Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsNot so much Determination as Deperation!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 May 2024
Beatrice seems a really unappealing heroine. When she hears that her betrothed will not inherit a title she ditches him and transfers her attentions to Bertram the new heir.
She virtually proposes to him, and Bertram, a quiet bookish youth, is frightened and appalled. He assures her very firmly that he will never marry her. She seems to have no notion that this behaviour is quite repulsive.
However during the course of the book our opinion of her chances. Left to her own devices, she is lively, honest and intelligent. Her mother died when she was born, and she is looked after by her step mother.
This lady is the daughter of a duke, and never seems to forget it. She always stands on her dignity and insists that Beatrice sticks to a rigid standard of behaviour, never showing any exuberance and spending her days in genteel occupations such as embroidery and water-colour painting.
Beatrice's wealthy father has made his money through industry and he and Beatrice are made subtly aware that they are not quite good enough to be acceptable to the upper classes. this is why Beatrice meekly accepts step-mama's strictures. This means that she bored to tears!
Despite everything she still finds Bertram fascinating, finding his scholarly discussions on Latin poets with his academic friends exciting. She has never had a Latin lesson but ties to teach herself declensions from a Latin primer (I found this idea preposterous)
As Bertram teaches her elementary Latin her confidence grows, and she learns to orate Latin verse with all its cadences and picks it up by ear understanding a few words here and there.
Bertram admires her pluck and step-mama is appalled by her bookish bold behaviour.
You can work out what happens next!