Georg was on edge. He had been for over a week at the prospect of what tonight's events held, and everyone could tell.
Agreeing to host a dinner party had been a ridiculous notion that Georg couldn't fathom. Why had he told Elsa yes? It was simple, really; Georg didn't see any way around it. She had cornered him in front of all his children and Max, the latter taking Elsa's side and pleading with Georg to do it. He had felt trapped. The last thing he wanted to do was start an argument on the busy Salzburg streets.
So, Georg had agreed to host some of Elsa's friends in his home, and he had regretted the decision every day since. He hadn't hosted anything of the calibre since well before Agathe had gotten sick. Even then, he had detested having people come into his home for hours at a time to converse about trivial things such as the latest scandals.
His mood over the past week had been increasingly disagreeable, to say the least. He tried to keep himself in check, especially around the children, but it had been futile. He had only just snapped at Friedrich the other day for leaving his sweater on the floor of the sitting room. He had, of course, apologized later, but Georg was feeling immensely irritable.
He had started locking himself in his study for hours at a time, not wanting to see or speak to anyone in fear that he might have some irrational outburst in the midst of his agitated state. That had ended up putting a bit of a strain on his relationship with the children. It was no where near as tense as it once was in his home, but he could tell the children were being cautious with him.
A strain had been placed between Elsa and himself as well, not that it was a major change between them. Their relationship had been tense long before he agreed to a dinner party. It was just worse now. He felt a semblance of anger well up in his chest when he saw her, and he couldn't quite understand why. She had been planning the entire dinner party, he didn't even have to lift a finger. It was one night of his life. He had endured plenty of uncomfortable gatherings with Agathe, so why did he feel absurdly angry with Elsa now?
He assumed it was because with Agathe, he had been in love. He would have done anything to see a smile on her face. With Elsa, there was a mutual attraction, but he would never say he was in love with her. He liked her, yes, cared for her even. But he wouldn't say he loved her. Hell, he couldn't even make a commitment to an actual relationship with her.
Another person who had been facing the brute of his anger was Max. He didn't often deserve it, but he was always so annoyingly happy and quippy about everything that it had begun to drive Georg mad in the last week. He was not of the mindset to hear Max's jokes and sarcastic comments when he was truly dreading such an event.
Surprisingly, no one called him out on his poor behaviour. He knew the children wouldn't say anything to him out of fear that they would lose him again if they did. He felt extremely guilty about that fact. He didn't want them to fear him at all. He had worked so hard to get them to open themselves up to him, and now he felt as if he was ruining everything with his erratic moods.
Elsa would only fix him with a hard stare whenever he snapped, or she would ignore him completely. Max didn't speak up either. In fact, Georg was beginning to think Max liked watching him suffer. Or perhaps Max had learned better than to try and call Georg out when he was in a bad mood.
The person he had most expected to call him out on his behaviour, had stayed relatively silent. Maria had said nothing to him about his moods. Even when he had snapped at her for letting Gretl and Marta stay up late to finish a movie, she had only mumbled an apology and rectified it as quickly as possible.
However, he had noticed that she was checking in on him. It was subtle, but Georg knew what she was doing. She would claim she wanted to borrow a book while he was in his study and start a light conversation. It was obvious to Georg that her motives for coming to his study were not to borrow a book. She couldn't possibly have read each book in only a day, especially when she was with the children nearly all the time.
It was heartwarming to Georg that Maria cared enough to see if he was okay, even if she wasn't explicitly asking. In the moments that she did come to see him, he couldn't find himself being so angry. She was able to distract him from his brooding thoughts long enough that he was able to find a little peace in their conversations.
In return, Georg was patient with her. He avoided snapping at her again, and he tried to at least be somewhat sociable when she would come to see him. She was doing something very sweet by ignoring his beastly moments and trying to give him a distraction. The least he could do was not be a total grump with her.
Georg couldn't understand why she was being so nice to him. He felt that he didn't deserve it, especially after the way he had treated her when she first arrived. He knew he had redeemed himself somewhat since then, but he didn't believe it had been enough. But it was like she could see right through the mask of rage he wore. It was like she could see that he was struggling underneath his façade of indifference and anger.
He supposed her kindness could be due to the conversation they had in the gazebo. That was another reason he had been so abominable over the last week. He had been kicking himself for being so vulnerable. He had released so much baggage on to Maria that day, and he felt like a fool because of it. Every time he shut his eyes, he could see the tears that had streamed down her face and the pitiful look in her eyes. It was absurd. He had never in the five years since he lost his wife, spoken so earnestly about what had happened. Not to the children, not to Elsa, and not to Max.
But Maria had listened diligently. She hadn't stopped him. She hadn't given him the same robotic response he recieved from anyone who heard his wife had passed away. He had been quite surprised when she had confessed that her parents had died when she had been rather young. He had felt like a fool in the moment, going on like he had been the only person in the world to experience loss.
He was shocked that she had been open enough to share that piece of information with him. She had given himself a piece of herself after he had given her a piece of him. It was a trust he hadn't experience in a very long time.
The more he thought about it, the more he admired Maria. The words she had spoken to him about living with loss had touched his heart in a way that he hadn't felt in years. She herself had experienced great loss, and yet, she was stronger because of it. It only made Georg feel more thankful that Maria had come into his life. She was able to talk to him in a way that made him feel heard, and she was incredibly easy to talk to.
He trusted her with such great intensity that it scared him. He knew she would probably leave at the end of the summer and while that was still roughly two months away, he wasn't sure what he would do without her. She was just so damn lively and admirable. She was able to see right through him, and that scared him most of all. He hadn't let anyone in enough to really see him in so long that he wasn't sure if he could just let her out.
And he enjoyed her company. He felt more alive in her company. She was so refreshing. Her views, her words, her spirit were all just so intoxicating to him. He just liked getting to know her. He felt like he was a better version of himself when she was around to keep him level-headed, and he was fearful of that fact. He couldn't explain why her presence seemed to keep him calm or why he felt just a little more alone in the world when she wasn't around.
