Dancing at Midnight

"Oh, John, we have to do something. She must be so frightened."

"I can't think of anyone more capable than your mother," John said, trying to put her mind at ease. "She'll probably have him tied up and ready for the constable in a matter of minutes."

"John, how could you joke about this?" Belle cried out. "This is my mother!"

"I'm sorry, love," he said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Dunford, where did they go?"

"Follow me."

He led them out a side door and down a dark hallway, where Alex and Emma were waiting for them.

"Do you know which door he went into?" John whispered.

Alex shook his head. "Emma," he said. "I want you and Belle to go back into the ballroom."

"Absolutely not!" came the heated reply.

The three men then turned their collective gazes on Belle.

"My mother is in danger!" she replied hotly. "As if I would abandon her now."

"All right," Alex sighed, realizing that a direct order was a waste of time. "But stay back!"

The two women nodded, and the quintet made their way down the hall, peeping into every doorway, taking care not to let the hinges creak whenever possible.

Finally they reached a room which was partially open. John was at the head of the group and immediately recognized Spencer's voice. He turned around and put his forefinger to his lips, motioning everyone to keep quiet. The three men wordlessly took out their guns.

"You silly man," they heard Caroline say disdainfully. "What can you possibly hope to accomplish by doing this?"

"Be quiet."

"I won't be quiet," came the imperious reply. "You've dragged me off from the party into a deserted room and pointed a gun at me which I can only surmise is loaded, and you expect me to be quiet? You are sorely lacking in intelligence, my dear man, and-"

"I said shut up!"

"Hmmph."

Belle bit her lip. She'd heard that tone before. If she hadn't been so terrified this might have been funny.

John, Alex, and Dunford exchanged looks. If they didn't make a move soon, someone would be dead, although they weren't necessarily convinced that the victim would be Caroline. John held up his hand and silently counted with his fingers. One. Two.

Three! The men burst into the room and spread along the back wall, their pistols trained on Spencer.

"It took you long enough," he sneered. He held Caroline's arm in a painful grasp, and his gun was pressed up against her temple.

"Your attitude is beyond surly," she scoffed. "It ill becomes you-"

"Mother, please," Belle pleaded, coming in through the door. "Don't provoke him."

"Ahhh," Spencer said approvingly. "You brought the ladies. What a treat."

Belle couldn't see John's face, but from the way he was holding his shoulders, she could tell that he was furious with her for not remaining out in the hall. "Just let my mother go," she said to Spencer. "She hasn't done anything to you."

"I might, if you'd be willing to trade places with her."

Belle took a step forward, but John's arm shot out like an iron band. "No, Belle."

"Really, Belle, don't be silly," Caroline said. "I can handle our lackwit friend here."

"I've had enough!" Spencer exploded. He slapped Caroline across the face.

Belle let out a little cry of dismay and rushed forward, eluding John's grasp. "Leave her alone!"

Spencer's arm snaked out and wrapped around Belle's waist, pulling her close to him. Her stomach turned over in dismay, but she swallowed down her fear and said, "Now let my mother go."

With a vicious shove, Spencer pushed Caroline away from him and she went tumbling to the floor. She opened her mouth to give him a scathing rebuke but then held her tongue, not feeling quite as brave now that he held her only daughter in his grasp.

In that moment, John lost the ability to breathe. It felt as if Spencer's hand were reaching out and squeezing around his windpipe. Belle was standing next to him, trying to appear brave, but John could see the fear and loathing in her eyes. He threw down his gun, put his hands in the air, and took a step forward. "Let her go, Spencer. I'm the one you want."

Spencer caressed Belle's cheek with the back of his hand. "Maybe I've changed my mind."

John's control snapped, and he would have jumped him right then and there if Alex hadn't reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt. "I said let her go," John repeated, his body shaking with fury.

Spencer's hand stole around to her backside and he gave it a little squeeze. "I'm still thinking about it."

Belle grimaced, but otherwise she did her best to remain silent. John's life was on the line here, and if she could save it by letting this man paw her, by God, he could paw her all he wanted. She just prayed he wouldn't try anything more intimate. The bile was already rising in her throat.

John's body was taut with rage. "For the last time, Spencer, let her go or I'll-"

"You'll what?" Spencer replied mockingly. "What can you possibly do? I have a gun. You don't. Furthermore, I have your wife." He let out a maniacal laugh. "And you don't."

"Don't forget us," Dunford drawled, jerking his head toward Alex. Their pistols were trained on Spencer's chest.

Spencer looked back and forth between his adversaries and laughed. "I cannot imagine one of you would do anything as asinine as to shoot me while I have a loaded gun aimed at the lovely Lady Blackwood. Still, she is not, after all, my main purpose in coming here, and I am afraid I am going to have to trade her in. Blackwood?"