Lord Francis, with his endearing speech was one such exception. She pitied him growing up, after all he was quite pitiful, Belle had never seen a more pitful noble than him. With his friendless nature due to something he could not control, his nervous behavior- always seemed to be on edge. Belle could not help but to pity him and let him be around her, be the ‘friend’ he never had. Did she consider him a friend as he did her? That was up for interpretations but she did not mind him. She did not mind him though she knew he held her in romantic light even now that they had grown up, as long as he did not directly tell Belle of such feelings- acted on them then she was fine with even though it was as obvious as day.
She hoped though it will pass with time, because she cannot believe herself saying this, but she does not wish to hurt his kind heart with rejection. But hopefully it does, after all time does change much and Frncis has evolved from a pitiable figure into something more promising. It made her quite proud for him