Pt. 3.
In the 3 months following the news from their parents, Beatrice and Casimir were courting. However, although Casimir learned a lot about Beatrice, she felt as if she learned nothing about Casimir except that he’s withdrawn, at least to her.
Their first meeting was a walk in nature chaperoned by her mother. The weather was beautiful and there was only a short drizzle during it, but they were both prepared for it. They didn’t talk much, only mentioning the rain coming and talking about it and the weather or mentioning how beautiful something they stumbled upon is. She was glad to be in London again so she focused a lot of her time to nostalgia that came with visiting it again and wonder as to how everything changed since she was last there. Only near the end, when they were back on the streets as he was seeing them to their carriage did they talk about something other than nature or weather, but it only laster for a few minutes and it was about other people in London.
During the next few meetings she would be the one to start any conversation and he’d reveal very little about himself. Some of the meetings were also dances and events where people couldn’t talk for long periods of time together.
The only progress she found out about him was that he is aspirational to do something with a plot of land owned by him, and that he is a very good listener. Casimir learned a lot about her, and he realized living with her wouldn’t be hard. He did feel guilt whenever he would look at her because he felt she deserves better. To him she seemed interested in a lot of things, always ready for action, which is quite different for him, and he felt as if being married to him would not only be below her interest but would also keep her grounded where she doesn’t want to be.
Their last meeting during courtship
1768, Beatrice’s bedroom
While a maid is stuffing Beatrice’s long brown curls into a net in preparation for the powdered wig, her mother is nervously fidgeting with her wedding bond.
“Beatrice …” She finally adressed her daughter. “You do understand nobody is forcing you to say yes. Your father might’ve insisted on you courting him, but if you have somebody else on mind, or if you think he is not right for you, you can say no and I will take care of your father.” Beatriced noded to signify no. “No mother. I know that whatever future awaits me with that man has only the danger of being boring, meanwhile refusing such a good proposal would prove more dangerous.” She looked at her mother in the mirror. “I won’t risk that and I can’t ask you to risk so much to protect me when that happens.” Truth be told, she wasn’t as opposed to it as she previously was, remebering that the last time she met him, they had a good conversation where he revealed to her his plans for the future and some of his hobbies, and gifted her a book which she mentioned once. It wasn’t just any book but philosophy, a thing she liked, which she mentioned two or three times to him, and mentioning how as a woman she couldn’t find this book anywere.
With a determined look about her, she put on her baby blue robe a l’Anglaise. Thankfully she didn’t need makeup as she was already as white as a ghost, and she pinched her cheeks to get them to blush. Her mother came to collect her and send her downstairs as soon as the Brantley’s arrived. She greeted them all and invited Casimir to take a turn about the garden with her, while the Brantley’s talked to Mr. Alvarez all the while Mrs. Alvarez was carefully watching the garden through the window.
Looking back at the window, knowing her mother is watching her, Beatrice said. “It’s odd, isn’t it? How we’re doing all of this as a sort of performance for our parents.”
“I’ve been thinking that since our first meeting.” Casimir softly said.
“This does remind me of it, it is simmilar enough to a walk in the nature is it not?” She tried starting a conversation again.
“I don’t thinks so.” He said back.
Beatrice was fully ready to be silent for a while, but instead Casimir asked her. “Your birthday is in june?” She nodded, agreeing with him, but also saying “Yes, why do you ask?”
“In that case I have a present for you.” Which made her laugh a bit.
“In that case? What if you were mistaken about my birthday, would you have not told me you had a present?”
“Yes, I wouldn’t want to give you a bad gift.”
“That’s very kind of you, but if you’ve already gone to the trouble, I wouldn’t object to it. The fact you thought of me and bought something is a great gesture.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Of course. Are you keeping me in suspence purposefully?” She asked, waiting to see his present becuase the last one was a great one.
“Oh of course” he said as he revealed a necklace box in his coat pocket. He opened it to reveal a double pearl necklace chocker. “It’s pearls. Your birthstone.”
She smiled at it. “How did you know? It completes my outfit perfectly! In fact it would complete my entire wardrobe.” He smiled. “Maybe I should buy a new wardrobe entirely, just to suit my new necklace.” He chuckled to himself, thinking how she would react once she sees the ring he got her.
“I’m sorry, did I hear a laugh?”
“You haven’t hear me laugh until now?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“I must’ve been the pressure of entertaining.” He joked and she chuckled.
“Oh I understand what you mean.” After joking they again realized they were constantly observed and their mood for laughter suddenly wasn’t there anymore. He helped her put the necklace around her neck and afterwards they continued walking.
They sat down on a bench overlooking a woodland area and Casimir put his hand in his other coat pocket and fiddled with the ringbox for a few seconds. Beatrice took of her gloves and put them on the handrail of the bench expecting for her ungloved hand to have a ring on it by the time they get up.
Casimir collected himself and turned to her. "Miss Alvarez … " The words were coming out slowly. “These past few … months have been a delight.” He took a pause as he allowed himself to pull out the box, but before to managed to do so, she stopped him. “Casimir, you don’t need to make speeches for me.” She said with a smile. Casimir was shocked to hear his first name spoken by her. “You … just adressed me by my first name.” He said in confusion. He knew that people who reffer to each others by their first names are either married or engaged. “Exactly.” She responded with a sly smile. “I knew what you would ask me, therefore now, you know my answer.” She turned her body towards him on the bench and said. “It’s much easier to pose a question to somebody if you already know the answer.” And only then he realized that she wanted to help him by suggesting her answer would be yes. It was the best way she could’ve possibly helped him. Swept in the gesture she just did for him, he got down on one knee and confidentally pulled out the ring box. “Miss Beatrice Melanie Alvarez … Will you do me the honor of being my wife?” She felt a great relief as she said “Yes.” They both did as this was the moment their parents were pushing and slowly kicking them towards, and now it’s finally over. However, they have another anxious topic of leading a life together. That night at the ball, as a way of announcing her engagement to him, Beatrice refused any dance offers, and only dances one with Casimir.