Mel B and 'wifebeater' husband enjoy the honeymoon period

The couple kissed and cuddled while out shopping for baby clothes for four-month old Angel Murphy-Brown, Mel's daughter by actor Eddie Murphy

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Brown, who secretly married Belafonte two months ago following her high-profile break-up with Eddie Murphy, appeared to have taken a leaf out of pal Victoria's style book, and looked slim in a tight black pencil skirt, teamed with a sleeveless white vest as they shopped together in a Los Angeles store.

Mel and Stephen seemed blissfully happy despite reports family and friends have voiced fears about their whirlwind romance.

Friends have hinted that she is on the rebound after being humiliated by Murphy, who dumped her while being interviewed on television.

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But Mel told OK! magazine: "I know what that looks like, and it's nobody's business. It's between me and him."

"We just wanted to do it for us. It was like okay, this is serious, and we don't want it blasted everywhere."

Although Mel said she is close to her mother, Andrea Brown, 50, who still lives in her hometown of Leeds, she was not told or invited to the ceremony. Mel said her mother "had an inkling" about their growing closeness.

She said: "She saw me wearing this ring and knew Stephen got it."

But admitted that she and her mother have "a love hate thing sometimes, but overall we talk, we text."

A pal said: "Mel will only listen to people she respects, and they're nowhere to be seen, apart from her sister Danielle, and she doesn't want to rock the boat for the sake of the children."

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Meanwhile, the paternity battle between Mel and Eddie Murphy has been conducted in the full glare of the media spotlight.

Mel has recruited glamorous, publicity -seeking lawyer Gloria Allred, who has encouraged Mel to speak about the case in newspapers, magazines, and she has even appeared alongside Allred, on chatshow Larry King Live.

A friend told Now magazine: "Mel's been told by Gloria to keep trying to win the sympathy vote, but we're wary of her."

But despite the media campaign, Allred said Brown's primary concern is that Murphy "see his child, spend time with her, hold her, love her and bond with his daughter."

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Mel, has had to weather stories of Belafonte's previous conviction for assaulting former partner Nicole Contreras, mother of his three-year old daughter Giselle.

Despite learning her husband was charged with battery after he attacked -common-law wife Nicole at their home in 2003, Mel claimed she knew of his past and said he is a changed man.

The couple had been friends for seven years before getting together after her bitter break-up with Hollywood star Eddie Murphy.

Mel admitted: "He hasn't been the best of people.

"I know everything that he's done. He went through group therapy and counselling, but he's fully aware of what he's done."