Curse of Rose de Winter

Chapter 33

I still couldn't help but smile when I passed by Dylan in the hallways, but once I saw Vaughn my face turned into a scowl. Now they also had Hughes enter occasionally in the office, but the worst was that they wanted be to pretend to be the real Blanche, so Hughes treated me with respect, bowing and always calling me "Miss Blanche".

One night after dinner I decided to take my plan into action. I asked for wine with my food, then without cease I drank three cups until I stood up clumsily when dinner ended.

"Let's play a game tonight!" I said, words only slightly slurred.

"A game?" Calvin was frowning in worry, and Dylan just sent me a glare.

"Let's play in the parlor, you'll play with me, right, Ruby?"

Ruby hid a smile then nodded. "Sure."

"Then I'll play too," Calvin said quickly. "Should I get cards or chess?"

"Nooo," I groaned. "We're playing my game. Irene, Gwendoline, and Julie are joining, right? Dylan, you too! Of course, Vaughn, Scarlett, Claribel, and Hughes should join."

"Me?" Scarlett said with a face that showed disgust until Hughes smiled and nodded politely. Vaughn and Dylan whispered until they nodded.

"Let's play," Vaughn agreed after a soft roll of eyes.

"I'll sit this one out," Claribel said softly, standing up. "I'll be heading to bed."

"We need paper and pen!" I turned wobbly, then Irene ran and caught me.

"Julie, get enough paper for everyone, and pen," she ordered. "Let me escort you downstairs, and please watch your step, Miss Blanche."

As we headed towards the stairs I felt her heavy and tight grip, practically carrying me down the stairs.

Truth was I didn't get drunk at all, or even tipsy. It was an act I used to get away from unwanted customers, often pretending to hurry to the bathroom to vomit.

As I stepped down the stairs I thought of how I'd organize it. After all, Scarlett was joining, I didn't need her but what did I expect? Hughes was joining, and any female would join because he was a honeytrap. Calvin would follow Ruby, and I did ask her last night to play with me tomorrow so she agreed. But my plan was still usable with her.

We sat on the couches, next to me Dylan on one side and Ruby on the other.

"Pray tell, what's the game?" Vaughn asked. The parlor room was really big but the couches and chairs were thankfully enough, the maids sitting on the chairs as Calvin sat with Vaughn, a strange combination as Calvin turned physically away to not face him. Scarlett sat with Hughes and couldn't stop flirting.

"The game," I chirped as though I were excited, "is to write the name of a famous person, a place as in a country or state, and lastly an item in this room. Once you finish please pass it to the person on your right without letting them see it. The goal is for someone to guess all three right first!"

"So the item—" Vaughn tried to cut in to no avail.

"Anyways, write a description of the person so we can answer questions. Everyone gets one question and we have to be fast, no more than thirty seconds per person."

"What?" Calvin said, obviously not a competitive one as everyone had gotten to write.

Dylan's paper would go to me, Ruby's would go to Calvin, Calvin to Vaughn, Vaughn to Hughes, Hughes to Scarlett, the three maids, then Dylan. I wasn't going to let anyone win have time to feign their handwriting either.