But of course, it was her day off on the day of the dinner party. Not that he should care, he reminded himself, she deserved the day off. She worked extremely hard and deserved some time to herself. But he couldn't help the lingering feeling of loss that clung to him when he knew she wasn't going to be around that day.
"Georg," he heard a voice call. He turned his head from the lake, which he had been staring at for the better part of an hour, to find Elsa standing at the door.
"Yes, Elsa?" he replied, trying to keep his voice from seething with irritation. He just wanted to be by himself for a while before all hell broke loose under his roof.
"The guests will be here in about an hour," she told him in a cool tone. His hand gripped the railing of the terrace as he fought off an exasperated sigh.
"Sounds good," he said, turning his head back to watch the lake. He heard the unmistakeable click of her heels coming closer. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to muster all the neutrality he could.
"Are you all right?" She asked. He opened his eyes when he felt her place a hand on his back, rubbing the space between his shoulders. He used to like when she would do that to him. It had once been able to relax him. Now, it only made his skin crawl. He wondered why that was.
"Yes, I'm fine," he lied. He turned to face her, subtly shaking her hand off from his body. He felt guilt creep into the back of his mind. He had been seeing Elsa for two years, he shouldn't be feeling like her presence was unwanted.
"You've just been a little off all week," she commented lightly. Georg cursed under his breath. Now she was going to bring his foul moods up?
"I suppose I've been busy. With work," he told her. It wasn't a complete lie. He had been working somewhat while he was in his study. Zeller's company had somehow stolen their new marketing tactic before they had even gotten it up and running. It had just been another factor to his increasingly bad mood.
"I understand that, Georg, but you've been quite unpleasant," she told him. Georg sighed. Was she looking to pick a fight?
"I'm sorry. I haven't been feeling very sociable this week," he said. It was the truth; he hadn't really felt like socializing in the past week. He supposed part of it was because he was mentally preparing himself for tonight in his own solitude. A big dinner party surrounded by strangers who liked nothing more than a bit of gossip was surely going to deplete his energy.
"Well, not sociable with Max or I at least," she muttered as she looked out to the lake. Georg turned his gaze towards her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.
"You know exactly what it means. It's been cold stares and silence for Max and me, but as soon as Maria comes into the room, well, suddenly you know how to form more than one syllable," she said bitterly. Georg's eyebrows shot up. He shouldn't have been as surprised as he was by Elsa's claim. He knew she was wary of Maria by the way she watched her like a hawk.
"Are you seriously suggesting this again?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her. He was tired of accusations when it came to his and Maria's relationship. They had become friends and there was nothing more to it, he told himself.
"I just don't understand it, Georg. You spend more time with her than you do with your children," she stated. Georg huffed. Did he? He certainly didn't think so. She just happened to be present when he was with the children. It was her job, after all.
"I do not."
"Really? So, that isn't her who you're talking to in your study for an hour every evening?" she asked. Georg froze. Yes, he supposed that Maria did often come into his study after most of the children had gone off to bed. And he did suppose that they talked for a while each evening, but it was nothing like that! She was checking up on him, and he was indulging her. It was the polite thing to do when she went out of her way to make sure he was okay. Did Elsa expect him to just turn Maria away for her kindness?
"I don't want to have this conversation with you right now, Elsa. I need to go get changed," he muttered. He turned and walked towards the door, not wanting the conversation to go any further. If she continued to berate him about such a ridiculous notion, he wouldn't even make it to the dinner table.
The audacity of that woman. Accusing him of something as silly as an unsavoury relationship with his children's governess was childish. He attempted to calm his racing pulse as he entered through the back door of his home. He needed to at least seem like he was okay with what was about to take place that night. It wouldn't do to act completely irrational in front of a large group of people.
He was so focused on controlling his breathing that he nearly missed the scene unfolding in front of him as he walked through the foyer.
"I'm sure Georg wouldn't mind," Max's voice rang clear in Georg's ears. He saw Max standing in front of Maria. Odd, Georg thought, he hadn't expected her back quite so soon. In fact, he had even encouraged her to take the night off. If he couldn't save himself from the horrors of the dinner party, he could at least try and keep Maria from having to experience it.
"What wouldn't I mind, Max?" Georg asked, walking up beside his friend. Max turned towards Georg, a smile on his lips.
"That Maria join the dinner party," Max said. Georg paused and looked at Maria. It looked as if she had just come through the door when Max found her. Did she really want to come to the dinner party? Did he really want her to come to the dinner party? Of course, he had no issues with her being there, that is, if she wanted to be there. She was a bright young woman and truthfully, he would like to have someone else there who he knew would understand his views on things. It would be nice to have an ally at the table.
But could he put her through that? He wasn't sure exactly who all made it onto the guest list. Elsa had told him very few details, not that he asked. He knew a majority of the people attending would be friends of Elsa's, and he wasn't sure how Maria would fit into that society. They gossiped and threw on masks of upper-class society, which he assumed, was not Maria's forte. Maria was genuine and kind and her views on the world were not like theirs. She hadn't been born into wealth or raised with the expectations of someone like Elsa might have been raised with. He didn't want to push her into an uncomfortable situation.
Then again, for his own selfish reasons, he believed that he might benefit from her presence. She had the most obscure ability to keep him grounded with a single look. Perhaps if she did attend dinner, there was less of a chance of him making some outrageous outburst.
"You can if you want to," he told her after a moment. She glanced up at him, a weak smile on her lips. He couldn't quite read her eyes. He scanned her face for a clue that she didn't want to attend, but he found his search to come up inconclusive.
"I don't know that I have anything appropriate to wear," she replied. Georg gave her a smile. She really didn't need to worry about what to wear. She didn't have to impress anyone; she would do that and more with her vibrant personality.
"I'm sure anything would be fine," he told her.
"Are you sure? I just don't want to impose-," Georg cut her off quickly. He wouldn't hear of it. She could never impose in his mind.
"You wouldn't be imposing," he told her softly. He could feel Max's eyes burning into the side of his face with a curious gaze. He ignored Max completely, not enjoying the scrutiny of his gaze.
