ohn yanked viciously at his cravat. “This is stupid, Belle,” he hissed. “Stupid.”

belle tiptoed around his valet, who had let out an agonized groan over the death of his careful handiwork. “How many times do we have to go through this? I told you there was no way to get out of going to the Tumbley bash tonight. Mother would have my head if I didn’t show my face before all the ton as a properly married lady.”

John dismissed his valet with a curt nod, wanting to keep the conversation private. “That’s exactly it, Belle. You’re a married lady now. You don’t have to obey your parents’ every order anymore.”

“Oh, so now instead of following my parents’ orders, I get to follow yours. Pardon me if I don’t jump with glee.”

“Don’t be sarcastic, Belle. It doesn’t suit you. All I’m saying is you don’t have to do what your parents tell you anymore.”

“Try telling that to my mother.”

“You’re a grown woman.” John made his way over to a mirror and began to refold his cravat.

“I have news for you. Parents don’t stop being parents when their children get married. And mothers especially don’t stop being mothers.”

John pulled the fabric the wrong way and cursed.

“You should have left it the way Wheatley arranged it. I thought it looked quite elegant.”

John shot her a look which said he didn’t want to hear it.

“Look at it this way,” Belle continued, fixing her skirts so they wouldn’t wrinkle as she sat down on the bed. “My parents are still getting to know you. They’ll be suspicious if we refuse to be seen in public together. You don’t want to be at odds with your in-laws for the rest of your life, do you?”

“I don’t want to be dead, either.”

“That isn’t even remotely funny, John. I wish you wouldn’t joke about it.”

John abandoned his cravat for a moment and turned around so that he could look his wife in the eye. “I’m not joking, Belle. It’s going to be a madhouse tonight. I have no idea how I’m going to keep either one of us safe.”

Belle bit her lip. “Alex and Dunford will be there. I’m sure they’ll be a tremendous help.”

“I’m sure they will. But that doesn’t guarantee our safety. I don’t see why you didn’t just tell your parents the truth.”

“Oh, that would make a good impression,” Belle said sarcastically. “They’ll just love you once they find out you’ve put my life in danger.” At John’s scowl, she added, “Inadvertently, of course.”

John finally gave up trying to arrange his cravat and yelled out, “Wheatley!” Then he turned to Belle and said quickly, “I value our lives more highly than your parents’ opinions, and you’d do well to remember that.”

“John, I really think we’ll be fine as long as we stay near Alex and Dunford. Maybe we’ll even have a chance to trap—oh, hello Wheatley. His lordship seems to be having a bit of trouble with his cravat. I’m afraid his foul mood has drained the dexterity from his ringers. Do you suppose you could aid him in this endeavor?”

John’s countenance turned quite black.

Belle returned his scowl with a bright smile and stood up. “I’m going to see if the carriage is ready.”

“You do that.”

Belle turned to the door and took a step forward.

John sucked in his breath. “Good God, woman, what are you wearing? Or rather, what aren’t you wearing?”

Belle smiled. She had donned the midnight blue velvet gown she had bought a few weeks earlier when she was plotting to seduce him. “Don’t you like it?” she asked, keeping her back to him so that he couldn’t see her grin.

That was a mistake, for the dress had no back, or at least very little of one. “It’s indecent,” John spat out.

“It is not,” Belle said, unable to work her voice into a properly protesting tone. “Lots of women wear gowns like this. Some even wear light fabric and then damp it to make it transparent.”

“I will not have other men looking at your back. And that is final!”

Belle decided she didn’t half mind his possessiveness. “Well, if you put it that way…” She darted from the room and made her way to her own chamber, where Mary was waiting with another freshly pressed gown. Belle had had a feeling she’d be changing her attire. But she had accomplished her goal. She’d gotten John’s mind off of Spencer for a few minutes at least.

After changing, she headed downstairs, arriving just as the front door opened to admit Alex, Emma, Dunford, and Persephone. The quartet was chattering very loudly.

“What are you doing here?” Belle asked.

Emma looked behind her to ascertain that the front door was still open and yelled, “WE’RE TAKING YOU TO THE BALL TONIGHT!”

“You are?”

“OH YES!”

“But why?”

Emma saw that the butler was about to close the door. “Don’t shut that yet,” she hissed before turning to Belle and replying, “BECAUSE YOU ASKED US TO!”

