Maria almost ran out the back door, the children had to spent some 'quality
time' with their father. This just meant they had to read and be silent
for half an hour. This gave Maria some time to herself.
'Oh my lord !' She thought. 'What did I do to be placed in such a family?'
Maria had always loved working with children, and she knew that children
would try out new governesses. She had prepared herself for that, but
these children were the top! The eldest daughter had been pretty harsh
with saying she didn't need a governess. Maybe she was right. She already
was sixteen, but what bothered Maria was that Liesl hadn't given her a
chance. And the other children. What had the previous governesses done to
these children? Friedrich didn't seem to have a high self-esteem, and
Louisa was very cheeky for a 13 year old. The youngest boy, was very
polite, but you could probably tell him anything and he would still believe
you. Brigitta was honest, but she also said anything, even things you
didn't want to hear. 'Is my dress that ugly?' Maria thought. 'Well, they
have to do with that dress for a little longer. I don't have any other
dress.' And the two youngest girls were just adorable.
Maria looked around to see if there was a place where the kids could play. Tomorrow she had to keep the kids busy. If the weather was as great as it was today they could play in the garden, so she wanted to find out if they already had a spot where they normally came. Maria couldn't find it and sat down at a stone bench near a flowerbed filled with pretty roses.
Maria thought about how she could get to the children. How could she convince them she was not like their previous governesses? 'What can I do to show them?' Maria thought outloud. When she was younger and still living with her uncle she would once in a while babysit the young children of their neighbours. The first time she had done that she had been nervous too. 'What did I do to make them feel at ease?' Maria couldn't remember she just had been herself; joyous, calm and full of music. What she had seen in this family was nothing like that. Maria had brought her guitar, but she didn't know if the captain would let her use it. By how he acted towards his own children, she was too afraid to go and ask him. Maybe she could take the children to a place far away from their father, but to do that she had to get their trust and most important, the captain's trust. She couldn't just walk up to him and tell him that she was going to teach the children some music. Or worse, take them on an outing away from the villa. No that was out of the question right now.
Suddenly she felt a cold breeze through her short hair. She decided to go inside and rest. Tomorrow it would be a long and hard day. The best thing to do was get a goodnight's sleep. Maria walked back up to the house. She said goodnight to Franz who was watering the plants. He said a soft 'goodnight' back but he didn't pay much attention to the new governess. She entered the house and walked up the stairs. Now if she could remember the way up to her room. It was up the stairs on the left side of the house, where all the servants had their rooms. Then she had to take another turn, now to her right. There was a small hallway. At the end of that hallway was her room, it was twice maybe three times as large as her cel she had had in the abbey.
She entered her room and took her bag from the bed. She put her few personal belongings in the closet, took her nightgown with her to the bathroom and cleaned herself up and changed into her nightgown. Maria noticed how tired she was. She kneeled next to her bed and started praying....
Maria looked around to see if there was a place where the kids could play. Tomorrow she had to keep the kids busy. If the weather was as great as it was today they could play in the garden, so she wanted to find out if they already had a spot where they normally came. Maria couldn't find it and sat down at a stone bench near a flowerbed filled with pretty roses.
Maria thought about how she could get to the children. How could she convince them she was not like their previous governesses? 'What can I do to show them?' Maria thought outloud. When she was younger and still living with her uncle she would once in a while babysit the young children of their neighbours. The first time she had done that she had been nervous too. 'What did I do to make them feel at ease?' Maria couldn't remember she just had been herself; joyous, calm and full of music. What she had seen in this family was nothing like that. Maria had brought her guitar, but she didn't know if the captain would let her use it. By how he acted towards his own children, she was too afraid to go and ask him. Maybe she could take the children to a place far away from their father, but to do that she had to get their trust and most important, the captain's trust. She couldn't just walk up to him and tell him that she was going to teach the children some music. Or worse, take them on an outing away from the villa. No that was out of the question right now.
Suddenly she felt a cold breeze through her short hair. She decided to go inside and rest. Tomorrow it would be a long and hard day. The best thing to do was get a goodnight's sleep. Maria walked back up to the house. She said goodnight to Franz who was watering the plants. He said a soft 'goodnight' back but he didn't pay much attention to the new governess. She entered the house and walked up the stairs. Now if she could remember the way up to her room. It was up the stairs on the left side of the house, where all the servants had their rooms. Then she had to take another turn, now to her right. There was a small hallway. At the end of that hallway was her room, it was twice maybe three times as large as her cel she had had in the abbey.
She entered her room and took her bag from the bed. She put her few personal belongings in the closet, took her nightgown with her to the bathroom and cleaned herself up and changed into her nightgown. Maria noticed how tired she was. She kneeled next to her bed and started praying....