The Prince stopped in mid-sentence, and Jane realized that she had again lost track of his conversation. ‘Are you unwell, Mrs. Vincent?’

‘I am quite well, thank you.’ She could not bring herself to call him Prinny. ‘Only I have noticed a spot in the glamour to which I must attend.’

‘Now? During dinner? Surely you have worked hard enough to have some rest.’ The Prince shook his head in wonder. ‘I see why Mr. Vincent finds you so appealing. You have the same focus on work that he does.’

‘And yet, not his skills. I am afraid that if the knot I have noticed comes undone it will require more effort to fix later. It will be but a moment, and then I shall be better able to focus on enjoying the evening.’

Pushing his chair back, the Prince Regent said, ‘I know the artist’s temperament too well to attempt to dissuade you again.’

For that, at least, Jane was grateful. But when he arose to pull out her chair, conversation in the room stopped and all the guests attempted to rise themselves, unable to remain seated while their prince stood. Vincent rose as well, his face filled with alarm. The Prince Regent waved them back to their seats before resuming his own seat.

Jane smiled with as little concern as she could muster, though her heart raced as if she had already begun to work the glamour. ‘Please ignore me. I do not wish to disturb.’

Keeping her head down, Jane walked across the ballroom floor as quickly as she could.

In moments, Vincent was by her side. ‘Jane, are you well?’ His low voice grumbled in his chest, but the hand he pressed against her elbow spoke of deep concern.

‘Embarrassed, rather. This school of fish is coming untied.’ She stopped in front of the window in the coral and reached out to grasp the line of glamour that the fish twined around. ‘Please sit down. There is no sense in both of us standing here. It will be some moments before it comes round again, and as this is one of my illusions, the error is entirely my fault.’ Letting the thread trail loosely in her fingers, she waited for the knot to reappear.

Vincent did not move from her side, and she could feel the warmth of him even through the heavy material of his coat. It was Bath coating, not the superfine which ‘Skiffy’ so abhorred. Jane took a strange and momentary pleasure in that before she chided herself. They were not fashionable members of society who had to worry about these things, and being in such people’s company would seduce her into wanting pretty clothes which she did not need. Still, she thought that her husband cut a fine picture, and that there was no harm in thinking so.

‘Will you not sit?’ She turned to find him staring at her with an endearing smile.