"Very much so. Belle is a superb dancer."

"I've always thought so. Of course I've never danced with her myself." Emma moved over to a chair and sat down. "Do you mind if I join you for tea? I took the liberty of asking Norwood for another pot. I'm sure this is hopelessly lukewarm by now."

"By all means," John said graciously. "This is your house, after all."

Emma smiled knowingly as she noticed that John and Belle were still standing in each other's arms.

"Don't let my presence deter you from your dance," she said with an impish grin.

The pair immediately made their embarrassed excuses, disengaged themselves, and Belle sat down on the sofa. John murmured something about having to get back home, to which Emma replied with alacrity, "Oh, but you cannot!"

Belle leveled a suspicious eye at her cousin and immediately realized that Emma had decided that she and John would suit very well, indeed.

"It's pouring," Emma hastily explained. "You must stay until the rain lets up a bit."

John declined to point out the rain actually had let up a bit, and if he waited much longer, it was only going to worsen again. He offered the pair of beautiful women an inscrutable smile and sat down across from them on an elegant yet highly uncomfortable chair.

"You mustn't sit there," Emma said. "It's terribly uncomfortable, and I would get rid of it if Alex's mother didn't assure me it was absolutely priceless. Why don't you move over to the sofa next to Belle?"

John raised a single eyebrow at her.

"I hate when people do that," Emma muttered under her breath. Nonetheless, she continued brightly, "I assure you that you'll have a horrid backache on the morrow if you stay in that chair for more than five minutes."

John rose and sat down comfortably next to Belle. "I am your obedient servant, your grace," he said politely.

Emma flushed, hearing the tinge of humor and mockery in his voice. "Oh dear," she said loudly. "I wonder what is keeping that tea. I'll have to go check on it." With remarkable speed, Emma rose and exited the salon.

John and Belle turned to each other, Belle blushing to the very roots of her golden hair. "Your cousin has not mastered the art of subtlety," John pointed out dryly.

"No."

"I'm not exactly certain what she expects to accomplish. She will probably run into a maid with the tea not two steps from this parlor."

Belle swallowed, sheepishly remembering the time she and Alex's sister Sophie had managed to leave Emma and her future husband alone together for a full five minutes under the pretext of going to inspect a nonexistent harpsichord. "I imagine she'll be able to think of something."

"As much as I would love to take you into my arms again, I have no desire to be interrupted by your cousin returning with tea."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Belle mumbled. "She'll find a way to alert us of her impending presence. She's quite resourceful."

As if on cue, they heard Emma yelp from the other side of the closed door. "What a surprise!"

Belle frowned. "I would have thought she'd have given us a bit more time."

The door opened. "Look who I bumped into in the hall," Emma said, holding onto Alex's hand. "I wasn't expecting him back until much later this evening."

"Her carefully-laid plans foiled by an attentive husband," John murmured as he stood.

Belle stifled a laugh and said, "How lovely to see you, Alex."

"I was only out inspecting the fields," he replied, a perplexed frown crossing his features.

"Nonetheless, it is brilliant to have you back," Emma said unconvincingly.

"Did you locate that tea?" John asked.

"The tea? Oh, yes, the tea. Well, no, I didn't actually."

"A-hem."

Emma jumped at the sound of Norwood clearing his throat directly behind her.

"Your tea, your grace?"

"Oh. Thank you, Norwood. Over there on the table, I think."

"Tea actually sounds quite appealing after riding about in that rain all afternoon," Alex said pleasantly. "Although it does seem to be letting up."

Belle wasn't certain, but she thought she heard Emma groan.

Emma fixed a cup for Alex, and after he had taken a healthy gulp, he said, "There's to be a fair tomorrow near the village. I saw people setting it up while I was out."

"Oh really?" Emma responded with delight. "I adore fairs. Shall we go?"

"I'm not sure," Alex said with a frown. "I don't like the idea of your getting jostled about by crowds."

That remark was greeted by a mutinous glare on Emma's part. "Oh, don't be a stodge," she retorted. "You can't keep me locked up forever."

"All right. But you must promise to be careful." Alex turned to John and Belle, who were watching the interchange from the sofa with amused expressions. "Won't the two of you join us?"

A refusal automatically rose to John's lips, but before he could speak an image of Belle in his arms danced through his mind. They were waltzing… Her eyes were glowing with happiness. His heart was filled with tenderness and his body with desire. Maybe he could have a bit of joy in his life. Maybe five years of hell was payment enough for his sins.

He turned to Belle. She cocked her head and smiled, raising her brows in invitation. "Of course," he said, "I'll stop by after lunch, and we'll depart together from here."

"Splendid." Alex took another gulp of tea and glanced out the window where the skies were darkening ominously. "I don't mean to be rude, Blackwood, but if I were you, I'd head home now while the rain is light. It looks like it is going to pour again soon."