It felt like the longest possible time she could ever spend on a train that she could have imagined. They were able to catch a train from Zürich to Paris, and then there was another they had to rush to board to take them the rest of the way to the boat. Their bodies were tired and strained from travel, and they were both more than ready to see the children. Thankfully, they were able to catch the last ferry across the channel, and they were excitedly watching as England grew closer.
She hadn't allowed herself to think about it too much until that point, but she was very anxious about meeting the children's grandparents. The thought of their daughter's former husband bringing another woman, a new wife, into their home as the mother of their grandchildren…she could understand why there would be emotions. Certainly they wouldn't blame her for anything; Georg had suffered in mourning for many years before he met her, after all. But given her reputation within their social circle at home, she wasn't sure she was used to being accepted, if they decided to do so.
"Georg, do you think they'll hate me?"
"Hate you? I've never met a soul who hated you, Maria." He chuckled, placing a hand over hers upon the railing of the boat. She shrugged, not wanting to hurt his feelings with her next words, but knowing he would understand.
"I'm not Agathe." He frowned, looking into the water as the sun began to set, sighing.
"No, you're not." She felt nerves in her stomach, or perhaps it was seasickness, she couldn't quite tell. She was becoming more riddled with anxiety the closer they got. "Nobody is expecting you to be."
"But they're her parents. Won't it be difficult for them to see…well, to see me with the children, with you? And in their home…"
"Stop this." He turned her to face him, her brow furrowed with nerves. "You are my wife and the mother of our children. While I can't promise it won't be a bit awkward at first, they will accept you for who you are."
"Do they know how we got together?" He shrugged, truly unsure. Gossip of their affair had made it through his social circle in Salzburg and Vienna, but he wasn't sure if it had made it to his circle in London. He hadn't spent time there in years, so it was quite doubtful. He was certain they would find out quickly, as gossip was a pest that always made its presence known.
"I honestly don't know. But what's done is done, I suppose. What's important is that we'll all be together, and we're all safe." She sighed, nodding in affirmation as they sailed closer to shore. He wrapped his arm around her, holding her closely as she placed her head upon his shoulder. He was right, soon enough they would have their family back, and everything else would fall into place.
xxxxx
The Whiteheads had sent a car to pick them up, and Maria couldn't believe she was riding in such a plush, expensive vehicle. While Georg liked to have nice things, he had still always been practical about spending money. It appeared the children's grandparents weren't quite the same.
The house, perhaps mansion was a better word, was absolutely exquisite. Rich colors toned the walls, thick drapes lined the large windows, and there were gorgeous paintings and pieces of art littering the entire home. Georg didn't appear fazed in the slightest, but she couldn't stop herself from gazing about as if she were in a museum. She was almost afraid to touch anything for fear that she would prove she didn't belong in such a place. She held his hand tightly as they were led down the hallway and into the drawing room where the children were reading and playing card games with one another.
Shouts of joy met them immediately as the children rushed to hug them, everyone talking over each other in the pure chaos of it all. The children's grandparents sat on the sofa, watching with large smiles upon their faces as the children nearly knocked them down with excitement. Georg broke away and shook hands with the Whiteheads, catching Maria's eye and smiling as she gave one last hug to Louisa and stepped forward.
She smiled politely as they were introduced, and she held out her hand in greeting. The Countess gave a warm smile and pulled Maria into a gentle embrace. She smiled brightly, taking in the kindness of the gesture as she felt accepted straight away. It was much more than she could have imagined. As they pulled away, she was taken into a hug by John, he refused to allow her to call him by title, and she nearly began to cry at the warmth of the couple standing before them.
They were finally safe.