"Yes, Maria, you can be my dinner date," Max interjected. Georg narrowed his eyes in Max's direction, but Max only shrugged.
"Dinner is at eight," Georg informed her. Maria nodded, a thoughtful gleam forming in her eyes.
"Well that means I could sit with the children for their dinner, if that's okay with you," she suggested. Georg fought off the urge to roll his eyes as a fond smile spread across his face. She really was dedicated to the children.
"I do believe it is still your day off," he pointed out.
"Oh, but I've missed the children terribly. I really wouldn't mind sitting with them while they eat," Maria insisted.
"If you really want to, of course you can," Georg replied. Maria beamed up at Georg and he felt a swell in his heart at the smile she was giving him.
"Is that really what you're going to wear to dinner?" Max asked. Georg looked down at the grey polo and jeans he was wearing.
"No. I suppose I should change," he replied. Max nodded.
"I think that's a good idea," Max said. Georg gave one last smile to Maria and began to head up the stairs towards his room.
Well, he would have an ally at the table after all. Max would have made a terrible ally. He liked gossip as much as the next socialite, and the thought made Georg groan as he entered his room.
He went to his closet and picked out an appropriate dark grey suit. It would have to do, he decided. It almost felt strange changing into the suit. He had gotten used to a much more laid-back look over the past weeks.
He slipped into the clothes and made his way to the bathroom. He looked at his reflection, noting the dark circles that were ever present under his eyes. He knew he hadn't been sleeping all that well; however, he didn't want to think about why. The dreams that plagued him were easier to deal with when they weren't thought about, a realization he had come to many weeks ago.
He began to comb back his hair while trying to keep himself put together. He knew he needed to be on his best behaviour. He also knew that the way he had left Elsa earlier would earn him some sort of reprimanding later, but he couldn't focus on that now. If she needed to berate him for his action, let it be when he could finally breathe again.
Satisfied that his hair was as tamed as it was going to be, Georg made his way out of the bathroom. He glanced at his watch to check the time. He had about a half hour before he had to place his mask of politeness on to greet the guests. He inwardly groaned before slipping his phone in his pocket and making his way out of the room. Perhaps he and Max could have a drink before the damn thing commenced.
As he shut his bedroom door behind him, he heard music from down the hall. He made his way down the hall, his ears perking up at what he believed to be the sounds of his children singing. A smile formed on his face at the thought. He hadn't really heard them sing since the day he returned from Vienna. His heart fell a little at the thought. Perhaps they believed he was still against them singing and being musically inclined. Well, he'd have to rectify that, he thought.
He got closer to the door of one of the girls' rooms and peered in through the crack in the door. There were his seven children dancing around the room singing to a song he didn't recognize. He assumed it was a newer song, given its poppy beat. He couldn't care less, he just enjoyed watching his children being so happy and carefree. His heart dropped in his chest as he realized they weren't entirely that carefree with him. But he had no one to blame but himself.
There was one voice he couldn't quite recognize. It didn't sound of that of a child. No, it could have belonged to a professional singer in his opinion. He wasn't entirely shocked to find Maria standing off to the side singing along with them. Of course, she would have the voice of an angel. It was fitting, he reflected, as she was somewhat of an angel to his family.
He watched the scene unfold in front of him as they sang, and he felt his heart fill with pride and joy as he looked upon all eight of them. His eyes, however, kept in the direction of one person. The way Maria was smiling, the way her eyes lit up as she watched his children give an enthusiastic performance, it was utterly enchanting. He briefly felt his heart stutter in his chest as she hit a particularly high note.
A smile formed on his face as he watched the love in her eyes as she watched his children. In that moment, he knew she truly loved them. It was humbling to see how she could give herself so wholly to them. She cared for them beyond the duties of a governess, and that struck a chord within him so deeply that he was overwhelmed with emotion.
He thought back to the conversation they had in the gazebo when he told her she didn't know just how incredible she was. He stood by that. She was incredible in the way she interacted with his children, in the way she was wise beyond her years, in the way she had suffered so greatly but hadn't let it change her. There were several qualities that came to mind when he thought about what made Maria so extraordinarily… Maria.
Above all, she was kind and selfless. She had so much good within her that it scared Georg. She was far too good to have been treated so poorly when she had first arrived at his home. She was far too good compared to him.
He continued to watch as he leaned against the doorframe. She was able to amaze him just doing the simplest things. In that moment, he noticed a shift within himself. Here he was, standing at the door of his children's bedroom with his children dancing and singing and a crowd of guests about to burst through his door, and yet, he was thinking about her. He was just looking at her. It was as if everything else had melted away and all that was left was her.
Georg took in a shuddering breath upon this realization. Could it be that he had gained feelings for her? Were the dreams more than just a physical attraction? Had Elsa and Max noticed signs in his behaviour before he had?
His head began to spin as he gripped the doorframe to keep himself upright. It couldn't be. He couldn't have feelings for his children's governess. The notion was absurd – hadn't he told both Elsa and Max the very same thing? Ant yet, here he was, watching Maria with an admiration running so deep within his veins, it had to be true.
All the signs pointed to the confirmation of this. A look from her could increase his heart rate. He trusted her more than he could remember trusting anyone since Agathe. Hell, he had even told her about Agathe, something he had troubles talking about vaguely with anyone else.
He knew she was attractive. He had known since the moments he had laid eyes on her at the nightclub. But he knew it ran deeper than a physical attraction. Everything began to make sense to him now. The dreams, the way she could knock the breath from his lungs, the way he worked just a little harder than necessary to see a smile on her face.
He knew he had feelings, which scared him like hell. He wasn't sure he was even capable to have feelings for someone like that again. He had closed himself off for so long that it was jarring to him that somehow Maria had gotten through to him. It frightened him.
He feared that she didn't feel the same way, but most of all, he feared that she did. She would be leaving at the end of the summer to teach somewhere and begin a new life. He wouldn't want to hold her back from that, not that he was likely to. He couldn't just outright admit his newly discovered feelings, could he? She was so young, so innocent, he couldn't just drop something like that on her.
