Disclaimer: obviously I dont own anything, that joy belongs to 20th Century Fox etc.
This story takes place right after the dance and when Maria goes off with the children. This part of the plot has no doubt been done many times, so I'm terribly sorry if it sounds similar to others at this point.
"See, I told you you'd remember!" Kurt insisted triumphantly. This comment was not absorbed by Maria, who's mind was more and more saturated with incoherent emotion. The cold air had failed to cool down her cheeks, which were proving a burning reminder of the scene that had just occurred.
"Yes... what?" she replied, flustered and realizing that she hadn't heard what she was agreeing to.
"The dance, you did it so well with father"
A mixture of "Ahh" and "Hmm" escaped Maria as she was clouded again by dense thought. Why did she have to blush like that? Oh, how silly she must have looked in front of the Baroness - and the Captain. Was she overreacting? After all, she hadn't had much experience with men, or dancing by that matter. Yes, it must have been the dance. She convinced herself of her previous excuse that she was just simply not used to dancing.
"Yes, I think you looked very beautiful" chirped Birgitta, turning round to join the conversation. This yielded a small smile from Maria, whose mind was still mostly elsewhere.
Kurt, nether the less adamant that all of the women looked ugly, raised his eyebrows at this comment.
"Well I thought it was very romantic," Brigitta insisted in retaliation to her brother's stubbornness.
Was it really romantic? Maria questioned in defensive disbelief, feeling her cheeks grow warmer still. Yes, dancing was an intimate act, and the laendler was a courting song - but ultimately, the Captain was just demonstrating for Kurt - he didn't really want to dance with her. Oh, but those looks he gave, the subtle smiles and gentle gestures... Maria suppressed the stirring images with the justification that he was double her age, so would naturally be much more experienced with all things social. He would be that gallant to any lady he danced with.
"I bet the Baroness Schraeder couldn't dance like that" piped Gretl, feeling the need to be involved.
"Yeah, she's the ugliest" Kurt justified.
Realizing of the comments flying around her, Maria woke up from the conflict between logic and emotion to defend the Baroness, of whom she felt considerable guilt towards for even considering the Captain's unfaithfulness.
"On the contrary, she'd be a much better dancing partner than me. And more beautiful, however ugly Kurt says." He squinted his eyes at his comment. "Really, you all should start to be much nicer to the Baroness, after all she might be joining the family soon!" This returned many disheartened faces, and restored quiet back to the group.
The main reason Maria mentioned this was to bring herself back to reality: of course the Captain had no intentions in her direction; ever since she arrived he was always going to marry the Baroness. With a deep breath she lifted her head up and inhaled the evening air, in the hopes to further restore her rational senses.
However, this resolution didn't uphold for long as she remembered the previous time he had made eye contact with her in that way - after his touching rendition of Edelweisse. He had hardly looked at anyone else during that song, and she longed for that feeling of being separated from outside reality, from the actuality of the Baroness. Even if just for a few seconds. Those few seconds had engulfed her heart, draining her mind of any rationality. Oh, how could she ever comprehend the truth of his actions? Maria longed for her comparatively simple life in the Abbey. And the way he pleaded with her after the argument - I need you to stay - surely he couldn't have been anything but sincere when speaking with that tone? She would never have thought that staying would complicate everything as it had.
Her recollections of previous encounters with the Captain were cut short as they completed their quarter perimeter of the house and reached the front door. Maria switched her focus to the children.
"Now, you remember what to do - Gretl, will you be alright?" With enthusiastic nods all around, they slipped in as quietly as possible through the front door and arranged themselves into formation.