A/N - I have made a slight variation from the movie for the purpose of this OS - The Trapp Villa is at distance of about ten to fifteen minutes by vehicle from the spot where Maria gets down from the bus. Happy Reading!
Mistaken Identity
'Maria, the Captain has informed me that he would be sending someone to pick you up from the bus stop.' said Mother Abbess.
'Oh there was no need, Mother. I could have walked to the Villa. It's not much from the old town of Salzberg.' said Maria.
'The Captain insists on his decision, Maria.' said Mother Abbess firmly.
Maria nodded a tiniest bit, staring somewhere into the oblivion.
'Something bothering you my child?' asked Mother Abbess.
'Oh, Reverend Mother, I don't know how I am going to manage seven children. And I have never been a governess before.' said Maria, looking worried.
'You will do fine, my child. Have faith in god' said Mother Abbess gently.
Maria nodded and stepped outside the Abbey. Casting one last look at it, she climbed into the Bus which would take her to the old town of Salzberg.
O-o-o-o
Maria smoothed her dress as she stepped down from the Bus and stood waiting besides a nearby tree. She was growing impatient with each passing minute.
'Where was the Chauffeur? Why was he taking so much time?' she wondered.
A loud honk made her jump and a car rolled to a stop, right at her feet.
'Finally!' Maria said and breathed a relieved sigh.
The door opened and a tall, slim man stepped outside. He wore a chic suit which was well ironed. His hair, slightly streaked with grey was neatly combed. As his striking blue eyes met hers, Maria almost forgot to breath. He was extremely good looking.
The man cleared his throat and Maria looked away, realising that she had been staring at him from a long time.
'Fraulein Maria?' he asked in his deep masculine voice.
'Yes that's me' Maria smiled. 'And you are Captain von Trapp's Chauffeur, aren't you?'
At her words, the man's eyes widened in surprise.
'What the -?' he began only to be interrupted by Maria, 'Did Captain Von Trapp send you to pick me up? Reverend Mother had told me that the Captain was going to send a Chauffeur along.'
Georg von Trapp's lips pressed together in a tight, thin line. He stared at his new governess with narrowed eyes.
Was she that naive that she couldn't even tell apart a Chauffeur and a Sea Captain? True, she hadn't seen him before but couldn't she tell from his attire or the way he carried himself that he was Captain Georg von Trapp and not his Chauffeur?
Georg puffed out his chest slightly hoping that she wouldn't miss his military ribbon and take the hint that he was the Captain himself.
But unfortunately she didn't because the next question which she asked him was, 'Don't you wear a cap?'
'And why would I do that?' asked the Captain, his voice quavering with anger.
Perhaps the governess wasn't naive. She was doing it on purpose, to mock him, ridicule him. But she didn't seem that arrogant. And Mother Abbess too had spoken highly of her.
'It's a part of a Chauffeur's dress, isn't it? The cap?' she asked, smiling at him.
Georg looked at her rather curiously. She was dressed in a grey dress with pleated skirt under a linen jacket with a high collar, a funny boater hat, black stockings, and black boots. She held a guitar case in one hand and a carpet bag in another. Georg von Trapp had never seen a more hideous dress than this in his life.
'Was she possibly thinking to meet the children in that dress?' he wondered.
'Is something wrong with my dress?' asked Maria.
'Everything' the Captain muttered quite audibly.
'Sorry?' said Maria.
'Get inside the car, Fraulein. We will have a talk about this later' said the Captain.
'Erm... excuse me...' Maria said, looking at him, fidgeting with her luggage.
'You can put your luggage at the back' said the Captain.
'Can you please help me to haul it on the back seat? The step's a bit tall for me' said Maria.
'Great! So now he would have to haul the governess's luggage in the back seat! This was getting ridiculous', thought Georg as he helped Maria with her luggage.
He half wanted to tell her that it was the Captain himself who she had been talking to all this time but something kept him telling he shouldn't reveal it to her yet and he decided to keep quiet.
When the luggage was finally loaded onto the backseat, he held the door open for her in a very gentleman like manner.
'Oh, thank you' said Maria.
He got in beside her and they took off.
'Oh how silly of me, I didn't even say hello! How do you do?' said Maria enthusiastically.
'I am fine. Thank you' said Georg in a rigid voice.
Few minutes passed in silence and then Maria said, 'Lovely day isn't it?'
'Yes, indeed' agreed Georg. 'Tell me Fraulein since when are you staying at the Abbey?'
