Just like before, she recognized him long before her brain registered a name. She knew the size and shape of him and recoiled on instinct. Though that might be because of the large bird that fluttered to the ground in his wake.
It was Ronnie, rushing forward, his fists raised and…
Bloody hell. He punched Mr. Rausch on the chin, knocking the man flat again.
“I accept!” Ronnie cried. “A duel for Mellie’s hand!”
“Are you insane?” bellowed Trevor. Mellie wasn’t even sure if the words were aimed at her or at her cousin, but it didn’t matter. Ronnie didn’t matter in the least, except that she felt bad for poor Mr. Rausch who had been decked now twice. Meanwhile, she was staring at the strange bird fluffing its feathers in irritation and emitting a strange “gobble” sound.
“Ronnie, what is this bird?” And why had he brought it to a garden party? But the minute she thought the question, she already knew the answer: his quest.
“I found it!” he cried dramatically, puffing out his chest as he turned to face her. “I have fulfilled my quest and brought you a rare and hitherto extinct dodo bird.”
She stared at the bird as it stretched out its neck, shook a bright red comb that waggled under its chin, and trilled an annoyed, “gobble, gobble.”
“That’s not a dodo bird!” snapped Trevor.
To which Ronnie responded by decking him. Her cousin was fast, and Trevor had been glaring at the bird, so her former fiancé was soon sprawled in the dirt.
“You two do realize that dueling is illegal, don’t you?” Mr. Rausch said from his place seated in the dirt. Apparently, the man had chosen to stay down this time as he fingered his jaw.
“And I’m already dueling him,” added Trevor as he glared at Ronnie.
Mellie gaped at the men, wondering how seemingly rational gentleman could descend to such depths of idiocy so quickly. “Why not all three of you scramble together? Whomever comes out on top of the pile can have me.”
She meant it as a joke. Her tone was laced with sarcasm as a way to point out how silly this whole affair had become. And yet, Ronnie took her words for complete truth.
“Exactly!” he cried. “A three-way duel!”
“Is still illegal,” said Mr. Rausch. “Is it not,BarristerCreshe?” he said.
Mellie looked to where he gestured, and sure enough the barrister stood watching, his ponderous chins nodding their agreement. A half dozen others stood staring as well, and each one nodded. Yes, dueling was illegal. Sadly, Ronnie was a romantic, not an idiot.
“Which is why we shall do this duel the correct way.”
“Ronnie, stop this now,” she said, momentarily distracted as the possible dodo bird strutted toward Mr. Rausch. Good Lord, she hoped it wasn’t dangerous.
“To the death is traditional,” Trevor said as he pushed to his feet.
“And—” began Mr. Rausch, but he needn’t have bothered. Trevor finished it for him.
“And illegal.”
“Not if it’s a fight of yore. A fight of superiority not murder. A fight—”
“That’s a fistfight, Ronnie—” Mellie said.
“With quarterstaves.”
“And that’s an American turkey,” Mr. Rausch added.
“Lies!” Ronnie said as he prepared to punch the man again. But Mr. Rausch wasn’t a fool. With a sudden kick, he knocked Ronnie’s legs out from under him. Her cousin was now the third man to be sprawled in the dirt.
“Gobble, gobble,” exclaimed the turkey.
“Unfair,” moaned Ronnie as he clutched his ankle.
“You’re an idiot,” groused Trevor. “That’s a turkey.”