Then had come the arm wrestling. After he’d been beaten by Marcel several times, Jupiter Peacock had challenged Lexy. Marcel had smiled gratefully when Jupiter Peacock had used his left hand and let Lexy win. What a good sport he was, as well as everything else!

Lexy hadn’t enjoyed it that much, though. Jupiter Peacock’s breath had smelled strongly of all the wine he had drunk, and his hand had been hot and sweaty. And he’d gripped Lexy’s fingers far too hard again, almost as if he wanted to hurt her. Surely he couldn’t be that unaware of his own strength? When she’d exclaimed and said Ow! he’d just ignored her. And now he was asking her for a rematch?

“No,” said Lexy. “Sorry, I really must—”

“Just one more time?” said Jupiter. “Be a good hostess. Your mother would want you to.”

This was true. Hazel would want Lexy to do whatever it took to make Jupiter Peacock happy.

“Okay,” she said. “But really just one more time. I have to get into the garden. It’s important.”

“We’ll keep going until you win. Ready? We’ll use our right hands this time.”

“But I’m left-handed,” said Lexy. “You’ll win easily!”

And so he did. When he finally decided to give up, after about ten goes, and once the moon had fallen so low in the sky as to be of no use, Lexy’s hand was pink and blotchy. Jupiter Peacock had gripped it so hard that Lexy had almost started crying. But she had to do what he wanted. There was no way Lexy was going to be the one to jeopardize her mother’s chance of having her name engraved on the plaque in the Town Hall. After this, Lexy would just have to make sure she was never alone with him again. It would be fine. She simply had to be a lot more careful in future. No more coming downstairs at night while he was staying.

“Oh dear,” said Jupiter Peacock, seeing Lexy’s hand. “I forget my own strength. Here.” He held out his own large hand to take hold of Lexy’s again. “Let me kiss it better.”

“No, it’s all right, said Lexy, moving her hand out of reach and getting up. “I must get back to bed.”

“LET ME KISS IT BETTER.”

“I don’t want you to,” said Lexy.

“Why ever not?”

“I just don’t.”

“You’ll feel better afterward, I promise.”

“I just want to go to bed.”