And yet, as he watched her picked up his youngest daughter and gather her into his arms, he had the overwhelming urge to walk right into the room and tell her exactly what he was feeling in the moment.
But he couldn't. It wouldn't be right. His feelings weren't right. He couldn't be ready to feel like that about someone else. No, he would bury his feelings and pray to god that it was a fleeting attraction. He couldn't possibly have those feelings for her. She cared for his children, she was a valued friend, but it couldn't go beyond that.
He shook himself from his inner monologue as he heard the last note of the song ring in the air. His children all smiled at each other and then up at Maria, who only smiled back with bright eyes. Georg's hands acted on their own accord as he heard himself clap.
"Father!" Gretl cried out. Maria let the little girl down and she rushed to her father's side to hug at his leg. Georg smiled at his children.
"That was very well done," he said, surveying each of his children with barely contained glee. His eyes then found Maria's. "I'm very much impressed."
"They're your children, Captain," she told him, a flush rising to her cheeks. There was another thing he adored, the way he could make her blush. He stopped the thought in its tracks as he let out a breathy laugh.
"I'm impressed by you too. You sing exceptionally well," he said. The hue in her cheeks got darker and Georg couldn't help the smirk that graced his lips. Stop, he told himself, you need to get a grip.
"Thank you," she said, giving him a bashful smile before looking at the ground.
"Father, are we going to see your guests?" Marta asked. Georg stilled. In truth, he wasn't sure he wanted his children exposed to so many people, especially if he didn't know them.
"Not tonight, sweetheart," he told her while running a hand over Gretl's hair. The children frowned. "Maybe some other time. I'll come and say goodnight to you all later though."
The children nodded in his direction, the older ones mustering small smiles on their faces. He knew his children weren't thrilled at the idea of having a night with him taken away from them, especially because he had been so distant the past week, but he was determined to make it up to them in due time, when he wasn't feeling so irritated.
"I have to head downstairs now, but I'll see you all soon, okay? And take it easy on Maria during dinner, it's still her day off," he told them. He snuck a glance at her to find her smiling in his direction. The smile made him feel slightly breathless. You really have to stop acting like a schoolboy, he told himself firmly.
He turned to walk out the door, feeling oddly enough in a much better mood than he had only a half hour ago. He clung to the idea that the children had done wonders to cheer him up, and not a certain someone else.
Georg would later be able to recall this night as one of the worst nights of his life. Of course, it couldn't hold a candle to when he found out Agathe was sick, or when he lost Agathe, nor could he compare it to the night when he lost his mother when he was only ten years old. However, tonight was one that could be thrown up there with some of the worst experiences he'd had in a very long time.
From the very moment that guests started arriving, he knew he wasn't going to have a pleasant time. He knew very few of the party of ten, and some of those that he did know, he wasn't very happy to host them in him home.
Of all people, Elsa had invited Hans Zeller, who had just happened to be in Salzburg at the time. The reason for his invitation was beyond Georg. He hadn't even known that Elsa knew Zeller, let alone knew him well enough to invite him to a dinner party. In any case, he was sure that Elsa at least knew how Georg felt about him. Georg had made it very clear on several occasions that Zeller was a nuisance to him and his business, and yet Elsa seemed to have disregarded that entirely.
Zeller's presence was enough cause for Georg to start drinking rather early in the evening. They had just over two hours to kill until dinner would be served. Georg rather detested dinner being so late in the evening, but that was the way it was per Elsa's request. In the time between the guests arriving and dinner, Georg decided the best course of action was to drink, something he would come to regret later on.
Another guest Georg didn't care for was a gentleman by the name of Elias Schultz, a man who was a few years Georg's junior and one of the most condescending, womanizing men Georg had ever met. He had met Elias two times prior to dinner. Once at a dinner with Agathe, in which Elias leered at her all night, and the second just after Agathe had died, when the man had the audacity to give his sympathies while Georg was trying to drink away his sorrows at a bar.
Georg had heard plenty of tales about Elias since then, most of them involving a different woman he had left heartbroken. Georg was rather surprised that Elsa knew him as well. Perhaps he shouldn't have been so shocked, they did run in the same circles after all.
The only guests Georg knew who didn't make his blood boil were the Ebberfelds, a lovely older couple who lived not five miles from Georg. He had known them for just over ten years as they often used to be invited over to dine with himself and Agathe. They were very fond of Agathe and the children, and they were a charming pair. They had berated Georg on not keeping in touch for the last few years, claiming they missed seeing not only the children, but him as well. The sentiment warmed Georg's heart. Perhaps he would not be as alone as he believed himself to be earlier.
The other guest consisted of three other couples roughly around Georg's age. The introductions had been brief and conducted by Elsa. After about his third whiskey, Georg couldn't quite recall their names.
All the guests were invited into one of the larger sitting rooms before dinner, in which they all were able to drink and catch up and catch up for a lengthy amount of time before dinner. Or in Georg's case, drink and seethe quietly.
Elsa had sat herself beside Georg, keeping a hand on his arm at all times. It made Georg slightly uncomfortable, but what was he to do in front of a crowd of people? He had said he was going to be on his best behaviour, and he was desperately trying to cling on to that promise.
"So, Georg," the sound of his name brought Georg's eyes up from his drink. He felt the blood begin to boil in his veins as he saw the speaker. Of course, it was Zeller. "How's business?"
"Business is fine, as usual. And you?" he asked, feigning a polite smile. Zeller shrugged and laughed lightly. Georg couldn't help but notice just how weaselly the man looked. Though, he thought, it was fitting.
"I have no complaints. We've already smashed our goal for the next quarter," Zeller said. Georg fought off a scowl.
"Really? You'll have to tell me how you came up with your new marketing strategy," Georg said lightly. He knew exactly how Zeller had gotten his idea. The little rat had stolen it from his department, Georg just didn't know how.
"Perhaps I will," Zeller commented. Georg tried desperately not to roll his eyes. He settled on taking another sip of his whiskey instead.
