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"Are you calling me childish and bothersome?" His voice was low and deadly serious

"I don't know Was I? Now, if you'll excuse ly childish and bothersome, and I have ht her in an iron grip "I don't excuse you, thank you very much, and I have no better way to spend my time I have one question for you, and I want it answered" He paused, and his silence forced Belle to look up into his eyes "Have you always been this deliberately cruel?"

Belle yanked her arm back "I'd slap you," she hissed "But I'ht contaminate my hand"

"I'm sure you'll be happy to know that you hurt me But, my lady, it was only for a minute Because then I realized that I want no part of any wo with ainst me"

Belle finally let her exasperation show "For the last time, John, I have no idea who your brother is"

"Well, that's interesting, because he knoho you are"

"Lots of people knoho I a aboutyou"

"What?"

"You heard er dissipated in the confusion of the ht about htfully "But that doesn't mean that they have all asked me And it certainly doesn't s"

For a moment John wanted to believe her but then he re married… An earl, I think… Actually, she said he reminded her of you "Don't try to talk your way out of this one, little girl," he warned

"Little girl? Little girl! Contamination be damned, I think I will slap you!"

Belle raised her hand but John caught it easily "You haven't my instincts, Belle," he said silkily "You could never win a battle between us"

His air of condescension was just the spark to set Belle's anger into full-fledged fury "Let ed, pulling her hand back "First of all, I don't knoho your brother is, and second of all, even if I did want toto do with you, since you haveat all to do with me Thirdly, I see no reason why I would ever have to explain my actions to you of all people So, fourthly-"

"Stop at three, Belle," John s my interest"

Belle shot him her best atte to try to slap hihtily on his foot John didn't even wince She hadn't thought he would; her slippers were not made out of especially hard material Still, her spirits were buoyed by her s old, John"

"If you want to inflict real daht save you froo for a hike"