"Ha, I won!" Maria tossed a card down on the pile, hearing the children groan at the defeat.
"You cheated, there's no way!" Kurt whined as he picked up the cards and looked through them.
"I wouldn't!" Friedrich and Louisa laughed at her feigned surprise, knowing full well that Kurt would accuse anyone of cheating who won his game. He had made it all up, ridiculous rules and silly traps, but she had somehow figured it all out, and he was devastated. Nobody had been able to beat him at his game until she played.
The four of them were playing the silly game on the floor of the nursery while the others were off doing their own things, Liesl and Brigitta reading, and the little girls playing dolls. It was raining,so they were forced to find some kind of entertainment inside for the day. It was easier for her to find things to do outdoors, which was the only reason why she accepted the challenge of Kurt's game in the first place.
"Fraulein Maria, I have to go to the bathroom. Will you help me with my tights?" Gretl appeared at her side, and she smiled at the girl as she stood from the floor.
"Of course, let's go." She turned to Kurt and gave him a playful, stern look. "No dealing until I get back. I intend to win again."
She and Gretl walked hand-in-hand down the hallway and to the nearest bathroom. She was thankful that the children were all old enough to be self-sufficient in the bathroom, but little Gretl being five meant she still needed the occasional help, which Maria was happy enough to give. They entered the bathroom, and she helped Gretl pull down her frustratingly difficult tights, making a note that she'd avoid dressing her in them going forward.
"Okay, I can do the rest."
"Good. I'll be right outside the door." She stepped outside, closing the door behind her, to nearly run into the Captain. "Oh goodness, my apologies, Captain."
"It's alright, Fraulein. Where are you rushing to?" She laughed, standing outside the door as she promised.
"Gretl needed help with her tights. We're all playing games in the nursery."
"I was just coming to check in, actually." She smiled, enjoying the fact that he was suddenly becoming more interested in his children and their daily activities. The day before he sat down and read a book with Marta, which made the girl light up from joy.
"You should join us! Kurt made up a ridiculous card game we've playing. He's never lost until today." The Captain chuckled, crossing his hands in front of him as he looked into her eyes. He had been doing that too; looking into her eyes without the underlying frustration she had seen before. It was almost as if he were looking at her like a person now, which was quite refreshing.
"And who took the crown?"
"That would be me, of course." She placed her hands upon her hips and feigned pride, eliciting a small laugh from him.
"Well, it appears I must accept the challenge." His smile was bright, and she couldn't help but return it in equal measure. He smelled wonderful, she noted, as she wasn't sure she had ever been close enough to him to notice, without the distraction of yelling at him, of course.
"Fraulein Maria!" Gretl beckoned to her from the bathroom, and they shared a small laugh.
"And then there are the more humbling parts of being a governess." She smiled in farewell and entered the bathroom once more to help the young girl with her tights.
They both washed their hands and left the bathroom, skipping and frolicking toward the nursery. Gretl giggled the entire way, loving that her governess wasn't afraid to be silly with her. As they entered the nursery, the Captain was seated upon the floor in her previous spot, being dealt into the game.
"Fraulein Maria, we let Father take your place, since you cheat."
"I do not!" She approached them, looking down at Kurt's smiling face. He liked picking on her, but never would go too far, so she allowed it. "Have you explained the rules clearly?"
"Of course he has, Fraulein. I expect to be quite good at this game." She laughed a bit, turning to walk away when his words stopped her. "Where are you going? You're supposed to be my teammate, since I took your place."
"I am?" She raised her eyebrows, and he looked a bit embarrassed by his informal tone.
"If you want to, of course. In case I do forget the rules." She smiled, enjoying the thought of helping someone else beat Kurt at the game, and she sat upon her knees next to him.
The game began, and she was surprised that he must have in fact listened fairly well, as he made some good moves. Kurt, of course, got him with a few tricks, but the Captain played along well. She was excited to finally see the father beneath the mask of the Captain; it filled her heart with joy to see the smiles on the faces of the children. He suddenly pulled a card from his hand and began to toss it on the pile in the center of the group.
"Oh don't!" Maria went to grab the card, but only managed to grab his hand in her own as he let it fall.
