day

Was it going to be like this for the rest of his life? He had gone into the village the other day, and every woman had reminded him of Belle

He'd bumped into one who had eyes that were alht Would his heart lurch every time he saw a blond woainst the side of his desk "I'm an ass," he moaned "An ass"

And that litany sounded in his h a house It was lush, opulent Intrigued, John walked further

What was that strange thu from a room at the end of the hall He walked closer, terrified by what he thought he , after all John felt the fear begin to drain fro He could hear the music now

He pushed open the door It was a ballroom Hundreds of couples whirled around in effortless waltzes And at the center…

His heart stopped It was Belle

She looked so beautiful She threw back her head and laughed Had he ever seen her so happy?

John ood look at her dance partner, but the man's features were always blurred

One by one, the other couples dropped from view until there were only three people left in the rooet away He couldn't bear to watch Belle with her lover He tried to lued to the spot He tried to look away, but his neck refused to twist

Thecouple whirled out of control until… they weren't dancing

John narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look What was happening?

The couple was arguing Belle looked as if she were trying to explain so to the man And then he hit her The back of his hand sla red welts across her pale skin

John yelled out her nao to her, but the feet that had just refused to carry him from the room wouldn't take hiain, and she fell to the floor, her ar up to shield her head John reached out, but his arh He called her name, over and over, and then, blessedly, the couple faded from view