“It’s a much smaller gathering, and you won’t be seated next to me. Try not to disgrace either of us. Or Du Jour.”

Jules nodded, still biting her lip to keep from grinning. Vivian seemed to have regained her spunk in the last hour. She had more color in her cheeks, though Jules couldn’t be sure how much of that was credited to the best makeup in the world.

“What?” Vivian asked, not looking at Jules.

Jules twitched. “Nothing,” she said quickly. “You look nice.”

“As opposed to death warmed over. Yes, I do.”

Jules smiled again and bit her lip again. She did more lip biting around Vivian than she’d done in her whole life before Du Jour, she was pretty sure.

“Is something wrong?” Vivian asked.

“No,” Jules said, but a giggle escaped her.

“I never noticed before that you snickered this much.” Vivian did not sound pleased about it.

“Sorry,” Jules said, giggled again, and swallowed to get herself under control. “You know, you said funny things, so I laughed.” She shrugged helplessly.

“I’m well-known for my sense of humor.” Vivian rolled her eyes.

“Well, no,” Jules admitted, “but—”

“Why don’t you save your voice for the party?” Vivian suggested.

Jules took the not-so-subtle hint and sulked until Jimmy pulled up in front of a fancy London house that was bigger than Vivian’s.

She’d never understand why Vivian had to be unpleasant even when there was no need for it. She’d deliberately said something funny; Jules had laughed; Vivian had made Jules feel stupid for laughing at something funny she’d deliberately said. And she’d flown Jules all the way over here on Christmas with no explanation, talked to her like she was an idiot, and hadn’t even eaten more than a few bites of the melon Jules had meticulously sliced for her this afternoon, even though she needed the calories.

By the time a real live honest-to-God butler held the door open for them both, Jules had worked herself into an impressive snit and was very glad she wasn’t sitting next to Vivian at dinner. But she still had to stand by Vivian’s side during the premeal mingling. Lady Chislehurst had kissed Vivian’s cheeks, thanked her effusively for coming, then turned the two of them loose on the ten other people hanging around in the parlor.

Vivian did most of the introductions. At least these people seemed a little friendlier and more laid-back. They weren’t all out to cut each other’s throats, for one thing.

Jules got her fair share of strange looks, though. This wasn’t a meeting of publishing heavies after all. It was a purely social gathering, and there was no excuse for Vivian to have an assistant at her side.

Vivian made no effort to explain, saying simply, “This is my assistant, Julia,” leaving it at that while she went on to further pleasantries.