Disclaimer: I do not own TSOM except for on DVD and an old vinyl record.
Chapter Eight
Here With Me
In which our Captain bewilders our Fraulein – A Ghost – Pulling Strings - An Interruption - High on a Hill - Forever and Ever
"Ghosts don't haunt us. That's not how it works. They're present among us because we won't let go of them."
- Sue Grafton, M is for Malice
"Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Walking quickly Maria headed back towards her room with her mind spinning.
"Forgive me, Fraulein, but I find it very hard to picture you as a nun."
The Captain's words seemed to constantly echo in her head, unable to be disregarded. She had been angry, but the anger had only stayed because she had grasped it with great relief. It was so much easier to be angry with him than to feel guilty that his words may not be so wrong. It had to just be a test; the Lord was testing her dedication to Him. It was just an obstacle like she had told herself earlier. And she was determined not to fail.
Finally reaching her room, she threw the dressing robe off and climbed back into bed. Laying there, staring into the darkness, the sudden memory of the Captain swiping the icing off her nose crossed her mind. She could still feel his finger, like a ghost, against her skin. His eyes had been unreadable in that moment, she'd been caught slightly off guard by their intensity and for a moment she had barely remembered to breathe. It had been highly disconcerting, though not completely unpleasant. It had sent a shiver through her body and a strange pull had been felt in her stomach.
Unconsciously, she rubbed her face and turned over in her bed, hugging her pillow tightly.
The next morning, she felt a little awkward at breakfast as she rushed in late. But the Captain said nothing of the talk they'd had last night and carried on as usual. She was relieved to say the least. While dressing in the morning she'd been apprehensive about seeing him again, she felt silly about the way she had acted last night. As she watched him chatter with his guests and children, she felt a smile creep on her face. It was amazing how much had changed, how much he had changed. Oh, he was definitely still arrogant and had a way of making her lose her temper. Though, she had a feeling a lot of the time he did it on purpose just so he could laugh at her.
She didn't realise she had been staring at him until he caught her eye and raised his eyebrows at her in question. It seemed to ask, "Are you all right?"
So she just smiled in response and nodded.
They were leaving the dining room when breakfast ended and the Captain passed her and said, "Good morning, Fraulein."
"Good morning, Captain," she replied.
"I trust you slept well?" he asked.
"I did, thank you," she said.
She was feeling awkward again and she couldn't place her finger on exactly why she did. Sometimes, after they had been talking a silence would fall and they would both look at each other as if realising that they were just governess and employer. It was always unsettling, at least to Maria. While she felt "friend" wasn't the correct word, it was the closest she could think of to apply to the Captain.
"What have you got planned today for my unruly children?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing much – I know Herr Detweiler said the marionettes should be arriving today so I doubt I will need much else to entertain them," she laughed.
"Ah yes, you'd think they have enough toys," said the Captain. "Elsa bought them all something yesterday as well, and then those deserts too."
"I thought it was kind of the Baroness to do that, the children seemed very grateful."
"Children are always good at appearing grateful if they know there is something in it for them," he said with a dangerous smile.
Why does he always have to smile like that, she thought. It was troubling and it had lately begun to make her blush. Why his smile should make her blush was confusing to say the least. She was certain that a postulant should not be blushing just because a handsome sea captain had smiled at her. And a postulant should not be noting how handsome her employer was. No, definitely not.
"Fraulein?"
"Huh?" she said, caught off guard.
"Is it so much to ask that you pay attention?" he snapped, though it was lacking the usual bite.
That's better, she thought and smiled at him, "Yes, no, sorry - I was just thinking."
"Evidently," he said sardonically and she watched him walk off with the Baroness who gave her an odd look that Maria failed to notice.
XXX
Later that day Georg found himself standing at the door to the attic stairs, hesitating about entering. He hadn't been in there in so long, not since he'd packed away all of his beloved things all those years ago and locked them away. He told himself there was no ghost to be frightened of, no matter how much he felt like he could feel Agathe standing behind him.
The other night he had gifted Liesl with two of her mother's books and her gold locket. He knew the locket was empty and so he'd decided that he would brave the ghosts of his memory and retrieve some photos. It was time to put these ghosts away at any rate, he told himself as he unlocked the door and watched it swing open. He still didn't move and was staring at the stairs when a voice came floating down the hallway.