“Oh, of course. How silly of me.”

Lady Worth wandered into the hall. “What on earth is all the commotion?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Persephone muttered, shooting an odd look at Emma.

“WE’RE TAKING BELLE AND JOHN TO THE BALL!” Emma bellowed.

“Fine. Be my guest, just stop shouting about it.”

Alex shut the door quickly and said, “I’ve been urging her to get her ears checked. She’s been doing this for three days.”

Emma took Belle aside and whispered, “I just wanted to let our, er, enemy know that you’re riding in our carriage tonight.”

“So I gathered.”

“He won’t try anything with all of us in the carriage.”

“He could always cut an axle or something like that. Then we’d all be in trouble.”

“I don’t think so. Too much of a chance that John wouldn’t be the one to get hurt. He’ll wait until later.”

“What are you two whispering about?” Caroline demanded. “And what happened to your earache, Emma? I thought you could only shout. Come over here where it’s lighter. I want to look in them myself. They probably just need a good cleaning.”

Emma grimaced but allowed herself to be led off to the next room.

“I think I’ll follow along,” Persephone said. “She’s been acting curiously all evening.”

“Thank you,” Belle said as soon as her mother was out of earshot.

“Don’t mention it,” Alex replied with a wave of his hand. “Although we’ve been having a devil of a time keeping all this from Persephone.”

“She’s very bright.”

“So I’m learning.”

“She’s not going to let you pack her off to Yorkshire after having so much fun in London.”

Alex shrugged his shoulders before turning to more pressing matters. “Where is your husband?”

“Upstairs scowling.”

“Trouble in paradise?” Dunford asked with a quirky grin.

“Don’t even think of taking joy in my distress, you wretch.”

“Consider it a compliment. Nobody else’s distress causes me nearly as much joy.”

“I thrill for you, Dunford.” She turned back to Alex. “He’s a little irritated at having to go tonight. He doesn’t think it’s safe.”

“It’s not. But you can’t remain a prisoner here forever. The Tumbley bash is probably the safest outing we could arrange. If Spencer tries anything we’ll have a hundred witnesses. It will be easy to put him away.”

“I tried to explain that to him, but he wouldn’t listen. I think he’s worried about me.”

Alex smiled. “Husbands are supposed to worry about their wives. It’s a lesson I learned very quickly. There’s nothing you can do about it besides refrain from excessively stupid behavior, of course. Now, when do you think he’ll be down? We really should be on our way.”

“Any minute now, I should think.”

As if on cue, John appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Oh good, there you are,” Belle called out.

“Don’t look so damned cheerful.”

Belle offered her companions an apologetic look to try to make up for her husband’s surliness. The two men looked heartily amused, and so Belle simply shook her head and waited for John to join them. Stairs always slowed him down. Once he reached the bottom, however, he moved across the hall with surprising swiftness.

“Ashbourne. Dunford.” He greeted his guests with a quick nod.

“We thought it might be safer for you to come with us tonight,” Dunford said.

“Good idea. Where’s Emma? Isn’t she coming?”

“She’s off getting her ears checked,” Belle replied.

“What?”

“It’s a long story.”

“I’m sure it is,” he drawled.

Belle grabbed his hand and gave it a firm yank, pulling him to her side. “I’m getting tired of your attitude, John.”

“Don’t expect me to be pleasant for at least a week,” he hissed. “You know how I feel about this.”

Belle clamped her mouth shut into a resolute line and turned back to Alex and Dunford. Alex was looking up at the ceiling and whistling to himself. Dunford was grinning from ear to ear.

“Oh, shut up,” she finally said.

“I didn’t say a thing!” This came from both Dunford and John.

“Men. I’m sick of the lot of you. Emma! Emma! I need you! Now!”

Emma came tearing out into the hall with amazing speed. “So sorry, Aunt Caroline!” she yelled over her shoulder. “Belle needs me.” She didn’t stop moving until she nearly barreled into Belle’s side. “Thank the good Lord and you, too, Belle. I thought she was going to kill me.”

“Shall we be off?” Alex said smoothly. “Where is Persephone?”

