But Sadie just shakes off Anna’s hand. When she speaks, her voice comes up loud enough for the whole table to hear. “It’s Karo’s errand,” she says. But she looks to Sim for approval, and this time Maeve finds it gets her back up, just a little. Is there something here she doesn’t know?

She can’t figure Sadie out. First effusive, then cold; confessional on the trail, raucous and racy down in the spa. Dutiful with Karo, resentful with Dan. Compliant—

Is that the right word?

No. Eager with Sim.

For his part, Sim gives only the same little shrug, removing himself from the conflict altogether.

Justin picks up his camera to catch the dishwashing brigade. Karo heads back to her office. Everyone else is done and Maeve, latecomer Maeve, finds she’s lost her appetite. Exhausted, she wraps a roll into a napkin and tucks it away in case she needs the food later on. She’s alone now at the table with Sim, fidgeting in her seat, although she can’t put her finger on exactly why. It was a good one-nighter, followed by an excellent day in the studio. Maybe she doesn’t want anything to ruin it.

There’s a little silence. When she looks up, he’s offering her something. His own roll, also wrapped in a napkin. Maeve can’t help but laugh.

“Well,” she says, “at least it’s not us running errands. That’s one good thing.”

He shakes his head. “It was never going to be you or me.”

“It was almost me. You could see Karo expected me to volunteer. I can be pathologically accommodating. I was trained into it, in the ballet.”

“You’re a pleaser,” he says. He leans across the table, his voice a little more conspiratorial. “You have to stop that right now or they’ll all take advantage of you.”

Maeve starts to laugh again. “You seem to hold them off.” She glances into the kitchen: Sadie with a dish towel drying and stacking plates. “But poor Sadie—”

He gets up and slides into the seat next to her.

“It’s never going to be Sadie alone either. Dan loves being in charge.” He follows Maeve’s gaze, watching Sadie now himself. “Gotta be top gun.”

It’s Sadie’s nickname for Dan he’s using—the way she described Dan out on the trail. So this must be something they’ve talked about.

But Sim turns back to Maeve, cheerful.

“Sadie just thinks she’s getting in my good graces by stepping up. Dan’s the one who’ll actually do the job. Mark my words. And you and me? Ten bucks says we get another bottle of Brut out of this.”

He picks up a water glass and makes a little cheers motion.

Maeve hesitates, her hand on her own glass. Why would Sadie want to get in his good graces?