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"Oh, John, we have to do sohtened"

"I can't think of anyoneto put her mind at ease "She'll probably have him tied up and ready for the constable in a matter of minutes"

"John, how could you joke about this?" Belle cried out "This isher hand a reassuring squeeze "Dunford, where did they go?"

"Follow me"

He led them out a side door and down a dark hallhere Alex and E for them

"Do you knohich door he went into?" John whispered

Alex shook his head "Eo back into the ballroom"

"Absolutely not!" came the heated reply

The three azes on Belle

"My er!" she replied hotly "As if I would abandon her now"

"All right," Alex sighed, realizing that a direct order was a waste of time "But stay back!"

The tomen nodded, and the quintetinto every doorway, taking care not to let the hinges creak whenever possible

Finally they reached a rooroup and inized Spencer's voice He turned around and put his forefinger to his lips,everyone to keep quiet The three uns

"You silly man," they heard Caroline say disdainfully "What can you possibly hope to acco this?"

"Be quiet"

"I won't be quiet," caed un at me which I can only surmise is loaded, and you expect ence, my dear man, and-"

"I said shut up!"

"Hmmph"

Belle bit her lip She'd heard that tone before If she hadn't been so terrified this ed looks If they didn't h they weren't necessarily convinced that the victim would be Caroline John held up his hand and silently counted with his fingers One Two