"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."
Chapter 24
A few weeks later John and Belle were curled up in bed at Persephone Park, enjoying their relative peace and quiet immensely. Belle was thumbing through a book, as was her habit before going to sleep, and John was sorting through a stack of business papers.
"You look very fine in your new spectacles," he said with a smile.
"Do you think so? I think they make me look smart."
"You are smart."
"Yes, but these give me a more serious air, don't you think?"
"Perhaps." John put his papers on a nightstand, then leaned over and dropped a wet kiss on one of her lenses.
"Jo-ohn!" She pulled the spectacles off and began to clean them against the quilt.
He plucked them from her hand. "Leave them off."
"But I can't see the book without-"
He took the book from her hands. "You won't need this either." The book slid to the ground, and John covered her body warmly with his. "It's time for bed, don't you think?"
"Maybe."
"Only maybe?" He nipped at her nose.
"I've been thinking."
"I certainly hope so."
"Stop your teasing." She tickled him in the ribs. "I'm serious."
He looked at her lips, thinking he'd like to nip at them, too. "What is on your mind, darling?"
"I still want a poem."
"What?"
"A love poem, from you to me."
John signed. "I gave you the most romantic proposal a woman has ever had. I climbed a tree for you. I got down on one knee. What do you need a poem for?"
"Something that I can hold on to. Something that our great-grandchildren will find long after we're dead, and they'll say, 'Great-grandfather certainly loved great-grandmother.' It's not so silly, I think."