One by one, the first of the designated dance partners for the eighteen roses took Beatrice to the dance floor. Papa, Victor, cousins, close friends. One by one, they each presented her with a rose until they formed a bouquet.
Mr. Stanton was lined up at the very back of the queue of her dance partners, holding a similar rose. When it was finally his turn, Beatrice managed a polite smile as she took the rose from him and they began to glide with the music. She realized that Mr. Stanton had been listed down as her second to the last dance partner.
"Thank you for filling in for Mr. Newton," Beatrice began. "You weren't obligated to."
"It's my pleasure, Miss Alvarez," Mr. Stanton responded.
"And as you can see, I have not tripped throughout the dances."
"Ah, yes. I know you wouldn't. It was a terrible joke on my part. Please forgive me."
"All is forgiven then."
The music continued to swell and the bouquet began to feel heavy.
"How do you know my brother, Mr. Stanton? Where did you meet?" Beatrice asked, hoping for some conversation to avoid an awkward silence. With each spin and each step, Beatrice could feel her heart pound. He was so close to her.
"Don't you remember?" he replied, almost laughing at the question. "Well, you were much younger then. We met as children when our families diner together in my family's estate."
"I do remember that. But I meant much later. How did you and my brother meet again and become more acquainted with each other."
"We met in the club," Mr. Stanton answered promptly. "We go to the same one and some common friends introduced us."
"Oh that's wonderful..."
Beatrice's voice trailed off when she saw that her ring was flashing red. She was only grateful that the back of her hand was turned so that Mr. Stanton could not see it.
"Wh-what club is this?" she tried to continue.
Mr. Stanton stifled a laugh. "My, you ask so many questions."
"I suppose so. What club did you meet my brother in?"
"I- I really cannot say-"
Suddenly, the next partner in line, cousin David, tapped Mr. Stanton on the shoulder, the rose in his hand bent. "Pardon me," he muttered. "But I believe that it is my turn for the dance?"
"Yes, of course, cousin David," Beatrice acknowledged, curtsying to him. "May I just have a moment before we begin?" She turned to Mr. Stanton. "Are you sure you met my brother in a club?"
Mr. Stanton looked at her, stunned. "Y-yes. Yes, of course. Excuse me." He bowed and quickly walked away.
Cousin David now led Beatrice in the dance, and while she smiled and talked to her cousin for all the other guests to see, she also felt so unsettled. She knew that Victor and Mr. Stanton were close, so it was strange to her that he couldn't even tell her properly how or where they met. The ring already told her: they certainly did not meet in a club. When the dance ended and all the guests applauded, Beatrice gave her bouquet to one of the maids and started searching everywhere for Mr. Stanton while everyone else began to mingle. But he was nowhere to be found. She wandered through the halls and ran into her best friend Hannah Dubois.
"Bea!" Hannah exclaimed as she saw her. "What are you doing here? I know the dance of eighteen roses just finished, but shouldn't you be in the middle of the dance floor and not away from it?"
"I was just looking for someone," Beatrice explained. "But I think he may have already left."
"I do hope you find him later," said Hannah. "But Bea, while you're here, may I introduce you to someone?"
"Of course!"
Hannah took Beatrice's hand and the two made their way across the hall and the ballroom until they ran into a tall, blond man dressed in a sharp naval uniform. From his attire alone, Beatrice deduced that he must be a naval officers. Such officers were growing in number these days. The gentleman smiled when he saw the two friends and bowed as they curtsied in return.
"Miss Dubois, it is good to see you again," he greeted warmly. "And Miss Alvarez, I wish you a happy birthday. Thank you for your invitation."
"Beatrice, may I introduce Captain Henry Lionel," Hannah responded. "He is a naval officer who's just returned home."
"A happy homecoming indeed, Captain Lionel," said Beatrice. "Thank you for coming to my debut."
"I must say, it's a splendid affair," Captain Lionel remarked. "I have never seen a debutant dance done in this manner. Eighteen roses for eighteen birthdays. It's incredible."
"It's a time-honored tradition from our home country. My own mother and aunts did the same on their debuts."
"Captain Lionel and his entire family invited my family and I to a picnic and a promenade later this week," Hannah interjected. "Would you care to join us, Beatrice?"
"Ah, yes, it would be an honor for you to join us, Miss Alvarez," Captain Lionel agreed.
Beatrice nodded. "I would love to join you all. Thank you for the invitation, and I suppose I'll see you all then."
"Wonderful. Oh, please excuse me ladies; my mother is calling for me." Captain Lionel bowed once more and went to join his mother, a tender lady dressed in violet.
Hannah pulled Beatrice aside. "What do you think of him, Bea?"