“She decided to ride with Aunt Caroline and Uncle Henry,” Emma replied, taking her cousin’s arm and leaving the men to fend for themselves. “She poured something hideous down my ears,” she whispered. “Said they were filthy.”

Belle smiled and shook her head. “She was just funning you. She hates it when people keep secrets from her.”

Emma allowed Alex to help her up into the carriage. “Lady Worth could make Napoleon cry.”

That comment elicited a loud grunt of agreement from John.

Belle shot him an irritated glance as she sat down next to Emma. John slouched into the seat across from them, but Belle was not fooled by his lazy posture. She could tell that every inch of him was on alert, ready to spring into action should it be necessary. John’s vigilant attitude seeped into Alex and Dunford, and they, too, kept one eye on the doors and the other on the ladies.

Belle tried to avoid looking at the men; they were making her nervous, and despite the brave front she had put up for John, she was a little apprehensive about the evening. Luckily, Emma kept up a constant stream of conversation, and they chatted companionably as they rolled toward their destination.

“And the morning sickness is gone completely,” Emma was saying. “At least I hope it’s gone. I haven’t felt ill for a week.”

“That’s good. Have you started to show?” Belle kept her voice low. The conversation really wasn’t suitable for mixed company.

“A little, but these styles hide it quite well. And of course one can’t see anything under this cloak, but—What on earth!”

The carriage lurched drunkenly to the right.

John was on top of Belle within seconds, moving instinctively to shield her from harm. “Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice urgent.

“I’m fine. I’m fine, just—Oh!”

They teetered a bit and then tottered to the left.

“What the hell is going on?” Alex demanded, moving from his position in front of Emma to the window.

“Alex, don’t!” Emma cried out. “If we tip over, you’ll be crushed!”

Alex reluctantly drew back inside. It didn’t feel as if they were in extreme danger. The carriage was rocking and tipping, but in a manner which could almost be described as gentle. Finally, as if heaving a great sigh of relief, the carriage let out a loud creak and then fell toward the left, settling down at a slant that sent everyone tumbling toward the wall.

When it finally became apparent that they weren’t moving anywhere else, Belle sent up a silent prayer of thanks that she had ended up at the top of the pile and set about unwrapping her arm from Alex’s neck. “It appears,” she said, crawling to the window, “that we’ve settled against a tree. That’s why we haven’t tipped completely over.”

“Ouch!” Emma groaned. “You’ve bloody sharp knees, Belle. Watch where you’re going.”

“So sorry. It is rather close in here. Is everyone all right?” She looked beneath her. “Where’s Dunford?”

“Mmmph grhrsmp.”

Belle’s eyes widened. Underneath all four of them? That couldn’t be comfortable. “I, er, I’ll get off right away. I think we’re going to have to go out the top door. If we open this one, we’ll all tumble out and hit our heads.” She looked back out the window. “Actually, I don’t think the door will even open wide enough to let us out. The tree’s blocking the way.”

“Just do it, Belle,” Alex ground out.

“John, are you all right? You haven’t said anything.”

“I’m fine, Belle, just a trifle uncomfortable. There are three people above me.”

“Brmmph thmgish,” came Dunford’s elegant retort.

Belle glanced down nervously at the tangled pile of angry bodies and crawled in the other direction, ignoring Emma’s frequent grunts of pain and outrage. Her skirts kept tangling around her, so she finally gave up all pretense of modesty and hitched them up past her knees, inching her way up the slanted carriage seat until she could grasp the door handle.

“I’ve almost got it—there! Now if I can just swing the door out…” Belle turned the handle and gave the door a shove. But gravity was working against her and winning. Every time, the door swung back at her. “I’m terribly sorry, but I need better leverage. I’m going to have to stand.”

She moved off the carriage seat and set her right foot down on the nearest object, which happened to be Alex’s head. Emma let out a little giggle, which caused Belle to turn back. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing.” This came from Alex, in a tone that dearly said, “Get back to work.”

Belle turned the handle again and pushed the door with all her might. This time, it passed the critical point and swung open. She let out a little cheer and scrambled back up the carriage seat so that she could poke her head out the opening.

“Oh, hello, Bottomley,” she chirped, recognizing Alex and Emma’s driver. “What’s going on?”

“Wheel came right off, milady. Got no idea what happened.”

“Hmmm, that’s most odd.”