"You lost!" Kurt tossed his hands in the air with joy, Friedrich and Louisa groaning. The Captain's eyes met hers, and she quickly tried to withdraw her hand. He gently squeezed her fingers with his own before letting it go, giving her a smile in acknowledgment.
"I'm so sorry, Captain. That was quite inappropriate of me." She laughed nervously, her stomach in knots from her impropriety. Her face felt warm, and she knew for a fact she was blushing.
"No harm done, Fraulein. You were only excited about the game." He turned to Kurt, giving him a look of frustration. "A game which, may I add, is quite impossible. It has more rules than any game I know."
They all bantered back-and-forth, and Maria couldn't help but smile. He really was a good father to the children, and an excellent sport by the foolish move that made him lose the game. Which also made her wonder if he lost on purpose, but she didn't spoil the fun with her thoughts.
She hadn't noticed how closely they were sitting until she touched him, then she suddenly was very aware of their proximity. She cleared her throat at the knowledge and moved a bit closer to Louisa, noticing that he was watching her from the corner of his eye as he chatted. His gaze made her feel strange. Not altogether uncomfortable, she just couldn't read it, and it left her confused.
Needing more space, she walked over to the little girls and began to play dolls. She didn't look to verify, but she could feel his eyes upon her back.
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The children were dashing around their rooms, clothes strewn about, and bags littering the floors. Maria frantically rushed about, trying her best to be sure that they weren't missing anything as they packed. Gretl was more concerned with packing toys than clothes, and she found herself unpacking and repacking several times.
Their grandparents had requested they come and visit for a couple of weeks, much to their delight. The Captain seemed hesitant to allow them to go, but he ultimately agreed once Liesl and Friedrich mentioned that they would look out for the younger children.
Maria was specifically not invited. She wasn't sure why, the Captain seemed to ignore the children when they asked. She would have been fine either way, honestly, but the specific command of "your governess will not be joining you" seemed off-putting. She didn't know much about their mother's parents, she knew nothing actually, only that they lived in England. They were vacationing in Venice and wanted the children to join them.
After the astronomical chore of getting everyone packed for their train ride the next day, Maria ushered the children down for supper. She felt flushed and sweat was dripping down her back from the exertion, but she ignored it, for the hunger she was feeling outweighed anything else. It was the first day of her employ that the children had utterly exhausted her.
"Fraulein Maria, have you ever been to Venice?" Marta's soft-spoken question made her smile as their plates were placed in front of them. She could tell she was nervous about her trip.
"I haven't, but I hear it is absolutely beautiful. You'll have such a good time." She placed Marta's napkin upon her lap, sharing a smile.
"Well I certainly have, and I must say it is quite spectacular..." the Baroness spoke up and began telling stories of her past trips to Venice. The children listened politely, but it was obvious that they were having trouble becoming comfortable around her.
Maria would have loved to help the children get to know the Baroness better, but she herself wasn't even sure what to say to her. It wasn't often that she couldn't talk to someone; she always had something to say. But somehow things were different with her. She felt judged in every possible way when the Baroness looked at her, eyes glaring even though a lovely smile flattered her face. The first thing she did when they met was look her all the way up and down, sizing her up. It made her incredibly uncomfortable.
She looked across the table to find the Captain making faces with Kurt, the boy trying his best to be polite and not giggle. She raised her eyebrows at him in question, and he smiled sheepishly. He wasn't even listening to his soon-to-be fiancée.
It had only been a week since the Baroness arrived, but Maria was quickly learning that their marriage would be one of convenience rather than love. They seemed to like one another, but the passion and chemistry she had expected simply was not there. There was a lot of fake chatter and bantering. Perhaps it was simply the high society facade they were putting up, but she had not once seen any proof of their affections.
As she lay in bed that night she began to wonder what the children's lives would be like when the Baroness became their mother. Would they all go back to the way it was before she came into the house and yelled at their father? Surely not, he seemed utterly appalled by his own behavior. But she feared something more, perhaps boarding school or some way to get them out of her life was approaching. Maria began to feel protective of the children and hoped that wasn't the case.
She sighed, reminding herself that she didn't know the woman at all. The Captain would never give them a new mother who didn't fit the standards he had at least set for her as a governess, all for the sake of societal position...would he?