"What?"
"What do you think of him?"
"Of the Captain?" Beatrice was confused at her friend's question. "He seems cordial and decent, if you want to know my first impression of him. I hardly know him. Why do you ask?"
"I think he will propose to me this week," Hannah confessed.
Beatrice was stunned. Hannah, her dear, dear Hannah, her best friend since childhood, was already being matched to someone. It was hard to form the words, so the only thing Beatrice could say was: "P-propose?"
"Yes.... at least, I think so. Most likely, he'll do it during the picnic. That's why I wanted you there."
"He's truly going to propose during the picnic? I'm sorry, could we possibly start with how you two met and how this all began?"
Hannah laughed. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I realize I've just given you so much information at once. We met a few months ago during one of Lord Abernathy's soirées and we've been getting to know each other ever since. Our families have also made acquaintances."
"That's wonderful! Does your family know of his intent to marry you?"
"I believe so. I saw him talking to my father the other day in his study. I was surprised but pleased to see him there, of course."
"Do you love Captain Lionel?"
Hannah looked Beatrice in the eye with a steadiness that Beatrice had always seen when she was serious about something. "Yes, I am." She looked at Beatrice's hand. "It seems your ring agrees."
Beatrice smiled. Hannah had known about the ring for years. She didn't believe that the ring was magical in any way at first (Hannah was two years older and was not the sort to believe in fairytales), but Beatrice was determined to make her best friend believe. She made Hannah tell her few true things and then some false things and made her watch as the diamond changed colour. It became their little secret. Now the diamond was shining blue as Hannah declared her love for Captain Lionel.
"I don't need the ring to know you that love him," Beatrice assured Hannah. "And I am happy for you. I hope he does propose to you during the picnic. Then you two will promenade as a betrothed couple afterwards."
"That is what I hope."
They began to walk away from their corner, and suddenly, Beatrice bumped into somebody.
"I'm so sorry, I-"
She looked up and it was Mr. Stanton.
"No, forgive me, Miss Alvarez. I was clumsy." He gently took her hand to escort her out of the corner where she and Hannah were previously hiding in. "This is a beautiful sapphire ring you have," he whispered.
Beatrice swiftly let go of his hand.
Suddenly, the butler announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, if we could all gather together at the ballroom once more, the second part of the debut will commence. Close friends and family members will be presenting her with eighteen wishes for her birthday. Miss Alvarez?"
Beatrice stepped out of the corner and went to the center of the ballroom. Her grandmother, Lady Alvarez, reached for her hand and stood next to her.
"My darling grandchild; my apo" she began. "You have grown so much. I once held you in my arms as a baby, but you are a woman now. You have a whole world to conquer. My wish for you is that you remain strong no matter what life throws at you."
"Thank you, lola!" Beatrice exclaimed as she embraced her grandmother.
Like the previous dance of eighteen roses, eighteen more designated relatives and friends gave their wishes for Beatrice's health, fortunes, and future marriages, followed by polite applause from the guests. When all eighteen wishes were bestowed on her, the crowd dispersed for some dancing and refreshments in between. Beatrice was off to find a refreshing glass of lemonade, when she saw Mr. Stanton at the refreshment table for the exact same thing. Heart pounding, Beatrice tried to leave, when he called out to her when he noticed that she was near.
"Miss Alvarez! Were you just about to get some lemonade?"
She smiled while discreetly fumbling with her ring. "Yes. Yes I was." Beatrice took one of the glasses but didn't take a sip.
"Those were some beautiful wishes from your friends and relatives," Mr. Stanton commented.
"Thank you! They really were."
"Indeed. Please excuse me. I must go."
"As must I-"
As Beatrice tried to put down her glass, the ring fell onto the floor, drawing the gaze of the crowd. She fumbled to reach for it, feeling a little bit embarrassed, but Mr. Stanton bent down to help her.
"Please, allow me," he said politely as he picked up the ring, helped her up, and gave it to her.
Beatrice noticed that his eyes furled together in confusion. "I must be mistaken, but wasn't this ring blue, previously?"
"No," Beatrice declared.
But, oh, Mr. Stanton was curious. "Does it change colour? I truly believe the gem was blue, but now it's pale. It's extraordinary! I have never seen a gem do that before."
Beatrice hid her right hand behind her back.
"It's nothing, Mr. Stanton," she said, unable to hid the curtness in her voice. "Really, it's nothing. It must be the light."
"Of course," Mr. Stanton said with a light bow.
"Good evening to you."
Beatrice practically trotted away from the refreshment table. No one but Hannah has ever noticed the diamond change colour. She doesn't know what Mr. Stanton is aware off, but surely he might sense something.