"Captain?"
He knew who it was before turning, only one person ever said "Captain" the way she did, in that gentle lilting tone just like siren song.
I am standing here, Georg thought, about to go look through my dead wife's possessions and she turns up and all I can think about is her bloody voice being so damn alluring.
"Yes, Fraulein?" he said as he turned and saw she was standing at the end of the hall and gazing at him curiously.
"What are you doing down here?" she asked, walking closer.
"What do you mean, 'what am I doing here?'" he said, slightly irritated, "This is my home – what are you doing is the better question."
Eyes flashing and brow creasing into a frown she said, "The children are playing hide 'n' seek inside as it is still raining. I was 'it' so I was looking for them."
He offered a non-committal grunt at this explanation and turned back towards the attic stairs.
"What's up there?" he heard her ask.
"The attic," he replied shortly.
"Oh, I didn't know you had an attic!" she said and pushed straight past him.
He stood there nonplussed for about a minute before he hurried after her. She was wandering through the dust covered boxes and old pieces of furniture when he walked in. There were a few high windows and very little light was coming through due to the rain pouring outside. She had reached the back of the room where an old mannequin stood underneath a window, covered in a sheet. Pulling the sheet off, he watched as she did a double take. First looking at the wedding dress that the mannequin wore and then to him.
"Oh."
There was just the sound of the rain gently tapping on the windows outside as neither of them spoke.
"Why didn't you say something?" she asked softly after a few seconds dragged by.
"You didn't really give me a chance," he said.
"I-," she started, "I'm sorry, Captain, I didn't mean to intrude."
"You seem to have a very special knack for turning up where you don't belong," he mocked lightly.
"Yes," she said and he heard the sad tone in her voice.
"I was just trying to make a joke, Fraulein," he said.
"Oh, a joke," she said, still in the same tone.
"I've offended you again, I apologise," he said.
"Why are you apologising to me, I came in here without a thought – why aren't you yelling at me?" she asked.
She was looking at him fixedly and her eyes seemed to be daring him to yell at her. She was the strangest person he had ever met.
"Do you want me to yell at you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, no," she admitted.
"I am not yelling because I am not mad, Fraulein," he said evenly. "I think if you hadn't blazed up here I would still be standing down there trying to gather the courage to come up. Who knows how long I would have stood there."
"Oh, um, well I shall leave you then," she mumbled and started to walk back out.
"You don't have to leave," he found himself saying. "I-I wouldn't mind some company."
She stared at him briefly and then smiled, "Um, all right, if you're sure."
He walked over to a box labelled "Photographs" and opened it carefully. There were piles of photo albums inside and he pulled out the top one.
"I wanted to find some photos to give to Liesl, and to the rest of the children," he said.
"They will love that so much," he heard her say behind him.
Cracking open the album, he turned to the first page which showed a very young Liesl, probably about four, smelling a rose as she sat with Agathe in the rose garden. Agathe had her long brunette hair streaming down her back and her face was pure joy as she gazed at Liesl.
"Oh, Liesl looks so much like her mother," he heard Fraulein Maria breathe. "She'd love that picture, she loves that garden so much."
As he turned the pages, slowly watching his children grow he felt his heart clench. He had missed so much already, from his naval days to then deserting them in his grief. There were so many moments in these pages that he had missed and only heard about through letters or seen in these very photographs. Agathe had always given him detailed accounts of the children and shown him photographs eagerly, it was still not the same as actually being there.
"Liesl loved the books you gave her," Fraulein Maria said as they went through the photos, "Will you be giving the other children something as well?"
"Like I said, my children can break things and I think it would be best to give them something of their mother's when they reach Liesl's age. Something special."
"I see," she said, "That sounds like a lovely idea. I am sure they will treasure whatever you give them."
"Do you have anything of your parents?" he asked gently.
"Just my guitar," she smiled, "It was my father's and the only thing I could take to the abbey."
The abbey. It was so easy to forget about, he found. He enjoyed talking to her a great deal; it was different from conversing with Max or Elsa. It was somehow more meaningful and honest. It was probably just because of her. As they continued searching through the photographs, she seemed to delight in getting to see the children when they were younger. He wondered if he would ever cease to be amazed by the genuine affection she had for his children.
