Disclaimer: The Sound of Music characters belong to 20th Century Fox.

A Place To Belong

Chapter Two

Alone in her bedroom at The Von Trapp villa, Maria sadly put her belongings in order. This did not take long as everything was exactly as she had left them. Time seemed to have stood still here. It was as if no time at all had passed between her leaving for the abbey and returning. Her dresses were still in the wardrobe, the books she had borrowed from the Captain's library were still resting on a chair, and her bed was still adorned with the same sheets. Maria had not expected this. She had expected a cleaned out room, an empty wardrobe, and a stripped bed. Did all this mean the Captain had hoped she would return? Maria wanted to believe it, longed to believe it, but she would not let herself. Instead, she told herself that everything was the same because Frau Schmidt had been too busy cleaning up after the party to clear out her room.

When all was done, Maria sat before a window and looked out at the lake. It looked so tranquil in the setting sun, so calm and peaceful. Above it birds flew, flying in one harmonious troop, and Maria wished she was one of them. How much easier life would be if she was a bird, how simple her existence. She would have a purpose then, a destination, and a contentment of being. Now she had none of these. All the hopes the Reverend Mother and Sister Margaretta had raised in her were gone, they'd disappeared the moment she heard of the Captain's impending marriage, and all she had now was an emptiness inside. The same emptiness that had always been there. But as much as she was hurting inside, she had to try to hold on to her faith, to her belief that God had a plan for her. God's will has no why, she had been taught at the abbey, and she had to try and remember that lesson now.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and Maria got to her feet. "Come in!"

The door opened and Baroness Schrader came in. She looked tense, uncomfortable, even nervous, but she smiled as affably as she could.

"Hello, Maria," she said. "How are you settling back in? Do you need any help?"

"None, thank you," Maria replied.

"It really is wonderful to have you back with us. The children have missed you dreadfully and this house has been so quiet without you."

"I've missed the children too," Maria said sadly.

"Of course you have, of course. And that's the reason you have returned, isn't it?"

There was a double edge to those words that was not lost on Maria.

"Yes," she replied cautiously.

"Well, I'm so glad that you have. I just wish you'd never left. I do hope it wasn't because of something I might have said at the party the other night. I vaguely remember saying something about the Captain being in love with you, but if I did, you must forget it. I had far too much to drink at the party, far too much, and when I've had too much to drink, I talk all kinds of nonsense. You might find it hard to believe, but for all my wealth I'm such an insecure creature. And when it comes to Georg, I'm afraid to say jealousy and drink often get the better of me. But I was clearly worrying about nothing for as you've heard we are to be married."

Maria could discern in these words the baroness's fear that she would tell the Captain about their conversation, but telling the captain about their conversation was the last thing Maria wanted. Besides, she could easily believe that the baroness's words were the result of jealousy and too much wine. The Captain evidently had no such feelings and the entire incident was best forgotten.

"I left because I had personal matters to resolve," Maria said vaguely. "And for the same reason I must leave again as soon as another governess can be found."

"I am sorry to hear it. I hope this matter is nothing too serious. We will, of course, do our best to find a new governess as soon as possible, but we, that's the Captain and I, are leaving for Vienna on Friday and you may have to find a replacement governess yourself. We're getting married in Vienna, you see, and are having quite a lavish event. All my friends will be attending and everyone who is anyone."

"What about the children?" Maria asked.

"Heavens, no. They are very disorderly and would quite ruin the day. Of course, I will at some point have to introduce them to my friends, but not until they've learned some decorum. As they are they would quite disgrace us. I know Georg has done his best for them, and I hear you've done wonders with them, my dear, but what they need is a mother's firm hand. And from me, that's just what they'll get. Before the year's out, I'll have them transformed into models of grace and obedience."

The Captain appeared in the doorway now and Maria tensed at the sight of him. It really was a torture to be in his presence and she just wanted to hide from him forever. Knowing he didn't feel the same, and knowing he was ignorant of her feelings, made things easier, but it was still profoundly painful to be around him. For a moment, a heart stopping moment, the Captain looked directly at her, but then he turned to his fiancé.

"Here you are, Elsa," he said. "I thought I heard your voice. Is everything all right?"

"Now Fraulein Maria is back with us," she smiled, "everything is perfect. I was just asking her if she needed any help getting settled back in. But as you can see, she is quite settled."

"Do you have everything you need?" the Captain asked.

"I do, thank you," Maria replied.

"Then, in your own time, come and join us on the terrace. It's far too lovely an evening to spend indoors."

"Quite," the baroness said through clenched teech. "See you in a little while, Maria."

Maria was about to protest, to say she wanted nothing more than an early night, but before she had the chance, the Captain ushered the baroness out of the room and closed the door behind them. Now it was too late. Now she would have to join them on the terrace, even though it was the last place on earth she wanted to be.

END OF CHAPTER TWO