"What is it you do again, Georg?" Elias asked. Georg fought off another scowl. Elias and Zeller in the same room was like a perfect mixture of torture.
"I run a small shipping company based in Vienna. We export goods. We have two main docks. One is near Venice, and one is near Schillig," he replied simply.
"Sounds like a good business to get into at the present time," Elias said. Georg nodded.
"Yes, well it's been quite profitable," Georg said.
"Very profitable, indeed! I'm opening a new dock in Bremerhaven next month," Zeller commented with a brisk laugh. Georg inwardly groaned. Zeller turned to Elias and began giving him an in-depth review of his quarterly numbers, highlighting just how profitable it was. Georg turned his head to scan the rest of the people in the room, in part trying to distract himself from Zeller's business talk. A majority of the guests had come in couples and were engrossed in separate conversations amongst themselves. Max was speaking to one of the couples, Georg believed they were the Meyers, about his newest business prospect.
Georg felt a tap on his arm. He turned towards Elsa as she leaned in close to his ear.
"Max said you invited Maria?" she questioned. Georg shrugged as nonchalantly as he could.
"Max invited her, I just said it was fine. I don't see any harm in her coming to join dinner," Georg said neutrally. He hoped Elsa wasn't about to throw anymore accusations his way. He didn't want a fight to ensue, especially in front of a group of Elsa's friends.
"That's fine. I'll seat her beside Max and Elias," she said with a shrug. Georg stilled; his glass poised halfway to his lips before he lowered it towards his lap. Elsa knew as well as Georg what Elias was. In fact, she had been the main source to Georg of most of his scandals. Elsa wanted to put Maria beside some womanizing snake? The thought made Georg's stomach twist uncomfortably.
"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Georg asked carefully.
"Of course, why wouldn't it be a good idea?" she asked, a challenge clear in her eyes. So, she was baiting him. Georg groaned inwardly. Perhaps he shouldn't have allowed Maria to come to dinner after all.
Speaking of Maria, she chose that moment to enter the sitting room. Georg looked up towards the door and felt a small smile spread across his face. She had chosen to wear the blue dress she had worn that first night she had come into his employ. It suited her extremely well. She hadn't overdone it for a simple dinner party. In fact, Georg thought she looked perfect.
"And who is this young lady?" Elias asked as Maria stood in the doorway. Georg noticed the other guests stop their chattering and look in Maria's direction as well. Georg also noticed the way Elias's eyes scanned Maria from head to toe, and Georg did not like it. He chose to look at Maria instead, before he said something he would regret.
"This is Maria. She's my children's governess. She'll be joining us for dinner," Georg introduced her quickly, his eyes never leaving her face. Maria gave a shy smile before walking over to a vacant chair next to Max that sat across from Georg. He gave her what he hoped to be an encouraging smile and was delighted when she smiled in return.
"So, you're the woman who has been taming Georg's children? I've heard it's been quite a struggle to keep a governess around, isn't that right, Georg?" Elias asked, his eyes staying on Maria. Georg forced a smile on his face.
"It has been, but Maria's done wonders with the children," he commented, shooting another smile in Maria's direction. She shot him a thankful look.
"You'll have to tell me what your secret is," Elias said to Maria. Georg narrowed his eyes when she looked over at Elias and gave him a small smile.
"It's not difficult. They really are charming children, once you get to know them," Maria said. Georg felt overwhelming emotion come over him. The way she spoke about his children was endearing.
"Aren't most governesses a bit older? I always pictured them as old crotchety women," one of the other men commented. Georg thought his name might have been Ben Fischer, or something of that nature. He couldn't quite be sure.
"I'm not sure. To be honest, I didn't know that governesses were still used," Maria said with a light laugh. "But I saw an application online and gave it a shot. I've been very fortunate to have the opportunity."
"Yes, she's been a marvelous addition," Max said. "And she's able to put up with Georg, which is the true job."
Georg glared in Max's direction, but Max only shot him a playful smile back.
"Sir, dinner is ready," Franz said from the doorway. Georg gave a curt nod.
"Thank you, Franz," he told the man. He looked to the rest of the group. "Shall we?"
The group of fourteen began to walk out of the sitting room. Georg, with Elsa beside him, led them towards the dining room whilst the majority of the group commented on how lovely Georg's home was.
Franz and Mrs. Schmidt had outdone themselves with the setup. The best china had been set out as well as Agathe's favourite crystal wine classes and blue embroidered napkins. Georg had thought it might have hurt seeing her favourite things set out in front of him, but he couldn't feel much heaviness in his chest. There was a brief feeling of loss for what used to be, but nothing more than that.
Elsa had taken it upon herself to write out little cards of where each person was to be seated. The only spot that was left open was where Georg believed Maria was supposed to sit. He was thankful that she was near his side of the table. At least then he could make sure Elias didn't try anything.
Georg took his seat, with Elsa and Max on either side of him. He looked at the roast that the cook had prepared, and he realized that maybe dinner wouldn't be so bad. They would eat a fantastic meal prepared by his cook, make light conversation, then people would begin to filter out of his house. Maybe Georg had exaggerated how uncomfortable the whole thing would be. Maybe it would be okay.
Georg soon realized he was very wrong in his new hopes.
Dinner started off well enough. There was light conversation all around the table. Max and Elsa made comments on how good the food was. The Ebberfelds asked about Georg's children, and another couple Georg didn't know very well, the Meyers, reminisced about when their children were young. So far, it was an easy dinner.
However, Georg noticed rather quickly how Elias seemed to monopolize most of Maria's time. They seemed to be in their own world. It would appear that every few minutes, Elias would say something to make Maria throw her head back in carefree laughter. Georg could feel his blood boiling. He supposed Elias could be charming, and he wasn't a terrible looking man, but he wasn't a good man and Georg wasn't about to let Maria be fooled by Elias's surface level charms.
"Elias how is that girl you've been seeing. Mary or Maybelle… I'm sorry I can't quite recall her name," Georg spoke up, using a bit of information Elsa had told him a couple weeks back. He felt Elsa's eyes staring curiously at him, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
"I think you're thinking of Margret. She had to go back to the UK, so ultimately we had to end things," he replied. Georg saw he had the audacity to look at Maria beside him and give her a smile. Georg narrowed his eyes. He didn't like the way Elias continued to look at Maria, like she was some sort of consolation prize. It made his skin crawl.