"I wanted to apologise again for offending you last night, Fraulein," he said as he returned an album to the large box, turned to face her and saw she was sitting on the dust-covered floor with her legs crossed.
She turned her face up to him and said, "It's all right, Captain, I overreacted. I know I don't seem the nun type. I have no discipline or order." She laughed at that and then continued, "But like I said to the Reverend Mother, I am always learning and trying my best."
He gave her a small smile and said, "So, why did you decide to become a nun?"
Georg listened as she told him about how her guardian had been against religion, which had only further fuelled her beliefs. It amazed him how someone who had lost so much could still have so much faith in the world. She continued to talk of how one day she had been on her mountain and it had led her to the sisters working and singing as she espied them from a tree.
Finishing her story, she smiled and said, "It was the first time I ever felt like I belonged, like I had a home."
Home, that simple word that expressed so much. Aigen hadn't felt like home in such a long time, but it did now.
"I best go, the children will wonder where I am," she said as she stood up and wiped the dust of her skirt. "They probably think they are the best at hiding now."
He chuckled and said, "Probably. Thank you, Fraulein, for staying."
And he meant it, not just for staying with him now but for staying despite the tricks the children played, the way he treated her that first day and the way he thought of her which was the biggest sin of them all.
Watching her leave, he turned back to the few photos he had gathered. One was from his wedding day and it startled him how young he looked. Walking back over to the wedding dress, he looked at it carefully. He could so easily see Agathe standing there wearing it and the memory, instead of being painful, was comforting.
XXX
Heading back downstairs, Maria heard the excited sounds of the children coming from the ballroom. As she entered, a few men walked past her, one of them being Professor Kohner from the toy store. Standing in the room was the large puppet stage and the children were all sitting on the floor, gazing at the puppets with wonder.
"There you children are," she said as Herr Detweiler came out from behind the stage.
"We got bored waiting for you and then Louisa saw that this had arrived so we all watched them set it up!" said Kurt excitedly.
"Uncle Max said we should put on a show for Papa!" said Gretl excitedly.
"That sounds like a marvellous idea, we shall have to think of some ideas," Maria said as she sat down with them.
"I am sure you will blow our minds, Fraulein," said Herr Detweiler jovially. "Now after all that strenuous labour I must go find myself a drink. Or two."
As he left, the children began talking excitedly again.
"What story should we tell, children?" she asked.
"A princess story!" said Marta.
"Adventure story!" said Friedrich.
"Something funny!" said Louisa.
"Hmm," said Maria as she looked at the puppets. "How about the Lonely Goatherd? It looks like there is some goat puppets here."
"What is that about?" asked Louisa as the examined one of the small goat puppets and made it walk across the floor.
"Oh, I know," said Brigitta, "It's about a lonely goatherd whose yodelling is heard from far-off and then he falls in love with a girl. It's an old folk story."
"That's right Brigitta, I thought we could sing it?" she asked and then added, "I can teach you all how to yodel, it'll be fun!"
XXX
Elsa walked through the main hall until she came across Max who was leaving the ballroom.
"Max, have you seen Georg?" she asked.
"Nope, haven't seen him all afternoon," Max trilled as he continued walking, heading, most likely, for the wine cellar.
Tapping her foot, Elsa crossed her arms and looked around before heading towards Georg's study. She knocked briefly, walked in and saw it was empty. This is ridiculous, she thought. She had barely seen Georg at all and now he was nowhere to be found.
He had been giving the governess the strangest look this morning and then she had seen them talking and Elsa had the distinct impression that she had missed something. Elsa was a woman and she had lived long enough to know that men, no matter how reformed, were men. Max had told her all kinds of tales of a young Georg von Trapp. It had been part of the interest, if she was honest with herself. He had sounded exciting and nothing like Baron Schraeder, who had completely been a marriage based on social politics. Not that the old Baron had been awful, but their relationship had been more a friendship than that of lovers. Anyway, Georg was bound to notice the governess; she was young and fairly attractive in that good girl type way that Elsa found incredibly boring. He'll get over it, she told herself and shaking her head, she dismissed the thought.
"Elsa, what are you doing?"
Georg had entered his study, holding what looked like a bunch of photos in his hands.
