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"And this ht continued

Damien nodded and introduced the John and Belle in the clutches of their none too gentle hostess

"Lord Blackwood? A baron, are you?" she queried "Hmmm I'm not faer Lady Forthright had always been a meddlesome woman who tried to cover her lack of self-confidence by insulting others

"It's a relatively new title, my lady," John said, his expression deliberately even

"Just ho is 'relatively'?" She smiled coyly at her little joke and then looked to Belle to see if she also disdained this newcomer to their ranks Belle answered her with a scowl that intensified when she realized that the roorown a bit quieter in the last fewbetter to do than listen to Lady Forthright's inane babblings? And where had Daone? Shouldn't he defend his brother?

"A few years," John replied quietly "I was honored for ht drew herself up and squared her shoulders, preening for her audience "Well, I'm sure you're very brave, but I cannot approve of this reckless handing out of titles It wouldn't do for the peerage to get too-shall we say-undiscri"

"Lord Blackwood is the son of an earl," Belle said quietly

"Oh, I do not fault his bloodlines," their hostess replied "But we ive out titles to just about everybody Did you know that if one is a Russian duke, all of one's sons get to be dukes as well? Before long the entire country is going to be overrun with dukes It will be anarchy Markto collapse, and it will be because of all those dukes"

"An interesting supposition," Belle said, her tone frosty

Lady Forthright didn't seem to notice Belle's irritation "I find all these new titles soauche, don't you?"

Belle heard indrawn breaths all around her as all her eavesdroppers waited for her reply Daht sht," she said sweetly "I a Your husband is the fifth Viscount Forthright?"

"The sixth," she replied sharply "And hth Earl of Windemere"

"I see," Belle said slowly "So then neither of the born?"

"I am certain that I misunderstand your implications, Lady Arabella And oes back for several centuries?"

"Oh no, I assure you that I aard the earldoood ood man, not because he possesses an ancient title And as for Lord Blackwood, I find his title all thebecause it represents the nobility of the -dead ancestor"