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"No, no, stop…" Belle suddenly sat up and screa the sweat fro the motion would cool her down Belle's eyes were open and she was looking at hiaze

"Stop, stop!" she shrieked, slapping his hands away "Don't touchto-"

"What the devil is going on?" Caroline burst into the roo to cover Belle up with the sheet

"But there was so one delirious," John snapped, atte form "See if we've any laudanu that he was talking to his mother-in-law "I'm sorry, Lady Worth It's just-"

She held up a hand "I understand I'll go look for the laudanuth fueled considerably by her fever She was no match for John, however, whose firmly muscled body had been honed by years in the military "Wake up, dao away I prole harder

John didn't budge an inch "Belle," he pleaded His throat worked violently "Please"

"Get off of me!" Belle screamed

Caroline chose that rather inopportune moment to reenter the roo to her?"

John replied with a question "Where is the laudanulass and handed it to hi to pull her into a sitting position and keep her still at the salass to her lips "Just a little now"

Belle's eyes focused on soain Her hands shot up to her head, knocking the glass fro

"I'll feed it to her this tilass to her daughter's lips and forced her to take a gulp

After a few "moments Belle calh

"Shhh," John crooned "You can sleep now The nightone Rest, my love"

Caroline pushed some of Belle's heavy locks from her face "There must be some e can make her more comfortable"

John walked over to the bureau and picked so up "Here is one of her hair contraptions Perhaps you could pin her hair back from her face?"

Caroline smiled "It's called a barrette, John" She lifted Belle's hair and secured it into a sloppy bun "Are you certain you don't want to sleep for a few hours?"

"I can't," he said hoarsely

Caroline nodded sympathetically "I will sleep then You'll be weary in theYou'll need help" She moved to the door