Belle's legs grew weak, and she would have fallen to the ground if she hadn't crashed into an end table. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dunford slowly inching forward, but she had little hope he'd be able to save him. Spencer could see his every move, and there would be no way to surprise him. By the time Dunford could wrestle him to the ground, the fatal shot would already have been fired. Besides, the room was densely furnished; it looked as if the Tumbleys had shoved every stray settee, sofa, and table into it. Dunford would have to jump over two chairs and an end table if he wanted to take a direct route.
'You!' Spencer barked, jerking his head at Belle without really looking at her. 'Get back even farther. I'm sure you have a yen to play the heroine, but I will not have the blood of a lady on my conscience.'
Belle moved sideways, as the end table was blocking her path. She sniffed. She smelled violets. How odd.
'Farther!'
Belle took another step back and thumped up against something solid. Something solid and… definitely human. She looked across the room. Alex, Dunford, Emma, and her mother were all in plain sight.
'Take this!' came a whisper.
Good God, it was Persephone! And she was pressing a pistol into Belle's palm.
Spencer raised his arm and aimed.
Belle felt herself dying. She'd have to shoot Spencer and pray that her aim was true. There was no way she'd be able to get the gun to John. Damn, why hadn't she let Emma teach her how to shoot properly?
John twisted his head around as far as he was able. 'If I could have just one last wish?'
'What?'
'I'd like to kiss my wife goodbye. With your permission of course.'
Spencer nodded curtly, and Belle hurriedly moved forward, concealing the gun in the folds of her skirt. With her free hand she reached up and touched John's face, making sure that Spencer could see her movement. John glanced down at his wrists, and Belle saw that he had worked his hands free of the loosely tied cravat.
'Oh, John,' she whispered loudly, 'I love you. You know that, don't you?'
He nodded.
'Oh, John!' she wailed, figuring that the better show she put on, the more time they would have to plot. She moved her free hand to the back of his head and pulled him to her in a scorching kiss. She pressed herself as close as she could to John, praying that Spencer wouldn't be able to see what was going on in the narrow space between their bodies. She placed the gun in John's hands, quickly pulling the loosened cravat off his wrists as she did so.
'Keep kissing me,' he whispered. She could feel his hand settling into the contours of the gun. Her tongue flicked out, tracing the outline of his mouth, savoring the slightly salty taste of him.
'Open your mouth, love,' he said softly.
She did, and his tongue swooped in to deepen the kiss. Belle returned his passion with equal fire, all the while keeping one eye open and trained on Spencer, who was watching them with a fascinated expression. His arm had lowered slightly, and Belle knew that their kiss had pulled some of his attention away from his obsession to kill John. She resolved to distract him completely and moaned loudly with pleasure.
John began to trail small kisses along her jawbone, and Belle arched her neck to give him greater access. But she could feel that his attention was focused elsewhere. She felt him nod, and then from the shadows came a hideous, barely human shriek. The sound was terrifying. Belle felt sick to her stomach just listening to it.
'What the hell?' Spencer was jolted from his voyeuristic reverie, and he couldn't stop his head from turning toward the awful sound.
John abruptly let go of Belle, and before she realized what was happening, she pitched forward and tumbled onto the ground. John spun around, whipping the gun out and shooting Spencer's pistol cleanly from his hand. Alex and Dunford immediately rushed forward, tackling the stunned man to the ground.
Persephone stepped forward and folded her arms, a satisfied smile on her face. 'Sometimes a little age and wisdom is a very good thing.'
'Persephone, what are you doing here?' Alex demanded as he yanked Spencer's wrists behind his back.
'That's a fine way to greet me after I've gone and saved the day.'
'Oh, Persephone,' Belle said with great feeling. 'Thank you!' She clambered to her feet and flung her arms around the older woman. 'But what was that awful sound?'
'Me.' Persephone grinned broadly.
Caroline raised her brows incredulously. 'Surely that wasn't human.'
'Oh, but it was!'
'It certainly did the trick,' John said, joining the women after making sure that Spencer was tied up properly. 'Although I must admit, I never dreamed you'd emit such a sound after I signalled to you to make a commotion.'
'You knew she was here?' Belle asked.
'Only after I saw her hand you the gun. Well done, Persephone.' John pushed his hair back and noticed that his hand was shaking. It would be a long time before the image of Spencer holding Belle hostage would fade from his mind.
'How on earth did you get in here?' Belle asked.
'I knew something sinister was going on. No one saw fit to confide in me.' Persephone sniffed in disdain. 'But I figured it out. I also eavesdropped a lot. And then I realized-'
'Excuse me!' Dunford called out.
Six heads swiveled in his direction.
'We might want to notify the authorities about him.' He motioned down to Spencer, who was lying on the floor, bound and gagged.
Belle waved him off, too interested in Persephone's story. 'He's not going anywhere like that.'
Dunford raised his brows at her nonchalance but nonetheless planted his booted foot in the middle of Spencer's back, mostly just for the fun of it.
'If I might continue,' Persephone intoned, thoroughly enjoying her role as heroine for the day.
'By all means,' Belle replied.
'As I was saying, I overheard Alex and Emma discussing the ball tonight and realized that John and Belle might be in danger. That is why I insisted they take me along.' She turned to Belle. 'Now, I realize that I wasn't the strictest of chaperones, but I did take my position seriously, and I felt that I would be remiss in my duties if I did not come to your aid.'
'For which I am extremely grateful,' Belle felt compelled to interject.
Persephone smiled benignly. 'I realized that you might need a secret weapon tonight. Secret even from yourselves. You were all so busy with your schemes you didn't notice that I disappeared the moment I arrived at the party. I went up into the balcony which overlooks the ballroom and watched. I saw this man accost you, Belle, and then force your mother out of the room.'
'But how did you get in here?' Belle asked.
Persephone smiled craftily. 'You lot left the door open. I just crawled in. No one noticed me. And the room is rather generously furnished. I simply darted between chairs and settees.'
'I can't believe we didn't see you,' John muttered. 'My instincts must be off.'
'It is dark in here,' Persephone replied, trying to reassure him. 'And your attention was engaged at the time. I wouldn't worry about it, my lord. Besides, you were the first to notice me. After Belle, of course.'
John shook his head in admiration. 'You're a wonder, Persephone. A true wonder. I can't thank you enough.'
'Your firstborn girl, perhaps,' Dunford suggested impishly. 'Persephone is a fine name.'
Belle scowled at him. A fine name perhaps, but not for any child of hers. But then again-Belle's eyes lit up as an idea unfolded in her mind. An idea so perfect, so timely- 'I must offer you my gratitude, too,' she said, linking arms with the older woman. 'But I'm not sure my first daughter is the right way to thank you.'
'Whyever not?' Dunford's mischievous grin spread from ear to ear.
Belle smiled archly and kissed her former chaperone on the cheek. 'Ah, Persephone, I have grander plans for you.'