“If you wouldn’t mind continuing your conversation at a later date,” John said from halfway down the pile, “we’d like to get out of the carriage.”

“Ooops. I’m sorry. Bottomley, would you catch me if I slide down?” At his nod, she clambered through the opening and slid down the side of the carriage. “Wait there for Emma. I think she’s next.” Belle darted around to inspect the damage. The left wheel had come completely off and rolled down the street, where a group of urchins had already claimed it as their own.

“What do you see?” Emma came round the carriage.

“It looks like someone simply loosened the wheel. Nothing appears to be cut or permanently damaged.”

“Hmmm.” Emma lifted her skirts and crouched down to take a look.

“Will you get out of the street?” Alex was the next one out of the carriage, and he, too, wanted to examine the carriage. He stuck one hand under his wife’s arm and yanked her up.

“It appears we had a rather gentle assailant,” Emma said. “Either that, or one who doesn’t know how to use a saw.”

John appeared around the corner, looking absolutely furious. “What did he saw off?”

“Nothing,” Alex replied. “Just loosened the wheel.”

John swore under his breath. “I apologize for placing you and your wife in danger. Belle and I will return home immediately, and I will forward you funds to cover the cost of the carriage.”

Before Belle could protest, Alex held up a hand and said, “Nonsense. There is no permanent damage to the carriage. All we need is another wheel.”

“What’s this about a wheel?” Dunford finally emerged, looking rather crumpled.

“It came off,” the other four said in unison.

“You needn’t get so testy about it. I just got here.”

“Sorry,” Belle offered. “I feel like I’ve been standing here for an hour.”

“You probably have,” Dunford replied dryly. “You had the tremendous good fortune, if you recall, to have landed at the top of the pile. By the way, I sent Bottomley back to your place, Ash-bourne, to fetch some help to clear this out. I shouldn’t think it will take him long. We’re actually only a couple of streets away from your home.” He walked over to where the left rear wheel should have been. “I must say, Spencer did a rather poor job of it. If he wanted to crash a carriage, there are far more clever ways to go about it. He didn’t even manage to break a single bone among the five of us.”

Belle rolled her eyes. “You are so adept at finding the bright side.”

John scowled and pulled her against his side. “I’m thankful that no one is hurt, but you’ll pardon me if I don’t see a bright side. I will not be the cause of any of your deaths. Let’s be off, Belle. We’re going home.”

“So he can pick you off with a bullet as we walk back? I think not.”

“Belle’s right,” Alex said. “You’re far safer with us than without us.”

“Yes,” John replied acerbically. “But you’re far safer without us than you are with us.”

“Will you pardon us for a moment?” Belle said, pulling her husband a few feet away from the small crowd. “You must listen to me, John,” she whispered. “Weren’t you the one who told me that we cannot spend the rest of our lives dodging this man? He sounds just crazy enough to try something tonight at the Tumbley bash. If we catch him, we’ll have hundreds of witnesses. He’ll be put away for the rest of his life.”

“Perhaps, but what if he succeeds? Or even worse, what if he misses me and gets you? Belle, I promise you that we will not have to run from this man all of our lives. I will deal with him, but I won’t do it in a way that will put you in danger. You must trust me—this is not a man with whom any woman wants to be alone.”

John clutched her shoulders tightly. “Belle, I can’t live without you. Don’t you realize he now has two targets? If he kills you, he might as well have killed me.”

Tears pooled in Belle’s eyes at his urgent words. “I love you, too, John. And you know how nervous I am for your safety. But I cannot live my life looking over my shoulder, either. And we’re not going to get a better chance to trap Spencer than tonight.”

“I’ll go, then.” He moved his hands to his hips. “But you’re going home.”

“I’m not going to wait in my room like a terrified little mouse,” Belle said, her eyes flashing. “Together we can do anything. Alone, we’re nothing. Have faith in me, John.”

“I seem to recall your begging me not to take any unnecessary chances. Allow me the same courtesy. Go home, Belle. I have enough to worry about without having to keep an eye on you.”

“John, for one last time, listen to what I’m saying. Do you love me?”

“Christ, Belle,” he said raggedly. “You know I do.”

