‘Yeah, I just – um – I thought I’d call you to say Happy Birthday, even though I’m a few hours early. I didn’t know where you’d be tomorrow and—’

Why had she called without working out what she was going to say? What did she want to say?

‘I’m so glad you called,’ he said. It sounded as though he’d walked away from the source of the noise.

‘I’ve been thinking about what you said,’ she said.

‘You have?’

‘I don’t know.’ Minnie pressed her eyes closed. ‘I still don’t know. I just – I miss you … ’

‘Minnie, my battery is about to go, it’s bleeping at me. I’m getting on a boat with some friends – a party on the Thames, we leave from Westminster Pier in an hour.’ He paused. ‘Come, jump in a cab and come join me.’

‘I can’t.’

‘I’m not asking for you to decide anything. Let’s just spend New Year with each other, let’s do the countdown together.’

‘Not tonight,’ she said, ‘but maybe we could hang out on the second when all this New Year stuff is over?’

The line went quiet for a moment.

‘The jinx is still keeping you indoors.’ He sounded disappointed.

‘Kind of,’ she winced.

‘You know there have been studies, right? That bad luck happens to those who believe in it. If you still believe, what hope do I have of … ’

Then the line went dead.

‘Hello? Quinn?’

She jumped off the sofa. She tried calling back – it went straight to answerphone. What hope did he have of what? Had he changed his mind? Would he say he couldn’t be with someone who couldn’t leave the house like his mother?

Then Minnie knew what she had to do. She had to take off her owl pyjamas and get herself to Westminster Pier in less than fifty-nine minutes. She had to find Quinn Hamilton and prove that he did have a hope, that she knew the jinx wasn’t real. She had to tell him that she didn’t want to live in a suit of armour any more, whatever the risks might be. She might not say those exact words – they wouldn’t make much sense to anyone, but she could finesse the wording en route.

Minnie buzzed with excitement as she pulled open her wardrobe to find something to wear. Anything, anything, she didn’t have time to plan an outfit, any clothes would do. She picked up some jeans. Not those, they were too baggy for her now – in fact not jeans at all – what if it was a dressy boat party? She’d stick out if she went too casual. She only had a few smart tops and none of them went with the flowing blue trousers she liked that made her bum look good – gah! She did not have time for this. Anything, just put on anything, Minnie.