An invitation to the opera is what Alexander considered to be a sign of true friendship. When his mother first introduced him to operas at a young age, every opportunity to go to the theatre was a delight. Victor Alvarez's invitation for the entire Stanton family to join them at the opera, he knew that he had found a true friend.
The Stantons and the Alavrezes (including the Monets) rendezvoused to the theatre. Their carriages arrived at the same time. When stepped out of their carriages to greet each other, Alexander and Miss Alvarez looked at each other knowingly. Alexander calmly approached her.
"Good evening, Miss Alvarez," he greeted politely with a bow.
"Good evening, Mr. Stanton," she greeted in return. "Thank you again for returning my ring yesterday. It was very kind of you."
"It was no trouble at all, Miss Alvarez," Alexander replied. "But please don't go losing your jewelry in other places. I can't just go rescuing your accessories."
Beatrice laughed. "It shall not be happening again. People might start to talk."
"We cannot have that. But I should like to savour this moment."
"Why?" she asked him, confused but curious.
"This is the first time you've actually laughed at a joke of mine."
Miss Alvarez adjusted her gloves. "Don't get too used to it. I doubt it would be happening again."
The theatre filled in with the finest of the London's ton gathered together to watch the production of that night. Much to the party's delight, the Stanton's had booked two boxes for them. Alexander sat in his seat, his anticipation. The lights dimmed, the curtains rose, and for the rest of the hour, he just sat there basking in the music and the story.
Alexander was so enamored by the production that by the time the intermission began, his father had to tap him on the shoulder.
"We're off to the halls," father said.
But when everyone walked towards the halls, Alexander watched Regina practically freeze when the Walters looked towards them. He saw the smug look on Alfred Walters' face and had to put his hands behind his back.
"Ah, good evening Sir Alder. Good evening Lord and Lady Stanton. Mr. Stanton. And of course, Miss Stanton." He smiled slyly in Regina's direction. "I look forward to tomorrow."
"Excuse me," Regina said. Without so much of a curtsy, Regina walked away, looking ill.
The Walters looked at the Stanton's, puzzled. Alexander stared down Mr. Walters, who still looked as smug as ever. He curled his fingers together, trying to fight the urge to plant a punch right into his face.
"Regina!" Alexander called out, following after her.
***
During the intermission, Beatrice felt someone grab her hand and pull her in while walking around the hallways. "Beatrice!" the person cried out cheerfully. It was Hannah, who was smiling as beautifully as ever.
"Hannah! I can't believe you're here tonight!" Beatrice said as she embraced her friend.
"The Captain invited us all," Hannah responded. "A celebration of our engagement."
"How wonderful! I'm so sorry again for ruining the promenade after the Captain's proposal." Beatrice felt a flush of embarrassment return to her. She felt it before they had left the house and she felt it now that she was among the crowd.
Hannah sighed. "Don't you worry about that. It was an accident."
Beatrice fuddled with her skirt. "But it was still embarrassing. I didn't even want to come tonight, but everyone insisted. I'm sure everyone's still talking about it."
Hannah shook her head. "I'm sure no one is talking about it."
Beatrice looked in the corner and saw a group of young women, perhaps close to her age, whispering and giggling in the corner. She couldn't hear the words they were saying, but she could see their eyes glance at her and look away as they chortled and whispered amongst themselves. One even pointed a finger at her, failing to be discreet. She did not need to guess what the subject of those conversations was.
"Oh, absolutely. No one is talking about me," Beatrice mumbled.
One of the girls from the group giggle in the corner approached them. She curtsied (in a less than graceful manner) and smiled as she began to converse with Beatrice and Hannah.
"Good evening," she greeted. "Miss Dubois, I never had the chance to congratulate you on your engagement." The young lady then looked at Beatrice mockingly. "Don't worry, Miss Alvarez, your time will come soon- if you can manage to avoid a swim in the lake."
The other girls in the corner began to snicker. Hannah glowered, but Beatrice smiled. She knew better than to give them any sort of satisfaction. Before Hannah could even speak, Beatrice merely said, "But a swim is quite refreshing. And from what I'm smelling-" Beatrice took in a whiff of air and then placed her fan near her nose, "- you could use a dip in the lake."
The girl's smile dropped and she she practically stomped her way back to her friends. Hannah began giggling upon seeing that girl pout.
Suddenly, someone ran past her, accidentally bumping Beatrice's arm. The girl looked at her apologetically. It was Miss Regina Stanton, and the tears trickling down her cheeks were unmistakable.
"I'm so sorry," Miss Stanton whispered as she ran off.
"Miss Stanton?" Beatrice called out. "Miss Stanton!"
