Page 11 of A Duchess to Unravel

“Oh, certain rank bits. Old fish. Soured yeast,” Ophelia replied cheerily.

Amelia gasped, then laughed.

“I see where you are going with this.”

“Oh, this is going to certainly disturb them,” Rosamund laughed.

“What is it?” Theo asked, her happiness growing with every step they took.

“You’ll see,” Seraphina sang, looking as if she too understood where Ophelia was heading with the trick.

Twenty minutes later, with their trick in full effect and the five of them peering around the corner of the hall, Tristan’s office door burst open.

“God in Heaven,” Hugo gasped, then gagged, stumbling out.

“I am too hungover this,” Everett groaned, stumbling to the nearby large vase. He sagged over it, his head disappearing into the opening, and the sound of retching echoed through the hall.

Theo’s giggle bubbled in her throat, and she clamped her hand over her mouth to stop it.

Dominic came running out next, his hand over his mouth and nose.

“What in the Devil did you eat, man?” He demanded, then coughed, waving his hand through the air, as if trying to dispel something.

Tristan came running out last, his eyes watering as he tried to breathe through his mouth and gagged.

“I swear it was not me!” Tristan said through heavy breaths. “Nothing that evil has ever left my body. It had to have been one of you!”

“I am a heathen in many ways,” Dominic countered, going to the hall windows and throwing them open, “But not like that!”

No longer able to contain themselves, Theo, Seraphina, Rosamund, Ophelia, and Amelia all burst into laughter. All four men turned toward the raucous sound of their jubilance, and the five women stepped out from their hiding spots.

“What have you done?” Dominic demanded, a look of disgust still on his face. It only served to make them all laugh harder.

“Just a simple trick, really,” Ophelia answered, shrugging her shoulders.

“Evil, evil woman,” Everett groaned, his head still in the vase.

“Some foul odors and proper gust of wind was really all we needed,” Rosamund added.

“Why?” Hugo groaned, looking at Seraphina with a look of such betrayal. “What did I do to deserve such a mean trick?”

Theo and her friends’ laughter grew louder, and they leaned into one another as they four men began stalking toward them, rueful smiles spread across their faces. They all shrieked and began to run away. The men were faster.

“You will pay for that, darling,” Dominic promised, sweeping Amelia into his arms.

“A unified punishment, I believe,” Hugo agreed, whirling Seraphina around.

“Do. Not. Dare.” Rosamund warned Everett, backing up with slow steps as he stalked toward her.

“Oh, but I must have my vengeance,” Everett replied, then pounced. He caged his arms around her, then blew his hot breath into her face. Rosamund gagged as she pushed him away, then burst into laughter as she shouted “Disgusting!”

“Oh, do not think you two are going to get away with it, either,” Tristan said, capturing the waists of both Ophelia and Theo.

“Unhand me, you fiend!” Ophelia shouted, pinching at Tristan’s hand.

“This is your doing,” Theo giggled squirming in her brother’s grip, “You told me to call upon my friends again!”

All the men froze, turning an accusing if not comical gaze toward Tristan.