Luna steadied her voice as best she could. ‘I will go to Papa and apologise.’

Mamma Lucrezia shook her head vigorously. ‘Do you not see that it is your independent spirit that causes us such shame?’

Luna breathed heavily and repeated herself more firmly. ‘I will go to Papa and make amends.’

‘He will have words to say when we sup together. You can wait until then to learn of your punishment.’

*

Luna was tired when she sat beside Maria at the table, but anticipating her father’s anger made her pulse quicken. She reached for her cup and drank, hoping the wine would settle her belly. The girls waited in silence for the rest of the family to join them. Luna’s innards had not stopped their horrible churning since Mamma Lucrezia had warned her of her father’s ire. She put down her cup and rubbed her hands, wondering what was keeping the others.

Pippo appeared and ran towards them, and Luna saw Livia disappear before anyone else had seen. He was not at all disarmed by the morning’s events and Luna was so pleased to see him unscathed that for a brief moment she forgot about her own travails and watched him swinging his little legs back and forth on the chair. Papa followed, and he was watching Filippo so intently it made Luna hopeful that his mood had shifted. Mamma Lucrezia walked behind them both.

Papa drank deeply from his cup of wine, leaving a thin trail of moisture on his upper lip. He sat back abruptly and wiped it clean. Luna noticed the way his hand dragged; he was weary, and that meant short patience for any of them. The thudding in her chest picked up again and she took another mouthful of her wine.

‘Come, come, settle yourself.’ Mamma Lucrezia fussed about Pippo, at the same time cautiously watching her husband. ‘Eat, master; you deserve a good meal after such a day.’ She piled her husband’s plate with a large portion of chicken pie then refilled his glass.

Papa nodded. He ate quickly and with little care. Luna imagined he’d barely be able to taste the flavours, yet she supposed he’d had a long day and was hungry. Mamma Lucrezia was fastidious with her ingredients and Papa’s disregard for the food would disappoint her.

‘Give Filippo some food. He’s been through enough already this day.’ Papa waved his hand towards his son and Luna watched as her step-mamma took some meat for Pippo.

Her own plate and Maria’s remained empty, and it felt like Papa was making them wait as a punishment. Luna saw her step-mamma fiddle with the citron sweets before moving the plate to within Papa’s reach. She made soft tutting sounds as he ate.

‘You will feel much restored soon enough,’ she said.