'It's been a few months. I am a postulant you see, I haven't taken my vows yet. Reverend Mother thinks that I should rethink my decision about becoming a nun' said Maria.
'And why is that so?' asked Georg.
'Oh I am still not getting used to my life at the Abbey. I get late almost everyday for the chapel and I just can't stop singing. The mountains, the trees, the birds all beckon me towards them. Singing with them gives me pleasure' said Maria dreamily.
'I see' said Georg, casting a sideways glance at her.
'You know, I was very apprehensive about this governess job' said Maria after a minute.
'Why?' asked Georg curiously.
'I have never been a governess before' Maria confessed.
'What?!' yelped Georg.
'Yes. That's right' said Maria.
'Mother Abbess didn't mention anything about this' Georg muttered to himself.
'She wouldn't tell something like that to a Chauffeur, would she? She must have told the Captain' said Maria.
'Right' said Georg making a mental note to speak to Mother Abbess about this, at the first opportunity he got.
'And another thing about this job is that Reverend Mother told me that the Captain has seven children!' exclaimed Maria.
Georg made an indiscreet noise but didn't say anything. He was regretting his decision to hire the twelfth governess more and more with each passing minute.
'What is wrong with that? Aren't you fond of Children?' he asked through gritted teeth.
'Oh no, I am very much fond of Children. I love them. They are innocent and favourites of god! Who am I to not like them? But honestly, seven! That's a bit too much, isn't it?' said Maria.
Georg had had enough. It was time he told the governess that she was talking to the seven children's father but he was interrupted by Maria before he could speak, 'Is that the Villa?'
Georg looked ahead to find that they had indeed arrived at the Villa. The gate keeper opened the grilles, letting them pass.
'Would you mind letting me off here?' asked Maria.
Without a word, Georg stopped the car and Maria got off. With some difficulty she got out her guitar case and her bag from the back seat.
'Thank you for the ride' she said smiling at him which the Captain did not return.
She made her way towards the door and rang the bell.
'Hello! Here I am' said Maria as soon as the door opened.
Franz the Butler, gave her a surprised look.
'I am from the Convent. I am the new governess, Captain' said Maria.
'And I am the old Butler, Fraulein' said Franz with a sour look on his face.
'Oh. How do you do?' asked Maria shaking his hand.
Without replying, Franz removed his hand from her grasp and motioned her to follow him inside.
'You'll wait here. I am afraid the Captain is not at home. He will be here soon' said Franz and without another word, he left Maria standing all alone, looking around the grand foyer.
Sighing, she laid the Guitar case and her carpet bag on the floor and approached a closed door. She opened it and stepped inside to find herself inside an exquisite ballroom. Overwhelmed, she looked around. She had never seen a more beautiful ballroom in her life.
When Georg walked back inside the house, he couldn't find the governess. He was about to go and ask Franz where she was when the slightly ajar ballroom door caught his eye. Anger bubbled inside him. 'Surely the governess wouldn't be in there, would she?' he wondered.
Noiselessly, he moved towards the door and opened it slightly. His thoughts were proved right when his eyes fell upon the petite governess. He watched as she curtsied and began to dance with an invisible partner.
Georg was extremely enraged at her audacity to wander around his house without permission. How dare she! Seething in anger, he threw the ballroom doors open.
SLAM.
Maria whirled around to see that the Chauffeur was back.
'Oh, hello' she said awkwardly. 'The Butler told me that the Captain wasn't home.'
'So you thought you would have a look around, did you?' said Georg failing to keep anger out of his voice.
'Oh, no. I am sorry' said Maria timidly.
'And as a matter of fact Fraulein, the Captain is home and he is standing right before you' said Georg.
Maria gulped and her eyes widened in terror as she let his words sink in. 'Oh help' she muttered, looking at the man standing before her.
'You...?' she said, lost for words.
'Yes Fraulein, me.' said Georg.
'But... but you can't be the Captain! Reverend mother had said you would send someone along to pick me up!' Maria protested.
'I had some work in town and my Chauffeur has been taken ill. So I decided to pick you up myself' said Georg.
'But... but... oh!' Maria sputtered.
'Now come out of that room at once Fraulein' said Georg in a steely voice.
Maria walked outside the ballroom cursing herself inwardly.
'I didn't think there would be any governess which wouldn't last even for ten minutes inside my house! The last one had lasted for the shortest duration so far... only two hours. I am afraid you are going to beat her soon Fraulein' said the Captain.