“Well, the woman with whom you fell in love is not the kind of woman who can sit patiently at home when the man she loves is in danger. I think we can trap Spencer if we have enough people on our side. He’s obviously not very bright. He couldn’t even wreck a carriage properly. With all five of us working together, we can beat him. And tonight may provide the perfect opportunity.”

“Belle, if something happens to you…”

“I know, darling. I feel the same way about you. But nothing is going to happen. I love you too much to allow it.”

John looked down into her bright blue eyes, shining with love and faith and hope. “Oh darling,” he said huskily. “You heal me. You make me believe that I actually deserve all this happiness.”

“You do.”

John placed his hands gently on her shoulders. “Hold still for a moment,” he said softly. “I just want to look at you. I want to carry this picture of you with me for the rest of my life. I don’t think you’ve ever looked as beautiful as you do right now.”

Belle flushed with pleasure. “Don’t be silly. My dress is crumpled, and I’m sure my hair is mussed, and—”

“Shhhh. Don’t say anything. Just look at me. In this light your eyes look almost purple. Like black raspberries.”

Belle laughed softly. “You must be in a state of perpetual hunger. You keep likening me to fruit.”

“Do I?” John couldn’t take his eyes off her lips, which he had just been thinking looked like ripe cherries.

“Yes, you once said my ears were like apricots.”

“So I did. I suppose you’re right. I’ve been hungry since I met you.”

She blushed.

“Yoo-hoo! Young lovers!”

John and Belle finally tore their eyes off of each other and turned, blinking, to Dunford, who was walking their way.

“If the two of you can stop making verbal love to each other, we can be on our way. In case you hadn’t noticed, the fresh carriage is here.”

John took a deep and ragged breath before turning to Dunford and saying, “Tact, I take it, was not emphasized in your upbringing.”

Dunford smiled merrily. “Not at all. Shall we be off?”

John turned to Belle and offered her his arm. “My dear?”

Belle accepted his gesture with a smile, but as they passed Dunford, she turned and hissed, “I’m going to kill you for this.”

“I’m sure you’ll try.”

“This carriage isn’t as warm as the other one,” Alex said with an apologetic smile. “I don’t usually use it in winter.”

In a few moments the entire crowd was settled into the carriage, and they were back on their way to the Tumbley winter ball. Belle and John huddled together in the corner, turning to each other against the cold. John laid his hand on hers, idly tapping his fingers against her knuckles. She felt warmed by his touch and looked up at him. He had been staring down at her, his brown eyes warm and velvety soft.

Belle couldn’t help herself. She let out a little mewl of contentment.

“Oh, for God’s sake!” Dunford exclaimed, turning to Alex and Emma. “Will you look at them? Even the two of you weren’t this nauseating.”

“Someday,” Belle interrupted in a low voice, her finger jabbing at him, “you’re going to meet the woman of your dreams, and then I’m going to make your life miserable.”

“Afraid not, my dear Arabella. The woman of my dreams is such a paragon she couldn’t possibly exist.”

“Oh, please,” Belle snorted. “I bet that within a year you’ll be tied up, leg-shackled, and loving it.” She sat back with a satisfied smile. Beside her John was shaking with mirth.

Dunford leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’ll take that bet. How much are you willing to lose?”

“How much are you willing to lose?”

Emma turned to John. “You seem to have married a gambling woman.”

“Had I known, you can be sure I would have weighed my actions more carefully.”

Belle gave him a playful jab in the ribs as she leveled a quelling stare at Dunford and asked, “Well?”

“A thousand pounds.”

“Done.”

“Are you crazy?” John’s hand tightened considerably around her fingers.

“Am I to assume that only men can gamble?”

“Nobody makes such a fool’s bet, Belle,” John said. “You’ve just made a wager with the man who controls the outcome. You can only lose.”

“Don’t underestimate the power of love, my dear. Although in Dunford’s case, perhaps only lust is necessary.”

“You wound me,” Dunford replied, placing his hand dramatically over his heart for emphasis. “Assuming I am incapable of the higher emotions.”

“Aren’t you?”

John, Alex, and Emma watched the interchange with considerable interest and amusement. “I had no idea you were such a formidable adversary, my dear,” John said.

“You don’t know a lot of things about me,” Belle scoffed. She sat back with a self-satisfied smile. “Just wait until the evening is through.”

A queer feeling settled in John’s stomach. “I’m dreading every moment of it.”