"I was looking for you, darling," she said smoothly. "Where have you been?"
"I was in the attic," he said as he put the photographs on his desk with some care and turned to face her. "Did we have plans that I have forgotten?"
"Well, no, but I thought we could spend some time together – I feel like I have barely seen you," she said, walking up to him and pressing her hands against his chest. Gazing up at him through her lashes she said in a low voice, "I know Max is currently in the cellar invading your collection..."
His face seemed to shift uneasily for a moment before he grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. Finally, she thought, as his mouth descended onto hers.
They were interrupted by a knock at the door and the governess entered.
"Captain, I wa-uh, oh, um, sorry," she stuttered and Elsa watched as her face went red.
"What is it, Fraulein?" Georg asked, who had stepped away from Elsa the moment he had heard the knock.
"Um," the governess said, glancing at them both, "the children wanted to put on a show for you next weekend and I just wanted to check and make sure you're free. You too, Baroness Schraeder."
"A show?" Georg questioned.
"Yes, with the new marionettes. They're really excited – we've already started practising," she said earnestly.
"I'm sure it will be great, Fraulein," Georg said. "We'll be delighted to attend, won't we, Elsa?"
"Oh, yes of course," Elsa agreed, flashing the governess a smile, "It sounds wonderful. They are so talented."
"Thank you," Fraulein Maria said, "Also the children loved the gifts you bought them, Baroness Schraeder. It was so kind of you to do that."
"Not a problem, my dear," she smiled.
Watching the governess leave, she turned back to Georg but the moment was lost.
"You didn't need to buy them anything, Elsa," Georg said.
"Oh come now, darling," she said, her hands smoothing the lapels of his jacket. "How could I say no to those precious children, they make it so hard!"
He gave a low chuckle and then grasped her hands and gave them a quick kiss.
"Why don't you go find that charming sponge and I shall meet you on the terrace in a moment."
"All right, darling," she said, "Don't take too long."
Walking out on the terrace she spotted Max, who had found something expensive and fizzy along with some cake. He was watching the rain patter gently on the lake as he stuffed his face.
"Isn't it a little early to be drinking, darling?" she teased as she sat down.
"It's six o'clock somewhere in the world," Max said, "And besides, I've been hard at work setting up the stage for the children."
"You've never done any hard work in your life," Elsa said.
"Well," Max begun, "It was hard work watching Professor Kohner's men set it all up, it made me quite tired just watching."
"That sounds about right," she said and laughed.
"So how is the mighty sea captain?" he asked.
"Oh, you know," said Elsa dismissively.
"No, I don't know," Max said, "It's why I asked."
"Max, darling, you are far too nosey!"
"I like being entertained," Max said as he reclined in his chair.
"Yes, so I've heard," Elsa said, "Why are you getting the children to put on a show?"
"Because I am a loving and caring uncle who delights in seeing them do something they love," Max said airily.
"Uh-huh," said Elsa knowingly, "It has nothing to do with the fact that they can sing quite well?"
"Oh no, " Max said, "I wouldn't dream of getting them to put on a show just so I can see how well they perform and take direction. How could you suggest such a thing, darling?"
"I apologise, Max," Elsa said, her eyes sparkling with restrained humour.
XXX
Switching the nursery light off and closing the door gently, Maria headed for her bedroom. It had been a long day. They last few days they had been busy at work, studying hard in the morning and then the afternoons had been spent in the ballroom endlessly practising for their little show in three days time. She had also managed to make herself a dress from the blue fabric with some help from Liesl. The girl had been so happy to help Maria make something simple but beautiful that she could wear when they did their puppet show. It had turned out quite lovely too, she had to admit and it was certainly the nicest dress she had ever owned.
Getting into her room, she closed the windows as she heard the sounds of a storm brewing. It had been so miserable the last few days, it was lucky the children had the puppets to keep them occupied or she was sure they all would have gone mad. The children were so excited and she was so impressed with how well they were doing, it was truly amazing. There was a loud clap of thunder and she heard the unmistakeable sound of a door banging open and she smiled to herself and slowly begun to count under her breath.
She had just reached ten when little Gretl and Marta came running into her room and immediately jumped on her bed and under the covers. Peering under the blanket she smiled at them warmly.
"Well this all feels very familiar," Maria said laughing.
