So Patsy couldn’t believe her luck when, out of the blue, Juliet had sought her out and invited her to her mother’s swanky party this evening. Everyone knew that Mrs Vander threw the best parties in north Oxford, Patsy mused now, almost swelling with pride at being here, in the Vanders’ mansion. Her own mother did her best to keep up appearances, but she simply didn’t have Mrs Vander’s elan. Or social contacts. In fact, she had only managed to get Patsy into the same prestigious school as Juliet by the skin of her teeth – and a lucky win on the Premium Bonds!

Not that Patsy had been able to take advantage of that piece of good luck and do well at the school – unlike Juliet, who passed all her exams with a sneer and no revision at all. Patsy knew she wasn’t the brightest button in the box. Still, Patsy thought happily, hugging her secret joy to herself like a precious diamond, none of that mattered now. She was here, at this fabulous party, and Juliet Vander, Juliet Vander of all people, had confided in her and drawn her into a real adventure. Just like her heroines on the silver screen, here was danger, excitement, romance, and thrills. At last, she could say goodbye to her boring, mundane life. Because, once she’d done the favour asked of her, and become Juliet’s best friend, who knew what the future could hold?

She only hoped she didn’t fluff it! It sounded simple enough. A bit … well, risqué as their French teacher would have said, but not really difficult. Just as long as she held her nerve …

She watched Terry Parker nervously but avidly. She knew how much Juliet despised him, of course – she and Jasper had made it clear just what the jumped-up little Lothario (Jasper’s description) was up to, and she had to agree it was a bit thick! Cosying up to Mrs Vander like that, who was heaps older than him, just to worm his way into her life so that he could marry her for her fortune!

Well, not if they could help it! Patsy was determined not to let Juliet down. They would beat him at his own game! She felt almost like Grace Kelly in a Hitchcock film.

Patsy saw her quarry smile at Mrs Vander, and almost squirmed in embarrassment for Juliet as Juliet’s mother smiled back. Mind you, she thought wistfully, she couldn’t really blame Mrs Vander. He was very good-looking, not that she’d ever dare say so to Juliet or Jasper! Over six feet, she thought, if only by an inch or so. (She did so like tall men, perhaps because she was five-feet-ten herself. It was so embarrassing having to look down to meet a boy’s eyes …) And with all that lush dark hair and melting dark-brown eyes … Oh my!