June 4, 1892 — Crowdy Memorial Library

Timothy had not been doing well when it came to his goal of procuring a wife. The problem there was that he felt that his time was more valuable when put towards one of his inventions, tinkering with his potions or dealing with the library. Despite marriage being a goal of his, it ranked very low in terms of his priorities.

Eventually, he came to the decision that perhaps he should look upon his closest friendly acquaintances that were women. Granted, there weren't many because Timothy tended to be a little awkward around them but he had a few. Some he could even see himself enjoying a lifetime companionship with.

Romance was not on the table but he wanted the possibility of there being a deep and meaningful friendship with his potential wife. When all his thoughts combined, one friend in particular came to mind. Juliana Binns was a lovely, intelligent young woman. He was unsure why she might still be unmarried, perhaps it was by choice, but he would make his suggestion to her anyway. Though it really felt more like a business proposal than actual proposal. Even so, he would rather have made the attempt then to not have.

"Miss Binns," Timothy greeted warmly when he saw that she had come to the library. "I wondered if I might prevail on you to speak with me privately?"

@"Juliana Binns" / Reuben Crouch

  

Conversations with Mr. Ainsworth were far from unusual, but the word privately piqued her interest. Juliana was hardly a blushing debutante, so it wasn't that she minded stepping aside with a gentleman, but his going out of the way to ask still stood out to her. What might the librarian have to talk to her about that couldn't be said in the main library? Her first thought, somewhat ridiculously, was that she was in trouble for something. She wasn't a Hogwarts student any more, and the idea that a librarian might pull her into an office to chastise her for leaving a tea stain on one of the books she'd borrowed was rather silly (particularly as she took great care of the books she removed from the library), but private conversations with men in closed quarters were rare enough socially that it popped into her head all the same.

"Only if you've got good news," she joked. On the whole, it seemed more likely that he'd want to tell her something good than to lecture her. Maybe a book she'd previously been looking for hadn't been available then, but had come in now. Maybe they were opening up some parts of the restricted floors for general use, or moving some books from the restricted floors down, and he wanted to direct her attention to some items of particular interest for her. Either of those could have been true, but neither would require a private meeting.

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Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

"I suppose that will depend on how you feel about the matter I wish to discuss," Timothy couldn't help but chuckle. He would be disappointed if she rejected his suit but it would not make him think of her any differently. It wasn't like he was coming at this out of any deep, romantic love but rather one of a deep respect.

"If you would be so kind as to follow me to my office?" The door would be kept open to stave off any unruly rumours but it would afford them some privacy.

@"Juliana Binns"

  

Now her curiosity was truly piqued. He seemed jovial about the matter, whatever it was, which prevented her from asking if anything was the matter. She followed to the office and glanced back at the door once to see whether he intended to close it. It appeared not — but then what was the point of asking her back to the office in the first place? What matter needed as much privacy as could be afforded by standing in a room with an open door that would not benefit from more? Perhaps he had her reputation in mind, which was gallant she supposed. She had more or less given it up after the resolution of the Lachlan MacFusty incident; as long as she did not become so infamous that her mother stopped receiving invitations as a result, she didn't mind what people thought of her. Taking a job as a secretary was another component of that; it was hardly an illustrious position, and it left her in near-ish proximity to men most of her days, though admittedly not so frequently in total privacy.

"Now don't keep me in suspense a moment longer, Mr. Ainsworth," she scolded lightly. "You must admit this is highly irregular, and if you don't tell me what you're about my mind will jump to a hundred conclusions in the next minute."

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Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

He chuckled in response to the light scolding. "I shall get right to it then. We have been amiable friends for a while now," Timothy began. "I consider you to be not only a friend but an intellectual peer. In saying so, I wonder if you might do me the courtesy of being my bride. I would not deny you any of your academic pursuits that you might desire to follow nor would I request you leave your job. Indeed, if you wished to aim even higher than your current occupation, I would more than support you." He wanted a companion, after all. Not a complete housewife as most of his peers seemed to be seeking.

