The new section head, Mr. Elton, was still quite young. He wore a finely striped suit, his expression calm, and he courteously exchanged names with the editors, secretaries, and Mr. Alpha around him. In fact, they had more or less crossed paths at the book fair; it was common for executives from the three major companies to move between firms. Mr. Alpha was very amiable toward his new colleague, making small talk to ease the atmosphere. Mr. Elton had previously been an editor at Murray, and now with his jump and promotion, his prospects were bright. He was determined to put down roots in the new company. He had already inquired about whose side Mr. Alpha was on, and now he chatted with him quite relaxed. Sitting behind, Jenny listened and learned that two weeks ago, Elton and his secretary, Bode, had resigned from their old employer, Murray Publishing. The superiors exchanged only a few pleasantries before footsteps sounded outside. The room fell silent as the boss entered, his tone very calm. "You've all met Elton, so I won't introduce him." He then sat at the front, his gaze sweeping across the two rows of faces. The head secretary handed out a document to Mr. Alpha and Mr. Elton. The secretary explained that these were new rules to be implemented for the weekly, designed to prevent problems like those Sharpe had caused. Mr. Alpha looked embarrassed; the wording left him no room to make excuses. He opened the file and read for a while. The gist was simple: from now on, the authority over advertising decisions and maintaining author relationships would be taken back from section heads and editors, and fully delegated to the editor-in-chief. Under the current circumstances, that meant being delegated to the boss himself. The salary structure for these section heads and editors would also change, from commissions to quarterly bonuses, but the amounts would be no less than before. Behind Eliot, Jenny took the document, made key notes, and began writing the meeting minutes. This change affected the section heads the most, followed by the editors, but Mr. Eliot didn't care at all. He was the most powerful and famous editor in the entire weekly; even if others lost bonuses, his wouldn't be cut. After the meeting, Jenny followed Eliot back to the office to continue work. The weekly was about to print the article written by Sean, and Jenny was ordered to go to the printing department to pick up several proof copies. The weather was already getting hot, and the printing factory was stuffy and humid, with workers bustling about. Jenny took Emme with her; they waited in a clean room next to the composing room and soon received the proofs selected by the foreman. On the way back, Emme learned that Jenny had initially worked in the factory and expressed great admiration. Back at the office, Mr. Alpha and Frank had already worked out the details for implementing the new rules and assigned tasks to two editors. Mr. Eliot came out and explained the new arrangements to Jenny and Clare. "From now on, Clare, you no longer need to handle other miscellaneous tasks. I'm giving you one-third of the space, and another third to Jenny. You each have your own territory; just manage the contents of those two sections." Jenny's share consisted of two short story slots, the same as Clare. Eliot planned to handle the two serialized novels himself, completely dividing the content. Clare frowned, but Jenny was relieved. She was no longer just a gofer doing everything; she now had a fixed space of her own. "From now on, both of you will have a fixed byline in your positions. How about that? It's a fantastic opportunity." In Eliot's view, working in the editorial office, only content creation offered real prospects; no matter how well you did other tasks, they weren't as visible. "Each of you will manage your own team. Set up a direct submission window on the first floor. You two decide how to divide the clerks' duties. Write up a report and submit it to Mr. Alpha for approval." After saying that, Eliot sent them off to work. Jenny and Clare had always had two distinct little groups. Naturally, Jenny chose Cowens as her direct submission collector, with Emme still as her assistant. Clare predictably chose the newcomers Connor and Walter—Connor for submissions, Walter for typing. Eliot would handle the two serial novels and leave everything else alone, but fearing he might be overwhelmed, he requested both William and Polly as typists and planned to hire another clerk. Jenny was full of energy. She helped Cowens secure a fixed position in the first-floor lobby, so he no longer had to take turns with Connor at the window. He collected submissions in the morning, then afternoons, he and Connor each divided a pile of submitted letters. If he liked a piece, he passed it to Jenny for review. If Jenny kept it, Emme made a copy, and then Jenny and Emme together annotated and revised it. After revisions, it went to the composing room for a proof, then directly to print without needing Eliot's review—that was his request. Once a month, Eliot said, he would go over the contents of both groups together. He'd also request market feedback from the sales department, see whose submissions got discussion and reviews. Editors no longer had control over advertising, but they still had the authority to distribute bonuses within their editorial groups. He planned to set a monthly bonus pool of two hundred dollars, which Mr. Alpha had approved. If one group earned more, the other earned less; in