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The ed for a few moments until Belle suddenly slammed her arm out in front of Mary "Hold," she whispered loudly

"What's wrong?"

Belle squinted her eyes at the blond man she saw thirty or so yards up the path Was that Spencer?

With her eyesight it was impossible to tell Damn, why had she been so foolish? She never would have come to the park with only aclearly A fat raindrop landed on her nose, jolting her out of her frozen stance

"Back up," she whispered to Mary "Very slowly I don't want to attract attention"

They tiptoed back toward a wooded area Belle didn't think the blond man saw them, but her nerves were still on alert It probably wasn't Spencer, she tried to tell herself If it were, it would certainly be tooa walk in Hyde Park on a cold, windy day, for no other reason than to take in some fresh air The only reason he'd be out would be to follow her, and the blondher

Still, she had to be careful She moved more deeply into the trees

The air suddenly pounded with thunder, and the rain began in earnest, fast and furious Within seconds, both Belle and Mary were drenched to the bone "We et back," Mary yelled over the din

"Not until the blondher out to the clearing

Belle yanked her arm back "No! I can't! Not if he's-" She looked up ahead No sign of hi It had already been growing dark, and the rain had coasped, juan to run

"My lady, nooo!" Mary tore after her

Panic-stricken, Belle ran through the wood, her dress snagging on branches, her hair streahted herself She was breathing hard, disoriented She certainly didn't see the low-hanging tree branch in front of her

It slaood Lord," Mary cried out She knelt down and shook Belle "Wake up, my lady, wake up!"

Belle's head lolled from side to side

"Oh no, oh no," Mary chanted She tried to drag Belle along the path, but the rain had soaked through her thick gar her far too heavy for the ainst a tree trunk Either she stayed with her or went back for help She didn't like the thought of leaving her lady alone, but the alternative… She looked around They were surrounded by trees No one would ever see thehtened, picked up her skirts, and began to run

John was sitting in the library, nursing a glass of whiskey He had reached that unique state of anguish which even alcohol cannot obliterate, and so the glass had re stillness, watching as the sun dipped below the horizon and disappeared, listening as the tiny raindrops which pattered against the pane grew into fat rivulets

He should go to her He should apologize He should let her tell him she loved him He knew he didn't deserve it, but if it upset her to hear the truth… There was nothing that gripped his heart like a tear in Belle's eye