"Are you still living in Salzburg?" Elsa asked lightly, giving Georg another pointed look. Georg was far too busy watching Maria for any signs of her attraction to Elias. So far, she only looked to be poised with politeness. He hoped it stayed that way, for her sake.
"Oh yes. Although, I have thought about moving to Vienna. I've always preferred the restaurants there," Elias replied.
"Maria, aren't you moving back to Vienna once the summer is over?" Elsa asked. Georg turned towards her and narrowed his eyes. It would appear Elsa was trying to set Maria and Elias up. It was low, even for Elsa, considering Elias's notorious reputation as a playboy. Did Elsa really want to watch Maria fall into the clutches of such and unworthy man?
"I've thought about it. It depends where I get a job," she said, taking a sip of her water. Georg let himself relax a little. There was no set plan for Maria. Perhaps she would even stay in Salzburg. Georg could try and acquire her a job at one of the schools. Yes, Georg decided, he would look into it as soon as possible.
"Teaching, right?" Elias asked.
"Yes, I just finished my degree earlier this year," she replied. Elias smiled at her and Georg fought off an exasperated sigh. There was a look in Elias's eyes that Georg didn't trust one bit.
"Well, if you live in Vienna, maybe we'll run into each other," Elias told her. Georg groaned inwardly. The thought was enough to leave his stomach unsettled.
"Yes, maybe," she replied.
"Wouldn't that be nice," Elsa commented. Georg took a bite of his roast and tried to calm his seething nerves. He didn't like talking so far ahead in the future where Maria would no longer be around. It made him feel extremely unnerved. Though, he supposed it shouldn't upset him as it did. It was inevitable for her to leave. Even if she did stay in Salzburg, he wasn't certain he would see her very much, or even at all.
Georg took a sip of his wine, hoping it would settle him a little. But when he looked back towards Maria and saw Elias whispering in her ear, he felt more uneasy than before.
"Georg, maybe you should slow down with the drinking," he heard Max mutter near his ear.
"Why? I haven't had that much," Georg replied, keeping his eye on Maria.
"You've already had five glasses of whiskey before dinner. And your face is getting all red. The last thing you need is to have an outburst," Max said quietly. Georg looked over to his friend, forcing a weak smile on his face.
"I'm fine, Max," he replied. Max raised an eyebrow.
"Tell that to the jealous look on your face," Max replied. Georg froze and glanced towards Elsa. Luckily, she was engaged in a conversation with Zeller and the Meyers on her left and hadn't caught Max's words.
"Max, I'm not-."
"Save it. Just try and control yourself, please," Max said. Georg saw the knowing look in Max's eyes and wondered just how long Max had been able to see right through him. Perhaps Max had known long before Georg had.
Georg went back to eating his meal quietly. He kept his gaze rooted to his dinner, hoping to just make it through. Perhaps if he didn't look at Elias leering at Maria, he would be able to finish his dinner without losing his nerves. He began thinking of ways to get everyone out of his house as fast as possible. Maybe he could feign illness. He could claim a headache.
He really just wanted a few moments of peace, and most of all he wanted Elias gone. The way he kept whispering in Maria's ear was sickening. He knew the only thing on Elias's mind was how to bed her the quickest, and Georg felt ill at just the thought of it.
"You know, there's this really nice bar in Salzburg that I could take you to. I think you'd enjoy it," Georg heard Elias say to Maria. His utensils froze midair in his hands as he felt the blood begin to boil once again.
"I could take you tonight, if your boss can spare you," he said, looking in Georg's direction. Georg glanced up, not even trying to put on a polite smile. Was that snake really looking for Georg's permission to take Maria out on the town for god knows how long?
"I think Maria better stay here. She typically puts the children to bed," Georg said as neutrally as he could.
"I thought it was my day off," she said. He knew she was saying it in good nature by the way she let out a little chuckle, but Georg found he was too outraged to go along with it.
"Yes, well, the day is over," he muttered, taking another sip of wine. He saw Max visibly tense up beside him and Elsa tried to get his attention by placing a hand on his arm.
"Oh, come on, Georg, you can spare her for a night. I'll take care of her, I promise," Elias cooed. Georg shook his head.
"I've said no, that's my final word on it," he replied before draining his wine glass.
"Georg, you aren't her father, surely it would be fine for her to go out for a night," Elsa said from beside him, mustering a light laugh to try and dispel the tension. It didn't work.
"I'm not her father, but I'm her employer, her job is to look after my children. That's a full-time commitment. They might need her," he lied. He didn't know why he was fighting it. Everyone at the table had gone silent and was now looking between Georg and Elias. He knew he really had no justification, but he would be damned if he was going to let Elias take Maria anywhere to do anything unsavoury.
"Be reasonable, Georg. No harm will come to her," Elias quipped. Georg felt as if he were at the end of his rope as his skin began to prickle with heat.
"With your track record, I'm not sure about that," Georg muttered bitterly.
"Georg!" Elsa exclaimed from his side. He ignored her and kept his eyes locked on Elias's.
"I assure you, anything that I've done in the past is staying in the past," Elias said. Georg scoffed. What a likely story.
"Really? Why don't I believe you?" Georg asked. He could feel the tension building in the room. Twelve eyes were focused on him, but he kept his gaze firmly on Elias, as if challenging him to continue.
"Georg, maybe you should stop," Max muttered next to him. Georg ignored him and kept a death glare on Elias.
"Georg, really, it's unfair of you to hold my past mistakes against me. Besides, you haven't even asked the young lady what she wants," Elias replied evenly. Georg looked to Maria and saw her eyes downcast at her hands in her lap.
"I won't have you gallivanting around the town with my governess. That's all I have to say on the matter," Georg said firmly. His eyes were drawn back to Maria as she stood.