"We tried to sing about our favourite things but it wasn't the same without you, Fraulein Maria," said Gretl as she climbed into Maria's lap.
"All right, but just until the storm dies down, okay?" she said.
There was another loud clap of thunder and lightening illuminated the sky and a few moments later, the rest of the children were at her door.
"Oh come in then!" she said.
"Can you sing the song, Fraulein Maria?" asked Brigitta once she had snuggled in.
"How about we practise our song for the show?" she said brightly.
The children agreed and she started to sing:
"High on a hill was a lonely goatherd,
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo.
Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd,
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo.
Folks in a town that was quite remote heard,
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo.
Lusty and clear from the goatherd´s throat heard,
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo."
"What are you all doing?" came the voice of Captain von Trapp.
He was leaning against the open door with an amused expression on his face.
"Father!" said Louisa, "You can't listen! It's a surprise, you have to leave."
"Louisa!" hissed Friedrich and glared at his sister.
"Well, I don't want to spoil the surprise but you are to be back in bed when the storm eases up," the Captain said and he focused his gaze on Maria. "I know it may be a thunderstorm but is that clear?"
"Crystal," she said, trying to suppress a smile.
"And keep it down, please," he said and closed the door behind him.
"Maybe we should sing something else just to be safe," Maria said as she looked at the closed door. "Do you know the song Edelweiss?"
"Oh, I haven't heard that song in so long," Liesl gushed, "Father used to sing it with Mother at the piano, even sometimes on the guitar."
"Really?" Maria asked, she'd only briefly heard the Captain sing on that first day he had returned from Vienna. She couldn't deny she was curious to hear him sing again.
"Yes, he was very good," said Liesl earnestly and then she sighed. "Oh it was a lovely song."
"How about you sing it for us then, Liesl?" Maria said.
The girl smiled shyly and said, "Oh, all right then – I'm not sure if I remember it very well but I will try."
As they all sat and listened to Liesl singing the gentle song, Maria couldn't help the smile on her face as she sat snuggled in her bed with these children. When the storm eased and she finally took them back to their own beds and tucked them in once more, she was unable to control the feeling of sadness that overtook her as she returned back to her room, alone.
XXX
"Happy are they lay dee olay dee lee o,
Odl lay ee, old lay ee.
Soon the duet will become a trio,
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo.
Odl lay ee, old lay ee!
Odl lay hee hee, odl lay ee!
Odl lay odl lay, odl lay odl lee, odl lay odl lee!
Odl lay odl lay odl lay!
Whoo!"
"Bravo!"
"Very Good!"
"Bravo!"
Standing up, Georg clapped loudly with Max and Elsa as the children's puppet show came to an end and they all clambered out from behind the stage.
"Wonderful!" he exclaimed, kissing Brigitta on the head.
All of their children were giving small bows and curtseys and looked entirely thrilled with themselves.
"Can we really keep the puppet show, Uncle Max?" he heard Gretl say and watched her run up to Max excitedly.
"Yes, may we, Uncle Max?" asked the other children as they all gathered around Max.
"Of course you may, my darlings," Max said affectionately and then he looked up at Georg and added, "Why else would I have told Professor Kohner to send the bill to your father?"
Rolling his eyes at Max, Georg watched the children all following their favourite uncle out into the hall, still chattering happily. He heard the sound of Fraulein Maria exhaling loudly and turned to see her leaning against the stage out of breath.
"Well done, Fraulein," he said and she laughed. "I really am very, very much impressed."
"They're your children, Captain," she said cheerfully as she shrugged.
He noted that she was wearing a new dress he hadn't seen her wear before, it was made of the blue fabric he had bought on impulse so long ago. It was breathtaking. Inclining his head towards her in a small nod, he broke eye contact and turned towards Elsa and placed his hand on her waist as they exited the ballroom.
"My dear, is there anything you can't do?" asked Elsa and Georg heard the slight mocking undertone in her question.
"Well," he heard Fraulein Maria say, "I'm not sure I'll make a very good nun."
Turning at that comment, he raised his eyebrows at her but she just smiled warmly back at him.
"If you have any problems, I'd be happy to help you," continued Elsa as she walked on ahead.
