Nine: A Beauty Arrives

In a nearby church steeple, a bell chimed eight times, Maria counted, when the white carriage passed through the open gates of 237 BergMeer Grove. Maria's eyes were as wide and round as saucers when she saw the Schraeder villa. Not even the Von Trapp villa was as grand as this place. Many cars and carriages were parked on the large half-circle drive, and the faint sounds of music and merry voices told Maria that the villa would be anything but empty when she would go inside.

"Oh, help…" Maria murmured meekly when the carriage came to a halt, Ernst pulling on the horses' reins with a "Woah!"

Maria sat in the carriage, frozen with nerves. Not until Ernst opened the carriage door and pulled out the small step for her did she get out carefully. Needing to distract herself, Maria turned to him. "Thank you so much, Ernst. I hope you did not have to call in any big favors at work in order to do this."

Ernst shrugged. "Not really. I'm a good employee, and my boss owed me because I've been working overtime since a co-worker was transferred." He paused and turned serious. "But he's asked that I bring this back in to clean by nine o'clock, and that's an hour away. I have no idea for how long you plan to stay at the ball, but I won't be able to give you a lift home, in all likelihood."

Maria was not surprised by this statement, and it did not worry her. Her mind was only focused on one thing: seeing him again. "Don't worry about me. I'm sure Elsa will help me find a lift home, and if not I'll call a taxi."

"Oh!" Ernst exclaimed, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a folded note. "Wendla asked me to give this to you." Maria took the note from his outstretched hand. "Good luck, Maria."

"Thank you again, Ernst," she replied. They shared a smile before Ernst got back up in his seat, picked up the reins and signaled the horses forward. Maria watched as the carriage left through the open gateway and disappeared around the corner.

Once alone again, the faint sounds from the ball in her ears, Maria unfolded the note and recognized Wendla's handwriting right away:

Dear Maria,

Remember that night a month ago when I came back to the house around two in the morning after a date with Ernst? Ursula told me that the next time one of her employees comes back after midnight, the doors would be locked and they could consider themselves fired. I don't know if she told you, since you have never given her a reason to, but I don't want you to take any chances. Be sure to get home by midnight!

Olga and I will be thinking and praying for you; be sure to give us all of the details! Your Captain is blessed to be loved by you.

Wendla

No, Ursula had never mentioned this rule to her before. Maria didn't know if Ursula would fire her if she were somehow late, even if she had a perfectly reasonable excuse. But she would rather not take the risk. So, storing the information in the back of her brain, Maria tucked the small note into her sash, next to the edelweiss that was sticking out prettily.

She looked up at the grand front doors and felt her nerves come back at lightning speed. Doubts filled her mind. What if the edelweiss were nothing more than a good luck gift? What if he would be cold, distant, and polite only to her once inside? What if he did not love her back?

But then Maria thought of Wendla and Olga, and all they had done for her: the dress, the carriage, the friendship. To not go in would be the most unfriendly thing she could do. Besides that, Maria knew that it would be the biggest regret of her life if she did not take this chance.

So she took a deep breath and slowly climbed up the few marble steps, lifting her skirt and singing to herself, "All I trust I lead my heart to, All I trust becomes my own, I have confidence in confidence alone…besides which you see I have confidence in me…"

She rang the doorbell quickly before she could change her mind.

A few moments later the doors opened. An thin and elegant man with silver hair in a smart tuxedo smiled at her. "Good evening, Fraulein! Are you here for the engagement ball?"

Maria smiled nervously. "Yes, sir, I am."

He lifted a booklet and pen he'd been holding. "Your name, please?"

"Maria Rainer," said Maria, a little nervously. Of course one would check to see that only guests came. She had a wild thought of panic that her name somehow would not be on the list. But she had nothing to fear.

"Ah, yes, Fraulein Rainer!" said the butler, smiling warmly at her and offering his arm. "Right this way."
Taking a deep breath, Maria took his arm, thinking as he escorted her towards the growing sounds of people and music, There is no turning back.

The spacious and grand ballroom was teaming with life, people in gowns and tuxedoes dancing and talking merrily. Elsa moved among her guests, looking radiant in the lilac ball gown the three seamstresses had made for her. She was, as Georg had once complimented her, "the perfect hostess." And she truly was happy, since she had found love with Max. But as soon as the party had begun, Elsa always hoped that the next guest who would come in would be the last one she had invited.

But each time it was not Mara. The party had started a little over half an hour ago…surely she would have come by now…Elsa could think of no reason why Ursula might object to Maria going; in the years they had known each other, Elsa believed Ursula to be a fair woman. So clearly, if Maria did not come, it would be her own decision.

Sighing, Elsa looked again at the stairway that led up to the ballroom entrance, a grand sight indeed. The guests had stopped coming around ten minutes ago…

A light touch at her elbow made her turn to see the face of her fiancée, smiling in understanding at her. "She'll come. I'm sure she will."

"How can you be?" asked Elsa, in that vulnerable tone she had only ever used with Max, who had always understood her.

"Because she loves Georg as much as he loves her. The times I caught them looking at each other that summer…"

"Speaking of, where is he?" asked Elsa.

Now Max sighed. "He's hiding in the shadows by the refreshments table. And I came over here to let you know that he's threatening to leave the party very early."

Right away, Elsa, followed by Max, headed over to that very spot and soon found Georg leaning against the wall. He looked as handsome as ever, in his tuxedo and tails, holding a half-empty champagne glass in one hand. He had a thoroughly bored and distracted look on his face.

"Georg," said Max, not harshly. "At least try to look like you're having fun, won't you? This is one of the rare times I've had to play host and I feel inadequate when I look at you."

He was joking, of course, but Georg looked at the couple and immediately felt bad. "I apologize, you know how happy I am for the both of you. It's just…"

"We know," Elsa nodded. No one needed to say anything, everyone already knew. "But please don't leave the party yet, Georg."

Georg chuckled ironically. "Elsa, I would look like a fool if I come to dinner without a dinner partner."

"She will be here, I promise," said Elsa almost desperately.

"Who is this woman?" asked Georg, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "You two wouldn't be trying to set me up with anybody, would you?"

Max and Elsa looked at each other, and their lack of an answer was answer enough. Georg suddenly felt angry. "Oh, dear God, you two…when you already know that I…"

"Please don't be angry," said Elsa hastily. "I promise, it is not what you are assuming."

"Then what exactly is it?" Georg couldn't help but sound annoyed.

Elsa struggled for an answer, but Max seemed to have checked out of the conversation. His head was turned, and his expression was a mixture of surprise, relief, and affection. "You have no excuse now, Georg: your partner has just arrived."

Elsa turned towards the staircase, and gasped, smiling. Georg hesitated before looking. He was stuck now at the party, and he pitied the poor woman who would have to put up with him at dinner. All he wanted to do now was to go back to that house, knock on the door, and demand to see the woman he loved, propriety be hanged. But knowing what had to be done, he sighed and looked in the direction the happy couple were beaming at.

What he saw was the very last thing he had expected to see, and also the most beautiful.

From that moment on his life, he never doubted there was a God. Because an angel stood at the top of the stairs.

A/N: Don't worry, I won't leave you all waiting for very long, I promise! I love reviews!