"Oh relax, Gold," Isaac Heller said from across the desk in Neal's office. "I'm not here for your firstborn or anything. He's a little too old for that."

Rhys sighed. Isaac was a little difficult in the best of times, but Rhys didn't really even want to be in town, much less be petting the other man's ego. Rhys had brought his wife to town just a few days ago, and while she'd seemed to be content enough so far, he was still nervous about leaving her alone for too long. He just had to get through this meeting and he could return to Neal's house and his wife.

"Forgive my my bluntness," Rhys said. "But what precisely was the point of calling me all the way here?"

"I wanted to congratulate you on your wedding, for one thing," Isaac replied, leaning back smugly. "I heard you married up."

Rhys had no idea how to reply. He wasn't sure what the other man knew about Belle, but he found it incredibly unlikely Isaac didn't at least have some idea of what had befallen her and the situation behind their marriage. His jaw clenched as he mulled over his options - offending Isaac Heller could cost Neal and the company (and, by extension, Rhys) severely in the long run, but if the alternative was having his life dissected, it might be worth it.

"I'm not sure how that's any of your business," Rhys said at last.

"Hey, I'm not judging," Isaac replied quickly. "I never liked that Nottingham brat, and his father wasn't much better. Cheated me on an investment once, you know."

"You don't say," Rhys said, searching for any other topic of conversation. As much as he disliked Nottingham and everything the man stood for, he didn't have any particular interest in being the repository of every grievance held against Nottingham's entire family. The atmosphere around town already felt charged with the potential for nastiness and Rhys just wanted to take his wife home.

"It was awhile ago," Isaac continued. "And from what I understand, the son is worse."

"Was there a point to this meeting?" Rhys finally asked. "You could have written all of this - or told it to Neal."

"And miss your smiling face?" Isaac replied. "How long have we been working together, Gold? Ten years now?"

"Something like that," Rhys said.

"So what's a week or two of negotiations between friends?"

Rhys could feel his head beginning to ache already. So Isaac had apparently decided he needed more attention, and the business expansion and Neal's request for new contract terms if they were going to be expanding had provided him with a the excuse he needed to demand it. The good news was Rhys was certain that the other man intended to go along with the plan, but the bad news was it would be a few weeks before he'd admit it.

The meeting, such as it was, concluded not long after with Rhys inviting Isaac to dinner. Belle had wanted to try her hand at hosting again, and Isaac should be easy enough to impress. He'd just be pleased to have warranted her attention and wasn't very likely to notice or care about any lapses in manners. Rhys just hoped Belle was really as interested in this dinner as she'd said she was.

There were more bookstores in London than Belle had known of back when she'd lived with her father. Then, she had patronized the shops that were in the fashionable parts of the city, but the home Neal kept wasn't near her old haunts. That was actually a strange relief. She had very little chance of meeting any relics of her old life as long as she stayed away from them. It had the extra benefit that she had discovered some wonderful stores she'd never have found otherwise.

She'd had two pieces of good news when she got home. The first had been that the woman she'd asked to come be a maid had appeared that afternoon with the calling card. The housekeeper had apparently been on the verge of telling her to leave when Rachel had appeared and - knowing the situation - directed the housekeeper to provide Gwen with a uniform and something to do until Belle had returned home. Rachel had also confided privately that she'd seen some bruising around Gwen's ribs when helping her into the new uniform, and Belle was even more convinced than ever that she'd made the right choice in stopping on the street to give her the card.

The second piece of good news was a letter from Ruby that had come while she'd been out. It was Belle's first correspondence since she'd been in the city, and she was already missing home so much it hurt a little bit, so she hurried into the sitting room to find a comfortable place to sit and read her letter.

My Dearest Belle,

Promise you won't be angry, but I'm afraid if you're not then you'll be the only one who isn't. Gaston and I have eloped! By the time you get this, we'll be in Gretna and married. My grandmother is going to be livid, but I just couldn't go through with the big wedding full of people neither one of us really cared about being there. We'd both rather a quick wedding and a happy married life than going through the whole rigamarole of a big ceremony anyway. Smile for me, my dear, because I'm smiling even as I write these lines. It's exactly what I've been wanting since I came to England!

And I haven't even gotten to the best part yet - after the ceremony, we'll be heading straight to London before we return back home. It shouldn't be more than a week or two before we're back together again, isn't that grand? You have to promise me that you'll show me all the best places to shop and we can go to all the museums and shows. We're going to have an absolutely lovely time together, I just know it!

