'May I come in for a moment?'
Panic gripped her. 'Uh, just one moment!' Thank God her door was locked. 'Hide!' she hissed at John.
'I'm trying,' he hissed back. He hopped out of the bed, cursing the cold night air. He gathered up his clothes, praying he'd got them all, and stumbled into her dressing room.
Belle grabbed her dressing gown, covered herself, and went to the door. She turned the key and opened it, marveling that her quivering legs were actually holding her upright. 'Good evening, Persephone.'
'I'm sorry to bother you, but I couldn't sleep, and I knew that you had gone to the bookshop today. I was wondering if I could borrow something to read.'
'Of course.' Belle rushed back into the room and gathered up some of the books. 'It's all poetry, but I'm done with it for the evening.'
Persephone noticed Belle's bare calves peeking out from under her dressing gown and said, 'Don't you wear a nightgown?'
Belle blushed and silently thanked the dark cloak of night for hiding her embarrassment. 'I was hot.'
'I can't imagine why. The window is wide open. You'll catch a chill.'
'I don't think so.' Belle thrust the books into Persephone's arms.
'Thank you.' Persephone wrinkled her nose and sniffed. 'What is that smell? It's most peculiar.'
Belle prayed that Persephone's maiden aunt status was entirely accurate because the room reeked of lovemaking. One could only hope that she wouldn't recognize the smell. 'Umm, I think it's coming in from outside.'
'Well, I can't imagine what it is, but you ought to remember to shut the window before you go to sleep. And if you'd like I could give you some of my violet-scented perfume. I'm sure that smell will go away if you spray a bit of it around.'
'Perhaps in the morning.' Belle led the way back to the door.
'Good night, then. I'll see you in the morning.'
'Good night.' Belle shut the door and locked it quickly, leaning back against it with a sigh.
The door to the dressing room swung open. John emerged, his upper body tangling in Belle's dresses. 'Good God, woman, you have a lot of frocks.'
Belle ignored him. 'I was so scared.'
'And I felt damned foolish. I'm warning you, I'm not going to put up with this for long.' He viciously thrust his bad leg into his breeches.
'You're not?' Belle asked weakly.
'Not a chance. I'm a grown man. I've fought a bloody war, nearly got my leg shot off, played the market for five years and amassed enough money to purchase a damned house. Do you think I like creeping around in closets?'
Belle didn't really think that a reply was necessary.
'Well, I don't, I tell you. I don't like it at all.' He sat down in a nearby chair so that he could put his good leg into his breeches. Belle surmised that his injured leg wasn't quite strong enough to hold him up for long.
'And I'll tell you something else,' he added, working himself up into a fine bout of annoyance. 'As far as I'm concerned, you're mine. Do you understand that? And I don't like being made to feel like a thief for enjoying what is mine.'
'What are you going to do?'
He grabbed his shirt. 'I'm going to marry you right away. And then I'm going to take you back to Bletchford Manor and toss you into bed and keep you there for a week. All without having to worry about Miss Lemon Tree barging in to spoil the mood.'
'You really need to find a new name for your home.'
'Our home,' he corrected, scowling at her attempt to change the subject. 'And I've been too busy chasing after you to give the matter much thought.'
'I'll help you.' Belle smiled. He loved her. He might not have said as much, but it was right there in his eyes.
'Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to jump back out your window, slide down that tree, return to Damien's, and get some sleep. Then I've got to see about getting a special license.'
'A special license?'
'I'm not putting up with this nonsense any longer than I have to. With any luck we'll be married by the end of the week.'
'By the end of the week?' Belle echoed. 'Are you mad? I can't get married this week. I can't even get officially engaged until my parents return.'
John groaned as he picked up his boots and uttered a curse which was completely unfamiliar to Belle. 'When are they getting back?' he asked in a very low voice.
'I'm not certain.'
'Would it be possible for you to offer an estimate?'
'No more than a couple of weeks, I would imagine.' Belle forbore to point out that they would have to wait at least another month or two after her parents returned before they could actually marry. Her mother would insist upon a large wedding. Of that she was certain.
John swore again. 'If they're not home within a fortnight Alex can give you away. Or call your brother down from Oxford. I don't care which.'
'But-'
'No buts. If your parents ask questions, you can simply tell them that we had to get married.'
Belle swallowed and nodded. What else could she do? 'I lo… ' She lost her courage, and the rest of the sentence remained on her tongue.
He turned around. 'Yes?'
'I-nothing. Be careful getting down that tree. It's rather tall.'
'Three stories, to be precise.'
His wry grin was infectious, and Belle felt the corners of her mouth tugging up as she followed him to the window.
He leaned down and murmured, 'A kiss goodbye.' His lips touched hers in one last, passionate caress.
Belle barely had time to kiss him back before he moved away, pulled on his gloves, and disappeared outside. She rushed to the window and looked out, watching him with a smile as he made his way down the tree.
'He could have just gone out the door,' she muttered to herself. 'Persephone's room is in the opposite direction.' Oh well, it was more fun this way, and certainly more romantic. As long as he didn't break his fool neck on the way down. Belle leaned out the window a little further and sighed with relief when she saw his feet touch the ground. He leaned down to rub his bad knee, and she winced in sympathy.
She watched him until he disappeared from sight, leaning against the windowsill with a dreamy expression on her face. London could be beautiful on ocassion, she mused. Like now, with its deserted streets, and-
A movement caught her eye. Was that a man? It was hard to tell. Briefly she wondered what someone would be doing up and about and on foot this time of night.
She giggled. Maybe all of London's gentlemen had decided to do some unconventional courting that evening.
Taking a deep breath, she shut the window and made her way back to bed. It was only when she was snuggled up under her mountain of covers that she remembered that he had never found his fulfillment.
She smiled wryly. No wonder he was so cranky.
John made his way back to his brother's house, his hand on his pistol the entire time. London was getting more and more dangerous these days, and one really couldn't be too careful. Still, he hadn't wanted to bring a carriage by Belle's house. Someone might have seen it, and he didn't want her subject to any vicious rumors. Besides, it was only a few short blocks to Damien's home. It seemed that all of the