"I have an announcement to make," Max was saying loudly as he entered the foyer, "Surprise, surprise! Today, after a long and desperate search I have finally found a most exciting entry for the Salzburg Folk Festival."
"Congratulations, Max," said Georg as he closed the ballroom doors behind him. "Who will you be exploiting this time?"
"Ah-ha!" said Max with a grin plastered on his face.
"The Saint Ignatius Choir?" guessed Elsa.
"Guess again," Max said, still grinning.
"Uh, let me see now," said Georg as he walked over to his friend, "The, um- Klopmann Choir?"
"No, no, no, no, no," trilled Max, staring at the ceiling, hands clasped behind his back.
"No?" asked Georg.
"Oh, tell us!" said Liesl.
"A singing group all in one family," said Max as Georg walked towards the parlour. "You'll never guess, Georg."
Georg had a pretty good idea at what Max was getting at but said, as he turned around, "What a charming idea. Uh, whose family?"
"Yours," said Max simply.
"Ah," said Georg, humour etched on his face.
"They'll be the talk of the festival," said Max.
Georg just chuckled to himself and Max asked, "What's so funny?"
"You are, Max. You're expensive, but very funny," he said, giving him a pat on the cheek and walked off towards the parlour.
"But you heard them!" Max continued, "They'll be a sensation!"
"No, Max," Georg said and he heard the children groaning.
"It's a wonderful idea!" Max said as they all walked into the parlour. "Fresh, original!"
"Max," Georg warned as he picked up a glass and poured himself a drink, "My children do not sing in public."
"Well you can't blame me for trying," Max sighed.
"Children," he heard Fraulein Maria say as she bounced into the room, "who shall we hear from next?"
He was pouring a drink for Elsa and Max when the children rushed over to her and begun to whisper excitedly.
Georg heard the sound of Fraulein Maria clearing her throat and saying, "The vote is unanimous."
He turned around and she was standing there, a large smile on her face and extending her guitar towards him.
"You, Captain," she said.
"Me? I don't understand," he said.
"Please," she insisted, arms still outstretched.
"Ahh," and he gestured at the children, understanding their little conspiracy. "No, no, no, no."
"I'm told that a long time ago you were quite good," he heard Fraulein Maria say as he walked away.
"Well, that was a very, very, very long time ago," he said.
"I remember, Father," said Liesl softly.
"Play us something we know," Friedrich said.
"Oh please, Father."
"Please!"
Fraulein Maria was standing there, still holding the guitar and he heard little Gretl plead, "Please, Father."
"Well," he said, facing defeat Georg accepted the guitar from Fraulein Maria and he saw her face light up again.
Slowly he begun to play and he found his gaze drift towards Fraulein Maria who was standing against a wall.
"Edelweiss, Edelweiss,
Every morning you greet me.
Small and white, clean and bright,
You look happy to meet me."
She gave him another large smile and encouraged, he continued singing to the children.
"Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow,
Bloom and grow forever.
Edelweiss, Edelweiss,
Bless my homeland forever."
Gesturing to Liesl, he repeated the song with his daughter joining in. It had been so long since he had sung this song. Casting a glance towards Elsa, he smiled at her and she gave him a smile in return. As the song was coming to a close, he couldn't help but look back to Fraulein Maria, who was leaning against the wall, gazing at him intently. She wasn't smiling anymore but looking at him with a strange far away look on her face. He shrugged and smiled awkwardly as if to say, "I guess I'm not too bad."
She was still staring at him and for a moment he forgot he was in a room with his children, Max and the woman he was intending to marry. Luckily, Max opening his mouth saved him from the heavy silence that had fallen.
"Anytime you say the word, Georg, you can be part of my new act."
Georg chuckled as the tension broke and Max continued, "The von Trapp Family Singers."
"I have a wonderful idea, Georg," said Elsa suddenly and she walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's really fill this house with music. You must give a grand and glorious party for me while I'm here!"
"A party?" asked Georg uncertainly as the children started to talk animatedly.
While yes, things had been improving; he wasn't so sure about having his house filled with his so-called friends. Parties were just not his favourite thing.
"Yes, I think it's high time I met all your friends here in Salzburg, and they met me. Don't you agree?" asked Elsa and she squeezed his shoulder.
"I see what you mean," Georg sighed and he was unable stop his gaze lingering on Fraulein Maria as she begun to usher the children out to bed.