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   Juliana Ainsworth

Juliana was surprised and pleased that he deemed her his intellectual peer, not because she had any doubts that she was but rather because it was unusual to hear a man admit that women could have any merit to their thoughts at all, much less place them on equal footing. It was a reminder of why she liked Mr. Ainsworth so much; he seemed to be a kindred spirit with her in certain regards, and it was lovely to have a conversation with someone where she didn't always have to be on the watch for little barbs they said without even considering how they might come across. Phrases like for a woman tacked onto the ends of compliments, things like that — Mr. Ainsworth wasn't that sort, unlike most men.

All this said, she was quite shocked by what followed. His bride. He wanted to marry her. Why did he want to marry her? This was not exactly a romantic proposal, so she discarded the notion that he had somehow fallen in love with her. They were in his office at the library, with the door half-open. He considered her a friend and an intellectual peer. He wondered if she would do him the courtesy of becoming his bride — not the honor or the pleasure or the delight, the courtesy. Hm.

Juliana had frozen up a bit and realized she ought to provide an answer, but she wasn't sure she had one yet. "This is quite unexpected," she said as a sort of defense for being left momentarily speechless.

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Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

Timothy was not surprised nor offended by her apparent shock. It occurred to him belatedly that he ought to have proposed a courtship first. Miss Binns had not struck him as the type to care much for the pomp and circumstance of such things so it had completely slipped his mind.

He waited patiently for the young woman  to refind her voice. "I apologize for the shock I must have given you. I have always felt that any bride I took on would be one I could easily converse with, one that could be a true partner in various academic pursuits, one I can deem a true friend even outside of the bonds of marriage. When it comes to women in my acquaintance, when it comes to these factors, none measure up to you."

  

Juliana's mouth felt dry. She still wasn't sure how she was meant to feel about this proposal, but she did at least recognize that she was being complimented, and her years as a debutante had given her enough social training to respond to it as such. "Thank you," she replied, feeling a bit disconnected from the situation as she did. "I've always found you lovely to talk to, as well." That was true - was it enough to marry him?

"You must forgive me for... well, if I'm not reacting the way you had hoped," she said, flushing. "I never imagined — I did not expect to marry," she admitted. This was unlikely to surprise him; she was thirty and still living at home with her parents. At her age, women seldom married; they had a short shelf life as far as society was concerned.

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Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

"That's quite all right. I was not at all sure how you would," Timothy said. He had always kind of figured that she must be a spinster by choice. Or else had always been very exacting about any past beaus. After all, she was not horrible to look at, was intelligent, he found her charming and quite witty to speak to. What man worth his salt wouldn't have thought of wedding her before now?

  

His words were mildly reassuring, at least, because it lessened the pressure for her to try and put on a graceful show while she untangled her feelings on the matter. If he had no particular expectations (and especially had not expected her to squeal with delight and assent immediately), then she might be allowed to take a moment and consider this rationally. When she did, she realized very quickly that this matter was too complicated for her to untangle in the span of a few moments.

"Given that this is quite a significant change of circumstance, and arrived at very suddenly, perhaps you'll allow me some time to contemplate the matter?" she asked hopefully. "That is not to imply I have any reason to doubt your friendship, Mr. Ainsworth, of course. Only that — I believe marriage is a very serious matter, and I would be doing a disservice to you, or any man, by agreeing to one lightly."

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Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

"Yes, of course. I had expected as much," Timothy said in easy agreement as the young woman asked if she could have time to contemplate. This exact kind of intelligent reasoning was why Miss Binns had been one of the first to come to mind when he had considered which type of woman he would like to marry. "Take all the time you need to consider what your answer might be. No matter which it is, you shall remain a dear friend to me." And considering that at most what he could offer was platonic love, that was a promise he felt positive that he could keep.