The children walked cautiously through the back door and through the foyer. So far, no one had seen them. They were trying to get back to their bedrooms undetected.

Their luck appeared to have run out when they reached the stairs. Their father was coming down the stairs.

Knowing he would have seen them as soon as they saw him, the children gave up trying to be inconspicuous. Before they had left they had agreed on a cover story. While in their hearts they were sure their father wouldn't believe them, they had all agreed it was better than telling him the truth, which they were sure would make him boiling mad.

"What have you been up to all afternoon?" Georg asked when he reached the bottom of the stairs. The children were surprised that his voice didn't sound overly harsh.

"We were berry picking," Gretl said confidently, as her siblings nodded in agreement.

Despite the sureness of his daughter's voice, Georg didn't believe for a second that they really had been out picking berries. As adventurous as his children were they had not gone berry picking in years.

Given the period of time they had been gone and their reactions to the news of his engagement to Elsa, he knew they had gone to the Abbey to try and see Maria.

He also knew they weren't going to tell him that outright. Until they knew he wouldn't be upset they wouldn't say where they went. Playing along he asked: "What kind of berries?"

"Blueberries," Friedrich announced at the exact same time Brigitta said "Strawberries."

"What was that?" Georg asked.

"Blue-strawberries," Kurt coughed out. Everyone rolled their eyes, including Georg. But a small smile played on his lips.

He crouched down in front of them. Now eye-level with the little ones he looked directly at Marta. "Is that really what you were doing?" he asked, careful to keep his tone gentle.

"We didn't do anything wrong, we just wanted to see her," Marta cried out. Her voice was a mix of cautious and desperate.

Realising what she had just confessed, Marta looked down at the floor. She appeared to be on the verge of tears. She hadn't meant to speak; her heart had forced the words out. She knew it; her siblings knew it. And it appeared their father knew as well, because when she looked up again, he had his arms wide open.

"It's all right," he said, as Marta approached him. As he held her, she, along with the rest of her siblings knew he wasn't mad.

"Really?" Gretl asked, to which Georg nodded. "I know how much you have all missed her,"

One by one, all seven faces dropped at the thought of their beloved governess that they hadn't been able to see.

Not wanting the children to get upset again, especially since Maria was back, Georg continued: "I went into town today as well. I saw Fraulein Maria at the bus stop. She said she was coming back."

All the children looked up at their father with hopeful expressions. "She's upstairs now," Georg told them before anyone spoke.

They were racing up towards the governess's room before Georg could blink.

He stayed there at the bottom of the staircase for a moment, relishing the happiness he felt. It would no doubt end in what he anticipated to be a very unpleasant scene when he found Elsa.

Georg saw Elsa on the upper floor a few minutes later. She was making her way towards him. He had no idea what she'd been up to since he last saw her. Once again, the only thing that was on his mind was Maria.

But now it was time to tell Elsa.

"Elsa, we need to talk"

"Why don't we do it after dinner?" she suggested. "I need to get ready, after all."

"No, Elsa, we need to talk now," he was insistent.

"Very well then," she sighed, and made her way down the staircase to stand beside him in the foyer. "What is it?"

Georg got right to the point. "Did you talk to Maria the night of the party?"

"She told you, I suppose?" Elsa tried to sound defeated, because she knew that however she sounded, this was the end.

She didn't like having to relinquish what was hers, and her relationship with Georg, flawed as it was, was no different. Maybe it was the fact that the woman who had captured Georg's heart was a tomboyish mountain girl barely older than his eldest child that made her annoyed. Maybe that's why she had confronted Maria the night of the party.

But maybe it wouldn't have mattered at all.

For as long as she had been courting Georg, they both knew it wasn't love. Not the kind of love they'd experienced when they were married. As they both expected to never feel that kind of love again, it seemed an ideal situation.

"Yes," Georg said. Part of him wanted to ask Elsa why. But a bigger part wanted to make this experience as easy for her as possible. So, once again, he got straight to the point. "It's not going to work. You and I"

"Why not?" she asked. Even now, knowing that hope was as good as lost, Elsa found it hard to let go. She just kept her mouth moving, kept words coming out, to avoid breaking down. "I mean, you know party planning is my speciality, so you don't have to worry about the wedding-"

"Elsa," Georg tried to interrupt, but Elsa wouldn't let him. She knew what was coming. Truthfully, she'd known ever since his behaviour and mood had changed the day following the party. But for some reason, Elsa felt that she needed to be the one to let him know it was over. So she continued.

"And the children will be occupied now that Fraulein Maria has returned, so-"

"Elsa, that's exactly the problem," he interrupted again. "Why it won't work. I've been dishonest, to both of us, and utterly unfair to you. The plain truth is that-"

"-you love her." Elsa said matter-of-factly, watching his expression change from slightly startled, at the fact she knew, to acknowledgement that he did.

"It's alright Georg," she assured him. "I understand, I really do. I'm not going to pretend I'm not hurt by this situation, because I am. But I do understand. Everyone deserves to be happy, and if she is what will make you happy, then you should be together."

Elsa knew this was the right thing to do. In the end it would be for the best. Georg was right. He'd been dishonest, but maybe so had she. Even if you'd had a loving relationship, or even marriage before, companionship was not something a marriage should be based on. She needed someone who needed her desperately. Georg needed that too. And that role would be filled by a young lady who would never be a nun.

She gave him a small, understanding smile. "I'll just have to look for my happiness somewhere else." Georg had never thought he'd find a love that could equal the one he had with Agathe. No one had though that. But he had. Maybe there was still hope for her. "And now I'll go upstairs, pack my little bags, and return to Vienna where I belong."

She leaned in, placed a light kiss on his cheek and then turned and headed towards her bedroom.

"Elsa," he called out when she reached the top of the stairs. "I certainly hope you find it someday."

She nodded silently. "Auf wiedersehen, darling."