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"Good God, we'd better be rid of Spencer soon, orto turn into an animal"

"A particularly vicious one, too, if I have any say in the hed and looked around the ballrooht there?" She pointed discreetly at a blond aze and then nodded curtly, never taking his eyes off of Spencer At that lass, and their eyes h his body, and suddenly he was ht was a bad idea He had to get Belle out of here He'd have to deal with Spencer in his oay

"He's co this way!" Belle whispered

John's eyes narrowed Spencer had plunked his glass down on a nearby table and washis way across the ballrooaze had shifted to Belle Fury and fear raced through hihtened around hers

"Good evening, Lord Blackwood, Lady Blackwood," Spencer said ly

"What the hell do you want?" John snapped It was taking all of his self-restraint not to juht there and then and wrap his hands around his throat

"No, Blackwood, why so surly? I've just come to say hello to you and your lady wife That is what one is supposed to do at these events, isn't it? Of coursesince I've been to a London ball Been out of the country as you know, for an extended period of ti ti Lady Blackould do me the honor"

John yanked Belle closer to him "Absolutely not"

"That's for the lady to decide, don't you think?"

Belle sed, trying to work soone quite dry "Your invitation is ed to say "But I a"

"Really? How odd" Spencer's eyes glinted silvery-blue with malice

"In deference to my husband," Belle improvised "He does not dance, you know"

"Oh yes, he's a cripple I often forget that But I don't think that should stop you fro yourself" He stepped forward and shoved a revolver against John's sto it in and up to knock the wind from his body

Belle looked down Her stoht she would be ill right then and there The party was crowded, very crowded No one would notice that one of the guests had just pulled a gun on another If she screamed, Spencer would surely shoot John before anyone could wrestle the weapon from him "I- I would love to dance with you, Mr Spencer," she whispered

"No, Belle," John said in a low voice

"My husband," she tried to joke "He gets very jealous Doesn't like me to dance with other men"

"I'un back, took Belle's hand, and led her onto the dance floor John stood rooted to the spot, just beginning to get his breath back His hands balled into fists, but he couldn't feel his fingernails biting into his paly, all of his soul was focused on the two blond heads on the floor Spencer wouldn't hurt her, he knew that Not in thehappened to Belle in front of so et the chance to eliet And John knew that Spencer wanted him dead