But Jane hadn’t broken her promise. She’d kept it. Naturally, she had said nothing at all to anyone in the Troupe about her promise to Jerry. She’d simply walked out of the tent with her mouth shut. In the too close atmosphere of Troupe life, though, they had all very quickly caught on. Her vow had been a painful burden to her, but its effect on the other Troupers was profound and startling. She’d had their grudging respect before, but she’d never had their open sympathy. They knew she was going through hell, and they were pulling for her. By the end of her week of silence, all the Troupers were treating her, for the first time, as if she really belonged.