Beth said some words in response, but her agony was so great that they were unintelligible.

“Beth, you must gather your senses. Were your brother to see you in this state, he would surely guess the cause of your upset. Already he suspects that your affections are aligned with someone. I beg you to restrain your emotion.”

Even as the words left her mouth, she could feel Mr. Vincent standing behind her so strongly that she turned to look. He was not there, of course, but his idea was. What need was there to restrain emotion when they might channel it?

As Beth’s sobs began to ease, from exhaustion more than control, Jane turned her attention to the heavy folds of glamour that shrouded the room. “You must help me set the room to rights, so that your brother will not see your torment.”

Beth rolled over; her face was blotched red and swollen from tears. “I can think of nothing but him.” It was all too clear that she meant Captain Livingston.

“Nonsense. You were able to think and control yourself well enough to create this glamour.” She gestured at the unnatural shadows that hid the corners from view. “Only think, Beth, you must turn those same skills to creating the illusion of a light and carefree mind.”

“I tell you, I cannot. All my mind is overrun with darkness, and that is all the glamour I can create.”

“Mr. Vincent speaks of channeling anguish into the details of bark or putting it into the bright pain of a spring sunrise. Captain Livingston’s departure would not cause you such grief if it were not founded on pleasure, so we may focus on that more pleasant memory to aid as a mask for the current pain.”

Beth groaned and hid her eyes with her arm. “You make it sound so easy that I am certain you know nothing of lost love.”

“Do I not? Look at my face, Beth, and imagine that I could ever have enjoyed love which was not unrequited. Do not tell me that it is impossible to pretend to be content when one is far from it.”

Slowly the arm lowered, shewing Beth’s eyes, wide and horror-stricken. “Oh, Jane. Forgive me. I did not mean to imply that you were so insensitive as to—”

Jane shook her head, unwilling to continue a conversation which would lead to Beth asking Jane for whom she had unrequited love, which would force Jane to talk of Beth’s own brother. That would be an untenable conversation under any circumstances. “Rather, I am flattered that you think I am so easy to love as yourself.” To break the spell, Jane cast about until she found a brush on the dressing stand table. Picking up the heavy silver brush, she began to brush Beth’s hair out. Starting at the ends, she worked the tangles free. Beth slowly relaxed under her care. “Now, dear, will you undo the glamour you placed?”

Beth sat. Her movements were stiff like an old woman’s, and she held her head in her hands before reaching for the nearest fold of glamour. She tugged the knot loose; as it came undone, the folds of glamour reeled back into the ether, pulling the heavy darkness from the corner. With each fold Beth undid, the room brightened, and if Jane were not mistaken, the activity also brought some of the languor out of Beth’s limbs.