'Captain, sir... please forgive me. I have been utmost foolish! Absolutely foolish! I should have asked who you were. I noticed that your attire was too classy for a chauffeur but then I thought that maybe... maybe even the servants of Trapp Villa wore fine clothes like its masters. I am sorry sir, please forgive me' said Maria earnestly.
'Fraulein that is not all. I don't think you will be able to handle seven children at once.' said Georg heatedly.
'No Captain, I -'
'You thought seven was too much, didn't you? You confessed it yourself!'
'Sir I-'
'You are not to interrupt me whenever I am speaking Fraulein!' said Georg sharply.
'Sorry, Captain' said Maria softly.
'Besides that you told me that have never been a governess before. How do you think you are going to manage seven children, then?' Georg questioned.
'I will Captain. Trust me. Even though I have never been a governess, I am fond of children. Please give me a chance, Captain. I will not disappoint you' said Maria, her eyes glistening with tears.
Georg was rather taken aback. He must have sounded very rude for he thought he saw Maria shudder slightly.
There was a minute's silence when they merely stared at each other without speaking anything.
'Fine, I think I will give you one more chance Fraulein. But just one, mind you' said Georg.
'Oh, thank you so much Captain.' said Maria and her face broke into true smile.
'One more thing Fraulein, in future remember that certain rooms in this house are not to be disturbed' he said.
'Yes Captain, sir' said Maria.
Maria looked at him and suppressed a giggle which thankfully the Captain did not notice.
How annoyed he must have been when she addressed him as Captain Von Trapp's Chauffeur! She wondered why did he keep quiet during the entire journey from the bus stop till they reached the Villa. He could have told her that he was Captain Von Trapp right when she addressed him mistakenly as his Chauffeur.
Lost in her thoughts, Maria didn't realise that she had been staring at the Captain for the entire last minute.
'Why do you stare at me like that?' he asked.
'Oh, it's just that... you don't look like a Sea Captain' said Maria.
The Captain raised his eyebrows.
'What do I look like then according to you Fraulein? Surely not the Chauf -'
'No Captain.' interrupted Maria quickly. 'You look like a Captain alright but not a Sea Captain. That's what I meant' she said vowing not to pursue the subject further.
Few Months later, Post Maria and Georg's Marriage, Paris –
'What was that all about Georg?' Maria asked he walked towards her, sullen faced.
'The Chauffeur has been taken ill. He can't take us around the city so Baroness Maria von Trapp, I am going to be your Chauffeur for the day' said Georg.
Maria began to laugh uncontrollably and she had to clap her hands to her mouth to stem the noise.
'What's so funny?' asked Georg, looking astonished.
'Nothing darling, I just remembered something' said Maria amidst her giggles.
'Would you please enlighten me the reason which has sent you into fits of uncontrollable laughter?' asked Georg.
'I just remembered the day when you had come to pick me up from the bus stop on my very first day as a governess. I can't believe I had actually mistaken you as a Chauffeur' said Maria and she broke once again into a fit of giggles.
Georg watched her expression full of admiration and affection. He couldn't help smiling.
'I am sorry Georg. I didn't mean to bring that topic once again. It was truly silly of me to have thought that you were a Chauffeur.' said Maria earnestly.
'Don't apologize darling.' said Georg putting his arm around her. 'I never mentioned it to you but it was another reason, I fell in love with you apart from that ridiculous pinecone which you sat on' he said smiling.
'What? I don't believe it! It was the stupidest mistake I had ever made and you tell me that you started loving me after that?' Maria asked in an amused voice.
'Yes because it made me laugh. That night when I lay alone in my bed, the scene kept playing over and over in my mind and I laughed till there were tears in my eyes. You might find that incident silly but it made me laugh genuinely; which I hadn't done in years... maybe since Agathe had passed away' said Georg looking into her eyes.
'Oh Georg, I really don't know what to say but if that's what made you fall in love with me, well, then I guess I am glad I committed that silly mistake' said Maria.
'I love you for this Maria. I love that playful child which is still alive inside you. It makes me feel young all over again. And maybe that's the reason why the Children too love you so much' said Georg kissing her gently.
'We make quite a pair, don't you think Georg? I make you feel young and you help me to be older, wiser and smarter. And I love you for that. Forever.' said Maria returning his kiss with much more passion.
*** THE END ***