She looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. She opted for her brown dress, since the one she was planning to wear was currently soaking in her bathtub. She hadn't exactly planned to take the children swimming in the lake, she mused, but it sure was exhilarating. She couldn't believe they had overturned the boat in all their excitement to see their father.
She smiled at the memory, all of them splashing into the water, which was surprisingly refreshing in the heat of the day. What made her smile less was her argument with the Captain. She still felt quite embarrassed by the way she spoke to him, ashamed of herself for losing her temper. They apologized, and he even thanked her for the things she said, but she couldn't stop wondering what their next interaction would be like. Their relationship had never exactly been a good one, even though they'd really only spoken to one another a few times.
After taking a deep breath and smoothing out her dress, she went downstairs to join the children. They were still in the drawing room with their father, the Baroness, and the man they called Uncle Max. Maria had gone to teaching school in Vienna, so she was familiar with seeing high society people such as the Baroness, but she had no idea what she was supposed to say to them.
"Fraulein Maria, come see what Father brought us!" Gretl grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room, quickly dragging her to where the other children were seated on the floor. She was pulled down to her knees to see the little souvenirs laid out before her; a little doll for Marta, a Swiss Army knife for Friedrich, some candies and chocolates. Kurt picked up one of the chocolates and began unwrapping it.
"No you don't. Supper will be soon, you can have one after." He sighed, placing the chocolate back in the box.
"I wasn't aware you knew how to tell them no." The Captain smiled mischievously when she turned to face him, and she smiled in return. She wasn't sure how to take him. The slight fear and standoffishness she had felt before their argument was not the same anymore. She was more intrigued than anything, at the moment. He actually seemed to have a personality under his strict and disciplined persona. He was joking with her?
Supper was strange too. He suggested she pray before everyone began to eat, not even seeming annoyed in the slightest. Conversation was happy and exciting during the meal, and she even began to let her guard down and feel more comfortable. He asked the children about their adventures while he was away, and she was shocked to hear his approval of most. Who even was this man?
While she hadn't had much time to get to know the Baroness, she had to think the biggest change in his personality came from her. Frau Schmidt said he intended to marry her before the Summer was over, and she hoped that the time he had spent with her and bringing her back to meet his children was a step in the right direction. Maria had already grown to love the children dearly, and she only wished for them to have a complete family, a new mother.
She looked up from her dessert to meet the Captain's eyes with her own. Her heart leapt in her chest, not expecting to feel such deepness in his gaze. It was hard to determine how long he had been staring at her, but he seemed to jump a bit at her noticing him. He smiled gently before going back to his conversation with Max, leaving her to wonder what the meaning was of his gaze, and why her heart was pounding.