Oh, my dear Belle, we're to be cousins! You're the first person I've told, though I'm afraid you'll be the last to know because of the post time. I do hope my letter reaches you before the news gets there any other way. I don't think I could live if I didn't get to be the one who told you.

Yours,

Ruby

Well, Belle certainly hadn't expected that, though she supposed that it wasn't too surprising. Ruby didn't seem the sort to let a little thing like social convention talk her into doing anything and certainly not into making her go through with a large wedding. There was a part of Belle that was relieved she wouldn't have to go through with attending one herself. Truthfully, though, the largest part of her heart was taken up with excitement that she would soon be reunited with her friend. There weren't many people who Belle could count on, and Ruby was the only woman in her acquaintance who didn't treat her like a pariah. However, she wasn't entirely sure how much they would actually go out together in London. Ruby had a head full of romantic notions, but Belle knew that in town Ruby would be a popular guest while Belle would be a hermit. Pedigrees didn't matter so much when a girl was young and beautiful, but reputation did.

She refused to be drawn down by that thought. She should write Ruby a note of congratulations, though it could wait a little while. There would be no place to send it until Ruby and Gaston had come to London, so she had time to put her thoughts together.

Belle settled down in one of the chairs with one of her new books. It was an older first edition, but she'd read another story by the same author before and liked, it so she had high hopes for this particular novel. She was quickly caught up in the story of Gilbert Markham and Helen Graham, and it seemed almost no time at all before she heard her husband join her.

"Was your meeting successful?" she asked him once he'd kissed her hello and taken a seat. "Did you find out what Mr. Heller wants?"

"Yes to both," Rhys replied. "He just wants to be a nuisance, but I invited him to dinner and that seems to have placated him nicely."

"Oh good," she said, marking her place in the book and setting it aside. "I'll let the cook know later. When are we expecting him?"

"The day after tomorrow," Rhys said. "But I wouldn't worry yourself overmuch. He'll be easily impressed by your name. If you can get your father to show up he'll be beside himself."

"So he's after an introduction?" she asked. "I may be able to arrange that, actually. I had a letter from Ruby."

"Did you?"

"She's eloped with Gaston," Belle replied. "They'll be in London afterward, and I imagine my father will follow not long after."

"Well, congratulations to them," Rhys said. "That will certainly be the talk of the town for a few days, at least."

"I'm sure they thought of that," she said. "And anyway, Ruby was always going to make a splash in town."

Rhys smiled and relaxed further into his chair, which somehow beckoned her to go it on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she rested her head against his shoulder. She'd been forcing herself to keep moving through the last few days and trying so hard not to think too much about the potential ramifications of being in town and outside the safety of their home, but something about being there and letting him hold her everything just seemed to stop. She'd been so scared for so long, and hadn't even been aware of how much tension she'd been under until she felt it melting away.

"I missed you today," she murmured. "Did you miss me?"

"I always miss you," he replied. "I'm sorry I had to drag us both here."

"I'm not," she said. "If it will help Neal then I'm glad we came. Anyway, I couldn't hide forever."

He hummed a little bit in agreement, but otherwise remained silent as she breathed him in and let the walls she'd been holding up all day lower.

"How was your day?" he asked her after a few moments. "Have you been terribly bored?"

"You know," she said. "I'd never realized how much there really is to do in London. There were places that I always visited and I never strayed, but since I can't go to them anymore I've been discovering so many things."

"Oh?"

"I found a new bookshop," she said. "And I hired a maid."

"Did you?" he asked, looking at her curiously. "I'd forgotten we needed one."

"Lizzie has been doing two jobs," she said. "And I found someone I liked, so I hired her."

She knew her husband wouldn't question her choice or ask where Gwen had come from, and she knew if she told him he'd understand precisely why she'd had to pull the girl off the street and invite her into their home - but Belle also knew this wasn't her story to tell, and she she didn't even know the truth of the matter herself, just what Rachel had related and a hunch. Belle still wasn't sure what she was thinking herself. This woman was a total stranger, and there were no guarantees that she wouldn't rob them blind or kill them in their sleep.

She'd tell him, she decided, once she'd had a chance to talk to Gwen. Besides, she'd need to know if the other woman needed to escape the city immediately or if she'd feel safer staying and leaving when the household returned home. There would be plenty of time for difficult conversations later when she wasn't feeling so content and safe.

Eventually, she was sure she'd have to meet Nottingham or one of his friends. Unless she kept herself locked away they were bound to cross paths, and as much as the idea of it terrified her, she didn't want to be locked away anymore. Maybe that's why she'd been so determined she had to bring Gwen into her protection - if she could do nothing for herself, then maybe she could do something for the other woman. Only time would tell.