Spencer,

Do you think I'm stupid?

I suggest we meet somewhere slightly more palatable, perhaps Hardiman's Tea and Pastry Shoppe. You may name the time.

Blackwood

He had taken Belle to Hardiman's several times during their hasty courtship. They could get a private table there, but more importantly, the establishment was frequented by enough society matrons and debutantes that Spencer would not dare try anything foolish. Furthermore, it would be easy for Alex to sit nonchalantly a few tables away.

John once again dispatched the messenger to Spencer's lodgings. He expected a quick answer; Spencer would surely be waiting at home for a reply to his invitation.

He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. He should go talk to Belle. It tore him apart to see her so distraught, but he didn't know what to say to her. He didn't know any words that would make her feel better. He'd been married to her less than twenty-four hours and already she was miserable. He'd failed his bride, and he felt helpless to alleviate her suffering.

His bride.

John's lips quirked into a faint smile. He liked the sound of that. He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the hardwood floor.

He strode out into the hall as quickly as his injured leg would let him. "Belle!" he called out, heading up the stairs. "Belle! Where are you?"

She appeared at the top of the steps, panic evident on her face. "John? Is something wrong? What's going on?"

"I just wanted to see you, that's all." He smiled lightly, trying to relieve her tension. "Do you always ask three questions when one would suffice?"

"For heaven's sake, John, you scared the life out of me. Please don't yell like that again. I'm distraught enough as it is."

He crossed the distance between them and put his arm around her. "Please, darling. You're going to make yourself ill. Let's go back to your room and talk."

"Our room," Belle said with a sniffle.

"What?"

"Our room. I'm married now. I don't want a room of my own any longer."

"I don't want you to have one either. Belle, we will have a normal life soon. I promise you that."

Belle let him lead her to their bedroom. She wanted so much to believe him. "I can't help being scared, John," she said softly.

He pulled her to him and breathed in the light fragrance of her hair. "I know, darling, I know. But let's put off that fear for the moment. There is nothing to be afraid of right here, right now."

Her lips quivered into a tiny smile. "This very second…?"

"All there is is me." He traced the line of her jaw with his lips, moving languorously to her ear. And then it wasn't enough.

His hands curved around her backside, pulling her even more intimately against him. He kissed every spot of exposed skin, moving to her hands and wrists once he was through with her neck. He had just moved back to her left earlobe when they heard a voice at the door.

"Ahem."

John didn't even turn, just waved his hand at the offending servant.

"Ahem!"

The voice was more insistent so John reluctantly tore himself away from Belle and twisted his head toward the door. An extremely well-dressed lady was standing there with an odd expression on her face. John had never seen her before, although she did have the most amazing set of blue eyes-really, really blue, rather like…

An uneasy feeling crept through him as he slowly turned to Belle, who was still rather firmly pinned against his body. She looked ill. Very ill. Almost green.

"Mother?"

John jumped away from Belle with amazing speed.

Caroline, the Countess of Worth, peeled off her gloves with an efficiency that bordered on fury. "I see you've been very busy since I've been gone, Arabella."

Belle gulped. Her mother's use of her full name was not a sign for optimism. "Well, yes," she stammered. "I have."

Caroline turned to John. "I think you had better leave."

"He can't!" Belle said quickly. "He lives here."

Caroline's only outward sign of perturbation was a strained swallowing motion in her throat. "I'm sure I misheard you."

John quickly stepped forward. "Perhaps I had better introduce myself. I am Blackwood."

Caroline didn't offer him her hand. "How nice for you," she said acerbically.

"And this," he continued, motioning toward Belle, "is my wife, Lady Blackwood."

"Excuse me?" Not even a chink in her calm facade.

"We're married, Mother," Belle said with a weak smile. "Just yesterday."

Caroline shot a disbelieving look at her daughter, then at the man she had married, then back at her daughter. "Belle, do you think I could speak to you privately for a moment?" She grabbed her daughter's arm with a force that was at odds with her pleasant words and hauled her across the room. "Are you crazy?" she hissed. "Do you realize what you've done? Where on earth is Emma? And how could she let you do this?"