"Would you excuse me, please?" she said to the table. She received sympathetic nods. Maria cast a last look in Georg's direction and Georg's heart stopped. The hurt in her eyes was too much for him to bear. He knew he had made a mistake. He shouldn't have spoken for her, but the idea of her going off with the likes of Elias was sickening. He felt himself being torn down the middle with regret for upsetting Maria and anger towards Elias.
"I think it's time for us to get going. We told the sitter we'd be home soon," Mr. Meyer said. Others in the party awkwardly began to make their excuses as well as they began to get up from the table. Georg could barely hear them over the pounding of his own heart in his ears. He briefly heard Zeller's claim of needing to drive back to Vienna for a very important meeting in the morning.
He felt frozen in time as he contemplated what had just happened and the outburst he had just made. Hadn't he told himself he was going to be on his best behaviour for dinner? Well, that had gone straight to hell rather quickly. He was vaguely aware of Elsa getting up from beside him to walk the guests out.
"Elias, I'm so sorry, he's not usually like this," he could hear her say to Elias.
"It's fine, Elsa. I understand. I'll call you tomorrow," Elias said. There was no anger in his voice, and that made Georg more enraged. Elias obviously didn't understand what a self centered, womanizing rat he was, and why he needed to be kept far, far away from Maria's innocence.
Georg could see all the guests walking out as he stayed still in his seat, staring intently at his wine glass.
"Well, Georg," he heard Max mutter from beside him as the last of the guests left the room. "I don't think that could have gone much worse. Of course, unless you had planned to beat the man to a pulp."
Georg swallowed hard as he tried to keep his composure. He knew Max was right. The way he had acted was absurd. But could he be blamed? He didn't want Maria to get hurt by such a weasel who was undeserving of her. But ultimately, Georg feared that he had done much more damage.
"Really, did you need to cause such a scene? The man just wanted to take Maria out for drinks," Max spoke. Georg groaned.
"Max, you know him. That wouldn't have been all it was. I'm sorry if I don't like the idea of one of my employees running wild around the town at all hours of the night," Georg muttered as his fingers reached out to touch the crystal of his glass absentmindedly. Max scoffed.
"I doubt you would have had a problem with it if it were Mrs. Schmidt, or Franz for that matter," Max replied. Georg supposed that Max did have a point in that regard. He wouldn't have lifted a finger if Franz wanted to run wild around the town for a night.
"She's responsible for my children. It's different when children are involved," he argued weakly.
"You keep telling yourself that. You completely embarrassed Maria tonight, on her day off. Most of all, you embarrassed Elsa, and she's not one to just let something like that go," Max said. Georg sighed. He knew Max was right. Georg was sure to be hearing about it from Elsa, he just wasn't sure when.
"I know that, Max. I feel awful," Georg replied. A blanket of silence fell over the dining room as Max watched him skeptically. Georg avoided Max's gaze, fearing the disappointed look he would receive from his friend. Instead, Georg focused on the stem of his wine glass, rolling it between his thumb and pointer finger in an attempt to distract himself.
"Are you in love with her?" Max asked, breaking the silence. Georg snapped his head up and turned towards Max with bewildered eyes.
"With who?" he asked. He was pretty sure he knew who Max was referring to, but he didn't want to confront the question. He briefly wished for Max to be talking about Elsa. Somehow, Georg believed that would be the easier question to answer.
"Maria. Are you in love with Maria?" he asked simply. Georg groaned. No, Max would not be asking the simpler question.
"You're being ridiculous," Georg muttered weakly.
"Am I? because it seems that you're being the ridiculous one right now. You've barely said an entire sentence to Elsa before tonight and you seem to be spending an awful lot of time with Maria. Your entire demeanor changes when she walks in a room. Not to mention you were absurdly jealous when Elias asked her out for drinks," Max said. Georg cursed himself in that moment. Had he really been so obvious?
"I've told you that it's not like that," he replied, turning his attention back to his wine glass in hopes that Max would drop the subject entirely. Of course, this was Max he was talking to. The man never just dropped anything.
"And I believed you when you told me that. Well, I believed you for about five minutes. Your actions tonight have only justified my suspicions," Max said.
"What suspicions? There's nothing going on. I'm not having an unsavoury relationship with the governess," Georg growled.
"Those weren't my suspicions. I believe that there is nothing physical going on, I trust you on that, but mainly because Maria's not the type. But I don't believe that you just think of her as the governess," Max said, leaning forward to catch Georg's eyes. Georg looked up at Max and could see that Max had already seen right through him, likely from the start.
"I don't. She's much more than that. She's a friend," Georg replied weakly in one last futile attempt to bury any semblance of affection for Maria. Max let out a dry chuckle, obviously not buying it.
"Georg let me give you some advice; do try and be honest with yourself before someone gets hurt," Max said as he clapped Georg's shoulder. Georg frowned. Was he truly hurting Maria? He supposed he had earlier with his beastly behaviour. Most of all, he was probably hurting himself the most by not being honest with himself. But would it hurt more if he was honest with his feelings?
The sound of high heels against the marble floors brought both men's attention to the door. Elsa walked in, her face red and her eyes full of rage. Any hope that Elsa might have waited until the next day to reprimand him was lost. He knew she was about to tear him to shreds.
"I think this is my cue to leave. Good luck," Max said, removing himself from his seat and walking out of the room, leaving just Elsa and Georg in the room. Elsa made no hesitation to begin her verbal torture.
"Would you like to explain yourself?" Elsa asked, her voice surprisingly in control despite her appearance. Georg mustered up all the courage he could to give her a valid reason for his behaviour without being too honest.
"Look, Elsa, I'm sorry I ruined dinner. I just-," Elsa cut him short.
"Stop. I don't want anymore of your half assed excuses. I know there is something going on. I'm not stupid, Georg. I can see through this façade you have put on that you think is fooling everyone," she told him. Georg sighed.
"Nothing is going on," Georg replied with a weak shrug. Elsa walked over to where Max had been seated and fixed Georg with one of the coldest stares he had ever been on the receiving end of.
