Eleanor offered a gracious nod, her earlier calmness undisturbed. “Thank you, Captain. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.”

The captain turned to Victoria, his voice firm. “I’ll expect a full report on this incident, and we’ll be discussing this further once we land.”

Victoria nodded, chastened and subdued, her earlier arrogance nowhere to be found.As the flight continued, the mood in the first-class cabin shifted again, settling into a respectful silence. Eleanor returned to her documents, her focus unbroken, as the plane ascended smoothly into the skies, the earlier turbulence now a mere memory.