A few days after the ball, an invitation was delivered to Elza in the Saramaccastraat. Her company was requested for a meal at the Van Omhoogs’. There was also an accompanying note for Mr and Mrs Fernandez in which the Van Omhoogs requested their permission to invite Elza.
This was the subject of much discussion in the family. Aunt Rachel had her objections. Was this done? After all, Rutger moved in very different circles from the Fernandez family. Would it not be preferable for Elza to choose a man from her own sphere? For Pa Levi everything was all right as it was. Elza might be his daughter, but she was not a Jewess. She was not really accepted within the Jewish community, after all. Would a Jewish man ever want to marry her? No, it was in fact a good thing that this newcomer to the colony was showing so much interest in his daughter. Elza blushed when all this was being discussed so openly, especially when Sarith remarked that it all seemed to be becoming quite serious.
The invitation was accepted and Rutger was pleased. In fact, Rutger would have preferred not only Elza but the whole Fernandez family to have been invited, but he understood well enough that that was something the Van Omhoogs would not readily do. He did not know that it had already cost Mr van Omhoog all his powers of persuasion to bring his wife round to agreeing to invite just Elza. So it was that Elza went to eat at the Van Omhoogs’. In front of her walked a slave with a lantern; two steps behind her followed Maisa.
Mrs van Omhoog found her guest, despite everything, to be a dear girl, so sensible and unassuming. The dinner was a complete success. Afterwards Rutger accompanied her home. Alex led the way with the lantern and behind the couple walked Maisa, who had waited the whole evening, seated on the back doorstep of the house.
In the days that followed, Elza and Rutger often walked and talked, sometimes dropping in on Mrs van Omhoog for a cool drink. Alex always walked in front of the couple and Maisa behind. Rutger wondered whether he would ever get used to the idea of slaves being constantly in his company, literally with every step he took.
In bed, late evenings, Elza and Sarith often talked extensively about Rutger. Yes, Sarith was certain: Elza was in love. Elza denied this at first, but come now, in Sarith’s mind there could be no shadow of a doubt. Look how Elza could talk about nothing else but Rutger, and could think about nothing else. That was true love. When she had jokingly asked her stepsister whether Rutger had kissed her, Elza had responded indignantly, “Sarith, please!” – such things certainly never happened before you were married to someone. And Sarith had laughed at such naïvety. She was happy for Elza that she had this young man, of course. He was certainly most agreeable, but it would not be someone for her. She wanted a rich man with money and plantations.
The De Ledesmas threw a grand dinner on New Year’s Eve, followed by a ball. There were many guests, including Elza’s brother, David, who had come to Paramaribo for a week with his wife Suzanna and their two small boys from their plantation on the Para River. They were lodging with Suzanna’s sister on the Malebatrumstraat. Rutger was naturally one of the invitees. He and Elza danced a lot, but also spent a lot of time talking outside on the large, wide veranda, it being very hot inside.
When the Fernandez family returned to Hébron a few weeks later, it was taken for granted that Rutger would soon be paying a visit to the plantation. That he did, and during that visit he asked Pa Levi for Elza’s hand in marriage. Pa Levi was most impressed with this respectable young man. He wasn’t rich, but would undoubtedly be a good husband for Elza.
Ashana and Maisa were happy with Elza’s choice. Yes, Masra Rutger was a good person. And when Rutger was at the plantation he was spoilt outrageously. Ashana had to know what his favourite dishes were and Maisa was always seeing to it that his clothes were perfectly washed and ironed and that Alex could always bring him something to drink. A busy period now ensued for Aunt Rachel. Elza’s trousseau had to be prepared. Twenty-four sheets, twenty-four pillow-slips, hand-towels, bath-towels and so forth. As soon as they could be spared, Caro, Mini-mini and some other slave-girls were to be found in the sewing-room, hemming, sewing and embroidering.
When Rutger was there, he got involved with everybody. He talked with Rebecca, looked at her drawings and paintings and discussed books with her, and it was clear that Rebecca felt at ease with him. Sarith talked and joked a lot, too. She was in her element again. At the Vooruitzicht20 Plantation, which was only 90 minutes’ journey from Hébron, three young men were lodging who were paying her a lot of attention, and the young ladies and gentlemen were constantly coming and going between the various plantations. But Sarith could not help flirting with Rutger, too. When Elza noticed the amused looks Sarith was getting from Rutger, she wondered whether he didn’t perhaps find her dull and boring.