Beatrice followed Miss Stanton down the hallways and into an empty room. Miss Stanton broke on one of the sofas and wept.
"Miss Stanton, is everything alright?" Beatrice asked. She sat on the sofa and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Miss Stanton, is anything wrong?"
Suddenly, Mr. Stanton ran into the room.
***
"Regina, talk to me. Please," Alexander pleaded as he approached his sister on the sofa. He turned to Miss Alvarez, whom he was surprised to see was with Regina. "Is she alright?"
Miss Alvarez scoffed. "I was rather hoping you would tell me, Mr. Stanton. As her brother, I had hoped you had some insight as to what was happened. She ran into this room, crying."
"And you followed her?" Alexander retorted without really meaning to.
"I can leave if you want." Miss Alvarez stood up, ready to make her way to the door.
"Wait!" Alexander cried out. "You don't have to leave."
Regina stood up, her eyes still red from the tears. "Grandfather didn't tell you, did he?"
Alexander shook his head, puzzled. "Tell me what?"
"Mr. Walters is proposing tomorrow," Regina answered coldly. "He's proposing tomorrow at dinner in front of his family and ours and I will not be able to refuse him. I couldn't talk Grandfather out of it."
"No, no he is not proposing. I promised you." Alexander felt furious and desperate upon hearing this. He cannot let Grandfather Regina marry against her will. He won't allow it.
"You can't keep this promise, brother!" Regina yelled. "There's nothing you can do to stop this."
"I think this sounds like a private matter," Miss Alvarez interjected. "I really should go." She stood up and began to make her way to the door, but Alexander stopped her.
"Wait. Please wait, Miss Alvarez."
"Alexander, she has to-"
"I know about the ring," Alexander said. His stomach fluttered when he said this. He didn't want to reveal that he knew, but he did. He knew since he picked it up the day before after they fell into the lake. He knew when he saw the diamond shift in colour. It was only a matter of looking at the pattern.
Miss Alvarez froze. "What?"
"I know what your ring can do." Alexander didn't know how, but a desperate plan was forming in his mind so swiftly. "I am so sorry. I don't mean to be intrusive, but I need your help. Desperately. I think your ring is the only thing that can save my sister from an unwanted marriage."
***
Beatrice felt like her heart had already pounded its way outside of her chest. Her hand gripped firmly on the door handle. Since the day the ring came to her, she had always kept it a secret from almost everyone- from Victor, from Mama and Papa, from the maids. Now, aside from Hannah, Mr. Stanton, her brother's friend, knew the secret too.
"How do you know?" she asked.
"I-I noticed it before I returned it to you yesterday," Mr. Stanton answered. "I saw how it changed colours. I noticed the pattern whenever someone lies or tells the truth."
Beatrice nodded knowingly. "You are more perceptive than I thought."
"I won't tell anyone," he promised.
"I don't understand," Miss Stanton chimed in, confused.
"It appears your brother figured out my secret," Beatrice replied, fiddling with the ring. "This was my Aunt Clara's ring. It was given to me when she died and it's the only heirloom of hers that I have in my posession. The diamond turns red when someone lies and blue-"
"-when someone tells the truth," Mr. Stanton finished.
"Exactly. No one else knows about this ring- not even my family. That's how closely I have guarded this secret."
Miss Stanton stood up from the sofa. "I don't understand how this is any comfort to me when I am about to be engaged to a horrid man-"
"Just trust me, sister," Mr. Stanton assured her. He then turned to Beatrice, and the pleading in his eyes just shone through. "Miss Alvarez, please. We need your help."
"How can my ring help you? It can only tell you if someone lies or someone doesn't. That is all."
"There's something I know about Mr. Walters. Something that we can use to discredit him from marrying Regina. If we verify it and maybe find out more, he won't be able to get to her."
"You intend to blackmail him," Beatrice concluded.
"No! It's not- I'm not blackmailing him. I just-"
"You are going to blackmail him," Miss Stanton declared. "Really, brother."
Mr. Stanton sighed. "Do you see any other way out of this? You don't want to marry Mr. Walters and I promised you that I'm going to do what I can to help you. Miss Alvarez, I know you prize that ring above all. But this once- just this once- will you please help my sister? You are not obligated to do so, but if you do help us, I promise you, we will take the secret of your Aunt's ring to our graves
Beatrice looked at Miss Stanton and she felt sorry, so terribly sorry for her. To be forced to marry someone whom you do not love is a fate Beatrice herself wished to avoid. At that moment, she admired how Mr. Stanton was protecting his sister. So, she knew her answer then and there.
"What do we do?"