From across the room, John wondered if this propensity to ask questions in rapid succession without waiting for a reply was a family trait.

Belle opened her mouth to say something, but Caroline held her hand up.."Don't!" she warned. "Don't say a thing to me." With a deft movement, she grabbed Belle's arm and deposited her back at John's side.

"Mother," Belle said. "If you'll just…" Her words trailed off at Caroline's quelling stare.

"If you'll both excuse me," Caroline said smoothly. She walked over to the door and called out, "Henry!" Belle and John heard a muffled answer, to which Caroline replied, "Now, Henry!"

"I don't like being made to feel like an errant child," John hissed in Belle's ear.

"I am an errant child," she whispered back. "At least to them. So please be patient."

Belle's father appeared in the doorway. Henry, the Earl of Worth, was an attractive man with graying hair and an easygoing air about him. His eyes lit up with obvious love when he saw his only daughter. "Belle! Darling! What are you doing in London?"

"Oh, this and that," Belle mumbled.

"She got married," Caroline said flatly.

Henry said nothing.

"Did you hear me?" Caroline burst out, her composed exterior beginning to crumble. "She got married."

Henry sighed wearily and ran his hand through his thinning hair. "Was there some reason you couldn't wait, Belle?"

"I was in a bit of a rush."

Caroline turned pink, not wanting to ponder the implications of that statement.

"Surely you could have waited a few days," Henry continued. "Did you think we wouldn't let you have your choice? You know us better than that. We've let you refuse a dozen eligible men, including young Acton, whose father happens to be my best friend. This fellow looks nice enough. We probably wouldn't have had an objection." He paused. "I presume this is the fellow you've married."

Belle nodded, wondering why a lecture from her father always managed to make her feel about seven years old.

"Does he have a name?"

"Lord Blackwood," Belle said clearly.

John took the initiative and stepped forward, extending his hand. "John Blackwood, my lord. I'm pleased to meet you."

"I should hope so," Henry replied dryly. "Have you the means to support my daughter?"

"I just purchased a new home, so I haven't much to spend freely," John replied frankly. "But I am wise and conservative in my investments. She shall not want for anything."

"Where are you from?"

"I grew up in Shropshire. My father was the Earl of Westborough. My brother succeeded him to the title."

"How'd you come about yours?"

John briefly told him about his time in the army. Henry nodded approvingly and finally asked, "Do you care for my daughter?"

"Very much, my lord."

Henry surveyed the younger man, whose hand was now clutched quite firmly in Belle's grasp. "Well, Caroline, I think we're just going to have to trust our daughter's judgment on this score."

"There is little else to do," Caroline said bitterly.

Henry placed a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. "I'm sure we will have time enough to sort out all of the particulars. For now, I think we should concentrate on becoming acquainted with our new son-in-law, don't you think, Caroline?"

She nodded, loving Belle too much to do anything else.

Belle ran forward and threw her arms around her mother. "You'll see, Mama," she whispered. "He's perfect."

Caroline smiled at her daughter's unbridled happiness, but whispered back, "Nobody's perfect, Belle."

"He's perfect for me."

Caroline gave Belle one last squeeze before putting her at arm's length so that she could get a good look at her. "I expect you're right," she replied. "Now why don't we let your father get to know your, er, husband while you help me get settled in. It has been an uncommonly long journey."

Belle thought that, all in all, her mother was taking this news surprisingly well. She shot a fleeting smile at John and followed her out of the room.

"I don't suppose you've sent a notice to the Times," Caroline was saying as she ascended the stairs.

"There hasn't been time."

"Hmmm. Well, I'll have your father see to that immediately. Where is this new home John has purchased?" Caroline turned around as she reached the top of the stairs, a worried expression on her face. "He did say his name was John, didn't he?"

"Yes, Mama. And it's right next to Westonbirt. I met him while I was staying with Emma."

"Oh." Caroline made her way to her bedroom, where a maid was unpacking her cases. "I suppose I'll arrange a reception for you next spring, when everyone is in town. But I do think that we ought to do something soon, if only to let everyone know you're married."