"I am still not sure if this is a good idea…" Georg began as the rest of the children left.
"Oh come now, darling! Your children were so excited and you wouldn't want to disappoint them now?" Elsa said, her tone playful.
"Georg, it sounds like a marvellous plan to me. Drinking, dancing, eating, more drinking…" Max laughed, "… well, you know me, I can't say no to a good time."
Georg rolled his eyes at Max and sighed. It would make Elsa happy and he was feeling guilty about how much he'd been neglecting her lately, and also the thoughts he couldn't stop having about Maria.
"Very well, I guess I can't say no," he kissed Elsa quickly on the cheek and walked towards to door, "Goodnight darling, goodnight Max."
Shutting the door gently behind him, he headed for his study. There was no way he was going to be able sleep right now but he had needed to escape the knowing look Max had been giving him.
Pouring himself a glass of whiskey from his small personal collection, he collapsed into the leather couch that sat in a corner of his study. Feeling something poking him, he sat up and saw Liesl had left a book in here. It was Agathe's copy of The Secret Garden and opening it carefully at the bookmarked page, he read:
"One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever. One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands out and throws one's head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvellous unknown things happening until the East almost makes one cry out and one's heart stands still at the strange unchanging majesty of the rising of the sun-which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. One knows it then for a moment or so. And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries. Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark blue at night with the millions of stars waiting and watching makes one sure; and sometimes a sound of far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in someone's eyes."*
The image arose of Maria and the look in her eyes as he had sung earlier. It was then that he realised that the look she had given him had made him feel just like the book described, like he would live forever and ever and ever. Her eyes, always so expressive, seemed to say anything was possible. Sighing, he downed the drink and leaned into the leather of the settee.
Upon hearing the snick of the door opening, he sat up and watched as Maria entered. He only had one low-lit lamp on and she mustn't have noticed him as she peered into the room.
"Fraulein Maria?" he asked softly, and it was then that he realised he had been referring to her as just "Maria" in his own head.
"Oh!" she said, startled. "I didn't realise you were in here."
Standing up, he walked over to her and asked, "What are you doing in here?"
"Liesl said she left her book in here this afternoon so I came down to get it for her after I braided the girls hair," she said.
"That was quick, it used to take their mother ages to do it," he said.
"Oh, well, when you can do it on your head it's so much easier to do someone else's," she said with a tinkling laugh.
His forehead frowned as he stared at her short hair and she must have understood the unasked question.
"Oh," she said, "I actually had quite long hair before I came here. But I-uh, got into trouble with Sister Berthe and she kinda chopped it off."
She laughed again but he didn't, he was suddenly struck with the image of her with long golden hair, just like in his dreams and he unknowingly glanced at the painting of the siren behind his desk.
"Ah, well then," he said and passed the book to her, "Here is the book."
Her fingers brushed against his as she grasped the book and he knew he heard the small gasp. There was no mistaking the jolt that it had sent through him, but the fact that she had obviously felt something as well was intoxicating.
Her face was staring up at him and he wasn't sure how long they stood there, both still holding the book and looking at one another. He moved his fingers slowly under hers and she gasped again and then she snatched the book, clutching it to her chest.
"Th-thank you, Captain," she breathed and gave him a small smile. "Good night."
"Good night," he said and watched her leave.
Pouring himself another measure of whiskey, he drank it quickly and headed for his room. He knew he wasn't going to sleep but he should at least try and as he walked past the closed parlour door he heard the sound of Elsa and Max laughing. At least someone was having fun, he thought.
Walking into his room, he turned on a lamp and shrugged out of his jacket and tie, rolling up his sleeves. This evening had been…interesting. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he was finding it hard to forget the mental image of his governess with long golden hair, calling to him from the ocean depths. Nor could he shake the look she had given him. These thoughts were interrupted when the sound of his bedroom door opening slowly caught his attention.
A/N So it only took me eight chapters and over 45k words to get here but I did haha so thanks to everyone who is still following.
If you have read my story A Decent Man then this isn't really much of a cliffhanger. I'm still not sure if I want to stick to canon or go AU but I will see how it pans out, these characters seem to have a mind of their own.
* Excerpt is from The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and one of my favourite passages.