Beauvallet · Chapter
XII explained
Dominica waits for the household to fall asleep after the ball, then secretly meets with Sir Nicholas Beauvallet in her chamber.
What happens
Dominica waits for the household to fall asleep after the ball, then secretly meets with Sir Nicholas Beauvallet in her chamber. They discuss their love, her impending forced marriage to Diego, and plans for her escape. Beauvallet reveals he entered Spain under a false identity and promises to spirit her away when she travels north to Vasconosa. They arrange to meet again at Don Alonso de Alepero's house.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Romance
Dominica and Beauvallet's secret meeting and passionate declarations of love despite the dangers.
Identity and Disguise
Beauvallet enters Spain under a false identity as an envoy, and Dominica must hide her true feelings from her family.
Adventure and Risk
The perilous plan to escape from Madrid to the coast, with Beauvallet risking death if discovered.
Characters to notice
- Doña Dominica de Rada y Sylva
Waits anxiously for the house to sleep, then meets secretly with Beauvallet; expresses fear and love, agrees to escape plans.
- Sir Nicholas Beauvallet
Enters Dominica's chamber secretly; reassures her, reveals his disguise as an envoy, and coordinates their escape to the coast.
- Doña Beatrice de Carvalho
Visits Dominica after the ball, discusses the evening and plans to move north to Vasconosa; shows calm determination regarding Dominica's marriage.
- Don Diego de Carvalho
Mentioned as jealous and hot-tempered; Dominica hates him and refuses to wed him; he delays the move to Vasconosa due to engagements.
- Joshua Dimmock
Mentioned as Beauvallet's companion, staying at the Rising Sun and available to carry messages.
Key passages
“Do not lose your heart to him, my dear. Frenchmen are sadly fickle, and I believe this one is betrothed already.”
Beatrice warns Dominica not to fall for the Chevalier de Guise, calling Frenchmen unreliable and hinting he is engaged.
Beatrice's cynical advice reflects the theme of arranged marriages and distrust of foreigners.
“I have told my aunt I will never, never wed with him, but she—Nicholas, you do not know her! She smiles, and nods, and agrees with me, but she is like a rock!”
Dominica confides that her aunt feigns agreement but is immovable in pushing the marriage to Diego.
Highlights Dominica's helplessness and Beatrice's manipulative control.
“How to spirit you away? ... I fell in with a secret envoy to the King, and him I slew perforce, and came on in his place.”
Beauvallet explains he killed a royal messenger and assumed his identity to enter Spain.
Illustrates the theme of disguise and the high stakes of their adventure.