Feeling oddly dejected, Jules spent the next ten minutes poking at her food. She should just stay quiet and pray she wasn’t noticed for the rest of the meal. That’d be a dumb move, though. She was wasting an opportunity to meet important people. How many assistants got a chance like this?

So she made a deliberate effort to make eye contact with and smile at those important people over the roast fillet of halibut. By the time dessert was served, she was chatting shyly with none other than Vincent Wright: the CEO of Delton Wright, the host of the luncheon and clearly the most important person in the room.

Vivian appeared pleased that Jules was managing to fumble her way through a conversation about Broadway musicals, which was something, anyway. She also looked relieved not to be speaking. Was that why she’d wanted Jules at the luncheon, to take up some of the slack?

If so, that was pretty easy. Once Jules had engaged the CEO’s attention, naturally everybody else wanted to get in on the conversation, and she didn’t have to say much after the initial observation on how much she’d liked Hadestown. The conversation ran from there. It turned out some of the most important people in publishing were dying to talk about show tunes, so long as Mr. Wright was too.

Vivian said little but sipped from her water glass and looked idly around the table, moving her gaze from face to face. Even the quickest of glances told Jules that she was tired.

Well, that makes two of us. Her former irritation returned just the tiniest bit. This might be a great opportunity, but she was starting to fade again, now that the initial rush of adrenaline was wearing off.

Then she was saved yet again. Jules hadn’t even taken one bite of her cardamom cream with basil jelly when Vivian announced, “This has been wonderful, Vincent, but I’ve got to run.”

Mr. Wright didn’t look surprised, but he put up a token protest anyway, along with the other people at the table. “So soon, Vivian? Surely you can have dessert.”

Vivian shook her head, wearing a fake gracious smile. “Thank you, but jet lag strikes again. Let’s go, Julia.”

Jules quickly put her spoon down, dabbed at her mouth with her napkin, and rose to her feet while a nearby waiter pulled out Vivian’s chair for her. All the men at the table stood.

Jules smiled at everyone and said, “It was so nice to meet all of you. Thank you very much,” she added to Mr. Wright. “I had a lovely time.”

He shook her hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Julia. Happy Christmas. Enjoy London.”