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Chapter 1

While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough

In England—now!

Robert Browning, “Hohts, from Abroad,” 1845

Next!”

The custoent beckons the person in front ofthe curling tape, restingNo adjustable ropes at Heathrow, apparently; these linesif they require permanent demarcation

My phone, which I’ve been tapping against lance at the screen I don’t know the number

“Hello?” I answer

“Is this Eleanor Durran?”

“Yes?”

“This is Gavin Brookdale”

My first thought is that this is a prank call Gavin Brookdale just stepped down as White House chief of staff He’s run every end He’sme?

“Hello?”

“Sorry, I—I’m here,” I stammer “I’m just—”

“Have you heard of Janet Wilkes?”

Have I heard of—Janet Wilkes is the junior senator from Florida and a dark-horse candidate for president She’s forty-five, lost her husband twelve years ago in Afghanistan, raised three kids on a teacher’s salary while soh law school, and then ran the n I’ve ever seen She also has the hottest huhts-attorney boyfriend I’ve ever seen, but that’s beside the point She’s a Gold Star Wife who’s a progressive firebrand on social issues We’ve never seen anyone like her on the national stage before The first debate isn’t for another teeks, on October 13, but voters see third in a field of twelve Candidate Nu for the race; a Case of the Jilted Mistress(es) Number One, however, happens to be the current vice president, George Hillerson, whoossip mill is accurate) loathes Still, even the notoriouslyhorse like Wilkes just to spite the presu else, Gavin Brookdale likes to win “Of course I’ve heard of her”

“She read your piece in The Atlantic We both did ‘The Art of Education and the Death of the Thinking American Electorate’ We were impressed”

“Thank you,” I say, gushing “It was so from the discourse—”

“What you wrote was philosophy It wasn’t policy”

This brings me up short “I understand why you’d think that, but I—”

“Don’t worry, I know you have the policy chops I know you won Ohio for Janey Bennett The 138th for Carl Moseley You’re a talented young lady, Eleanor”

“Mr Brookdale—”

“Call me Gavin”

“Then call me Ella No one calls me Eleanor”

“All right, Ella, would you like to be the education consultant for Wilkes’s can?”

Silence

“Hello?”

“Yes!” I bleat “Yes, of course! She’s incredible—”

“Great Come down to my office today and we’ll read you in”

All the breath leaves et it back “Sohere’s the thing I—I’land”

“Fine, when you get back”

“I get back in June”

Silence

“Are you consulting over there?”

“No, I have aI got a Rhodes and I’ a—”