Georg was quiet for a long time. Maria looked at him, thinking he might have fallen asleep. But the Captain was anything but sleepy. He was wide-awake. He thought about that little girl that was all alone in the world, who had no means to defend herself against her violent uncle. A girl who didn't have a childhood after her parents died. How much loss and sorrow she had seen in her young life. And still, here she was. Maria. Young, lively, compassionate, loving. Lovely. She refused to let life get the better of her. She refused to give in – to anything. She stood up for what she believed in, he had experienced her strength first hand, the day they fought by the lake. Nobody would even guess how hard her life had been, her still very young life. But her story made it clear to him why she seemed so much older that her 24 years – not that she looked it.

He looked at her in the dim light of the night. And then he did something he hadn't done in quite some time. He pulled her in his arms yet again, holding her to him and giving her strength. Drawing strength from her. He wanted to be there for her, to show her that she was not alone in the world. That she had a family now, a family that loved her. He felt a great many things at the moment, some feelings he couldn't even define for himself. But it felt right to just sit there with her, in silence.

Finally, Maria broke away from the embrace. She looked at her employer, not sure what she saw in his face. "You are a brave woman", he said. Confused, she started shaking her head. He put his forefinger on her lips before she could contradict him. "You are a brave woman, and you were a brave girl for many years. I can't even imagine how hard your life must have been. And I think it's admirable that you became such a strong, independent, smart person." Maria felt new tears come to her eyes in light of his words. She smiled shakily at him while the tears ran down her cheeks. "Nobody has ever said anything like this about me", she said. "Well then, it's high time someone did", the Captain replied. "However", he added with a smirk that held no malice, just teasing, "I don't think you'll make a very good nun".

Maria had come to that conclusion as well, but she hadn't voiced her thoughts to anyone yet. "I think you are right", she said. "But that will make it much more difficult for me to find a job and support myself. Most teachers are men, and it won't be easy as a young, unmarried woman to convince them that I am a good teacher and a role model for the children."

Georg knew that Maria was right. He had friends in almost all positions, and he was sure there were some who could help her find a job. But he knew two things for sure: Maria was proud and didn't want his pity. And he didn't want to see Maria leave. He had grown fond of her, ever since their heated argument by the lake. But he had never given much thought to the fact that she was there only for the summer. It just felt so right with her and his children around, just like the family they just to be. Just like the time before he froze up his feelings and hid behind the mask of a cold aristocrat.

He felt he had to say something to make her understand just how much she meant to him. "Maria, I ask you to listen to what I'm about to say, ok?" She nodded, mutely. He took her hands in his and caressed them tenderly. Maria looked at their hands, surprised but also happy. However disturbing this evening was for her, this just felt perfect. "You have met the man I was when you came from the Abbey. I was cold, heartless, I hid behind my grief and didn't allow any thoughts at happier times. It was so hard for me to see my children every day, to see reminders of Agathe in each and every one of them, in their looks, in their manners and in their laughter. I thought that if I banned it all, it would be easier to forget. Her, us, our love. But the truth is, it made it harder. I didn't really allow myself to grieve. And I didn't allow my children to be my strength." His eyes were bright and he gripped Maria's hands just a little tighter.

"And yet you didn't send them to boarding school", she said, looking straight into his eyes. "I think that says a lot about you." He nodded, knowing that she was right. He couldn't bear to see them go. "I had to go to boarding school, that's what the Barons and Baronesses did when I was young. I hated it and I swore to myself that if I ever had children, I would never send them away." Maria smiled at this little glimpse of his past.

"I'd like to think that I have changed in the last couple of weeks", the Captain continued. "At least I have made the effort, and I am so happy that the children haven't rejected me. But I know that that is all your doing. You have set me straight. You had the guts to stand up to me and make me face the truth. You have brought music back to the house. And laughter. And love. The things that were so important to Agathe and me and our family. I had forgotten how good it feels to just hug my daughter or have a pillow fight with my sons." Maria raised her eyebrow – the Captain? A pillow fight? Georg hiccupped, he was smiling while tears were running down his cheeks.