short, he wouldn't split it evenly. So even though he no longer reviewed content, they couldn't slack off—or they'd feel the sting on payday. That evening, Jenny deliberately treated Cowens and Emme to a meal, encouraged them both, and explained her arrangements clearly. From now on, the bonuses for her group would be split three ways equally. She already had the benefit of a byline and a slightly higher base salary, so equal division was fair. The bigger the bonus, the more each got. Emme and Cowens both nodded, feeling that Jenny was generous, not the kind of boss who bullies subordinates after a minor promotion. Emme had long disliked Clare's group, and wanting to stir things up, she returned to the dorm and deliberately lingered near the door of Connor's room on the first floor, spreading the word about Jenny's equal bonus split. Connor's expression didn't change, but inwardly he couldn't help but feel that Clare was stingy. Clare's promise was that if they got the larger bonus, she'd give him and Walter an extra fifteen dollars each per month. After showing off, Emme clapped her hands and returned to her room, ready to go shopping with Jenny and the others the next day. She intended to sink roots in this group, feeling that sticking with them had benefits—not just money, but also support in daily life. When she first moved in, Jenny had taught her to give small gifts to her roommates, to be tactful and respectful, and they'd be easy to get along with. Emme followed the advice, and in the dorm, she often got information about other departments from Leni and Denise, as well as their care. The next day, Saturday, Jenny went to the clothing store with Leni, Denise, Emme, and Monique. Jenny was quite comfortable financially. Not only did she buy two or three outfits for her mother, but she also had measurements taken at the store and ordered two summer dresses. The fabric was light gauze and silk, so next year the material could be taken apart and re-embroidered or lined to make other clothes. In those days, a good set of clothes was a fixed asset; even if worn out, it could be pawned for cash, so Jenny didn't hold back on spending. Her mother worked at the mansion, navigating interpersonal relationships. Jenny worried about her there and now understood why her family hadn't wanted her to come to New York. Not necessarily because they didn't think she could make it, but because unpleasant situations were inevitable out there. In the evening, Jenny didn't eat with the others. She took her bags and parcels, hired a cab, and went to the place. Instinctively, she glanced at Frank's window, feeling heavy-hearted, but turned and headed toward the basement of the building next door. She knocked. A young errand boy opened. Jenny stated her name and purpose. He responded, helped carry her things to Mrs. Jones's room. Mrs. Jones had no work at the moment and was sitting in the kitchen chatting with a cook. Seeing Jenny, she eagerly pulled her over and boasted about her daughter being an assistant. The servants obligingly exclaimed that Mrs. Jones should enjoy a life of leisure rather than work. Mrs. Jones said she couldn't sit idle. Back in her room, Jenny also urged her to take it easy, since her weekly salary now exceeded her mother's monthly pay, and she could support her. Mrs. Jones hesitated. She didn't truly enjoy work; she enjoyed the feeling of getting an easy gig, especially taking advantage of her daughter's boss. "Alright, how about this: when you become an editor, I'll quit and dedicate myself to taking care of your every need, what do you say?" Jenny sat beside her, unwrapping clothes for her to try on. "Me, become an editor? That'll be the day." Jenny began explaining Dawling's office traditions. Normally, editors weren't promoted from assistants; they were transferred by higher-ups. For instance, if Mr. Eliot left and the editor-in-chief didn't arrange a replacement, Mr. Alpha would consider promoting Frank or Luther to editorial positions. Those two were his own people, with higher priority than others. If the editor-in-chief made an arrangement, that took precedence. As an editorial assistant hoping to become an editor, she'd have to find a way to get noticed by the section head or editor-in-chief—even as a clerk, typist, or assistant. That usually took three to five years, and she'd have to become a trusted confidant. Thinking of Mr. Alpha's inner circle and the current acting editor-in-chief, Jenny felt she had no hope of becoming their confidant. Besides, no superior would be too close to a female subordinate or show her too much favor, as that would invite gossip. That was another reason advancement was difficult. "An extra few dozen dollars in bonus each month is already impressive." "With more money, I want to move out of the dorm. Then you can live with me, just take care of my eating and drinking." After hearing this, Mrs. Jones gained a deeper understanding of Jenny's job. Sitting beside her, she touched the delicate fabrics of the morning robes and summer dresses, feeling Jenny was very dutiful. She couldn't bring herself to scold Jenny as an ungrateful brat, so she only said tactfully, "Since money is hard to earn and shit is hard to eat, and there's no future, why don't you find me a capable, good son-in-law first?" Jenny covered her ears. It wasn't that she hadn't tried, but the family backgrounds were too different; they weren't a match for marriage. What else could she do?
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