"Really? So, running Elias out of the house, upsetting the guests, and sending Maria flying up the stairs to her room were all just unintentional? You mean to tell me that there is nothing going on between you and Maria?" she asked, her volume rising enough for Georg to know she wasn't afraid of letting the entire house know of her accusations.
"I've said before that there's nothing going on," he replied weakly. Elsa huffed, shaking her head.
"Like hell there isn't. I'm not blind. The way you look at her and the way you talk to her does not support your claim in the slightest. I'll ask again, is there something going on between you and Maria?" she asked again, staring Georg down. Georg felt his face heat at the scrutiny he was under.
"No! There isn't. We're friends but it hasn't gone any further than that," he replied. He was being truthful for the most part. They really hadn't gone beyond anything but friendly conversation. He didn't believe it was necessary to inform Elsa of the events that occurred months ago. He believed it would only hurt every party involved, especially Maria.
"I'm finding it extremely difficult to believe you, Georg. You wouldn't even let her go out to drinks with another man," she stated.
"I was being honest when I said the children might need her. And for god's sake Elsa, you know Elias, he's a womanizing snake. I didn't want Maria to go through his cruelty," he said, feeling his nerves unravel more and more with each passing moment.
"You didn't want her going through that because you feel like she's your responsibility while she lives under your roof, or because you've developed feelings for her? Those are very different things, and I suggest you think carefully about the answer, because I don't take kindly to being lied to repeatedly," she said. Georg wanted the earth to swallow him whole in that moment.
He made no move to answer. He knew Elsa wouldn't believe him if he tried to assure her with a calculated answer, but he certainly couldn't admit to having feelings for Maria. Especially because he hadn't even completely confronted those feelings himself.
"I see," Elsa said finally, once she realized Georg wasn't going to answer her. She looked to the floor for a moment and he could see her thinking. He was almost afraid to find out what she was conjuring up behind those enraged eyes. When she looked back up at him, he was surprised to see the anger had faded. He couldn't read her now; she had set her face into a stony neutrality.
"I got a call this morning. My aunt suffered a heart attack last night. She's in critical condition. I'm going to go speak to Max, and we are going to leave for Vienna in the morning. I'll stay there until my aunt is more stable, and then we'll come back. I hope by then, you'll have sorted out whatever you've been struggling with, and we can move on," she said. Georg felt his heart sink. He had been incredibly nasty when Elsa was going through something upsetting. He truly had been a terrible beast. He hadn't thought of anyone besides himself really.
"I'm sorry about your aunt, Elsa," he told her. Elsa nodded.
"Thank you. Just take the time to focus on what it is you really want, Georg, because I'm tired of this game you're playing," she said in a warning tone. Georg nodded his head slightly, feeling a wave of regret wash over him for the way he had treated Elsa. He should have known she wouldn't stand idly by while he all but ignored her.
"I'll call you once we get to Vienna," she told him before walking towards the door. Georg stayed in spot and stared at the place where she had just been standing, feeling mentally drained from the evening.
"Oh, and Georg," Elsa said from the doorway. Georg turned his head in her direction. "I would think very carefully about what you want. Every choice has a consequence."
With that, she left Georg to decipher her last words of warning. He slumped back into his chair and stared at the dinner table, still full of plates and cutlery. Elsa's warning rang clear in his ears as he tried to break it down. Did she mean he had to choose between her and Maria? Or did she mean he had to make a choice between committing to Elsa or not? He could break down several different choices she might want him to make, but frankly, his mind was exhausted and clouded from a mixture of whiskey and wine.
His eyes landed on the seat that had been occupied by Maria earlier. He wondered where she was. Did she go to her room? Did she go to see the children? Was she upset? Had he ruined their friendship? Questions whizzed through his mind. He certainly hadn't intended to make her upset. His actions had come with good intentions, or so he told himself. Would she have really been happier going out with Elias only to get her heart broken when he stole her virtue and left her the next morning?
Of course, he thought, that hadn't been purely his motive. He supposed Max had been right when he accused Georg of being jealous. The image of her in any man's arms didn't sit well with him at all. But was that justification for speaking so brashly? Especially in front of a group of people who were almost all strangers to her?
He did regret his actions. He regretted causing any hurt to Maria, at least. He knew he had to rectify it. He checked the time. It was quarter to nine. He could go and talk to her right then, but would that do either of them any good? He needed to think before he spoke to her. He had always thought himself of a rather analytical mind. He liked plans and he typically thought logically. Earlier, however, he had spoken without really thinking about how his words would affect her. This time, he needed to think clearly and decide on what he would say to her, to avoid as much pain as possible for both of them.
He stood from his seat. He could go to his study and plan the best way to go about the conversation. He knew he needed to apologize to her. He knew he had to make things right. He was determined to fix the mess he made with as little damage to the both of them as he could.
He decided he would speak to her in the morning and make sure he made everything right between them again. And, he decided, he would attempt to have his feelings buried by then.
A/N: I am so sorry for the longer wait on this chapter. I had obligations and then I fell rather ill last weekend. In fact, a big chunk of this was written during a fever induced haze, so apologies. I've tried to clear this chapter up a bit, as it made no sense whatsoever in its early draft, but I must confess that I'm still a bit under the weather (and still very much taking flu medication to which I'm not sure if it has affected my writing).
I also wanted to add more Zeller and other interactions with the other guests. I actually had a little more interaction between Georg and other guests in the original draft, but it ended up being something upwards of 15k by the end. I thought that was just ridiculously long (apparently that's my limit). I ultimately had to make cuts and that was the first to go because most of the other parts I felt were needed for the plot and Georg's overall character, especially when it comes to future chapters. But don't worry! (or maybe do worry) We have not seen the last of Zeller yet.
We're embarking on some pretty tense territory in this chapter and in the next chapter as well. I've been extremely excited for the next chapter for a very long time. I hope you guys are ready for it.
Your reviews, once again, have been incredibly lovely to read. Seriously, I read them and blush a little. Thank you to everyone who has read this wild ride of a story, and I appreciate every favourite and follow. I'll try not to take as much time on the next chapter.