Now it was Maria's turn to offer comfort to her employer. To her friend. She tentatively brushed his tears away with her fingers and pulled him towards herself. He rested his forehead on her shoulder while he let go of all the grief of the past several years.

"Thank you, Maria", he said. Nothing more, and nothing less. Yet somehow, it was so profound that Maria could only nod. "I want you to know that I will never let anything happen to you. If it was up to me, I'd want you to remain as a governess to my children when the summer break is over. If that's what you want. Or I can contact some of my friends about a job in a school where they will appreciate the teacher you are. You are part of our family now, and I want you to be happy. You will never again be all alone in the world."

"Thank you, Captain", Maria said. She believed him. And she knew that he would never say anything like this without meaning it. "I would like to stay on very much, but I have a feeling that Baroness Schraeder wouldn't like that very much", she said. Georg nodded. "I believe you are right in that assumption", he said. "But I plan to send her back to Vienna. I don't think we have a future together." Maria was speechless. "But – didn't you want to marry her?"

He smiled, but there was no humor in his eyes. "I had though about an arrangement. I could never love her, and thus she wouldn't destroy my memories of Agathe. You have to understand: That was my thinking at a time when I was still the stern Captain." Maria was surprised by his words. "But I have come to realize that I don't want an arrangement. Either I marry again because I fall madly in love with a wonderful woman who loves my children and understands who I am. Or I remain single."

Maria nodded, took a deep breath and shuddered. The wind had picked up, and it was getting rather cool in the wee hours of the morning on this little island in the lake. She was only wearing her new dress that was fairly lightweight, after all. Georg saw this and, being only in his shirt, helped her up from the sandy ground. He took his jacket and shook all the sand from it, draping it around her shoulders. "Will this help?" he asked. "Thank you", she said, nodding. Again, Maria thought what an attentive and sensitive man Georg really was. Georg. The Captain. Her employer. She took his left hand in hers, the hand with the fidgeting fingers. "Not that my opinion matters, but I think that is a very good plan", she said.

Georg knew that her opinion mattered very much to him, but he realized that he had some serious thinking to do before taking action. He smiled tenderly at Maria and kissed her hand, gallantly but also with a lot of feeling. "I believe now is a good time to row back to the villa, don't you think?" Maria was totally mesmerized by the kiss that sent some entirely different shivers up her spine. "Yes", she answered, albeit somewhat breathlessly.

He took her hand and let her the few steps back to the boat. Making sure that she was safely in the vessel, he jumped in and started rowing back toward the villa. Both were silently contemplating how wonderful their evening was, even though it had started out so sad. When they returned to the stone landing, Maria waited for the Captain to moor the old boat. Before she could even get up by herself he had reached out to her and took her hand to help her out. When he started to walk towards the impressive mansion, Maria lightly pulled on his hand that was still holding hers, making her feel save and warm.

"Thank you, Captain", she said. "I have never spoken to anyone about my past, all of my past." She knew that she didn't have to ask him to keep her confidence. He was an honorable man, after all. And who would he talk to about her, anyway? Georg nodded, slowly pulling her back into his arms and embracing her – much to her surprise.

"I meant what I said. I admire the person that that neglected girl has become, and I am glad that you are part of our family now. I am very glad that the Reverend Mother has sent you to me, to us", he said. Before Maria became too overwhelmed, an involuntary yawn escaped her. She had to laugh, and so did the Captain.

"Sorry", she said sheepishly. "It was a very long day, and an exhausting one."

"You have nothing to be sorry for", he replied. "In fact, why don't you sleep in tomorrow morning, the children and I will serve your breakfast on the terrace at 10 o'clock sharp."

He was full of surprises tonight, Maria thought to herself – and found that she liked this Captain very much. She mock saluted him. "Yes, sir. I will be there. Right on time" They both laughed at that, and he offered her his arm to escort her up the stairs to her room.

-schnipp-

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