Page 41 of The Duchess Games

“Yes,” Cat sighed, dropping into a chair and reaching for tea from the tray. Thankfully, it was still hot. A large pot of honey sat next to it.

“The honey is for Miss Viola,” Lady Ruby explained. She looked faintly shy for the first time. Almost as though she was trying not to blush. “It’s mixed with horehound and licorice root.”

“It tastes awful,” Viola says cheerfully. “But it works.”

“I’m glad,” Cat said, adding lemon to her cup instead. She had the notion that Lady Ruby might actually slap her hand away if she dared try the honey. “You do look better.”

“I haven’t sneezed in nearly eighteen minutes.”

Cat grinned. “Good, you were starting to sound like an angry donkey.”

Viola stuck out her tongue. “You still haven’t explained how you’ve lost your dress.” She paused. Lady Ruby paused. They looked at each other, then at Cat. “Is it very salacious?”

Salacious didn’t begin to cover it.

“Someone stole my dress,” Cat explained flatly.

Viola scowled, the pretty sunshine of her face instantly turning to the kind of thundercloud that sank ships. “What?”

“Just a prank.”

“A prank if you were still twelve years old.”

“She’s right,” Lady Ruby said. “You could have been ruined.”

Cat wrinkled her nose. “I might still be. Lady Siddal kicked Sir Bartholomew. Twice.”

“Who?” Lady Ruby asked, perplexed. “I have not met a Bartholomew. Has he just arrived?”

“He’s a turtle.”

“Oh no,” Viola groaned. “What did you do, Cat?”

Cat sipped her tea primly. “I may have launched myself at her, using Mother’s patented banshee attack.”

Viola groaned again. “Bollocks.” Their mother had once broken a magistrate’s nose when he whipped his horse. Cat was still not sure how she had avoided being tossed into a jail cell. Her beauty no doubt softened the blow, as it often did. Viola had the same privilege, even pulling a face as she was now. “Still, Lady Siddal deserved it.”

“She does have a beastly temper, “Lady Ruby murmured, watching them as if they were the most fascinating thing she had ever seen. She clearly had no sisters of her own.

And Lady Siddal absolutely did deserve it. But it was more than enough to get Cat kicked out of the house. But after Callum’s voice in her ear and his fingers playing her like a lute, part of her hoped she’d be marched off the premises by several burly footmen. She couldn’t betray him then.

She couldn’t save her family either.

“And Lady Siddal doesn’t like that you’re winning,” Lady Ruby added.

Cat’s laugh was more of a startled bark. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Viola, one point. Watercolors, point to me. Singing, Swimming, two points to Cat.”

“My sea shanty did not win the challenge,” Cat scoffed. “I played the spoons.”

“And the duke rose from his chair to sing with you.”

“Did he?” Viola turned towards her slowly. “You never said.”

“It was nothing.”

“And now you wear his coat.” Lady Ruby really was relentless.