Dessert was being placed on the table when the butler walked into the dinning room with a telegram for Captain Von Trapp. The butler as usual, his nose in the air and with pride in each of his steps and handed the telegram to captain Von Trapp. Eliza watched the man and came to realize that she didn't trust him at all.
"A telegram for you sir," announced the butler behind the Captain's chair and handing him the squarely folded paper. The Captain grabbed it and opened it quickly. He glanced over it, his facial expression was none existent, and so Eliza couldn't tell if the telegram brought bad or good news. Folding the paper back together he set it on the table and began to think how he was going to tell his children what was in the telegram.
"I will be going to Vienna in the morning," spit out the Captain and he just went back to eating his dessert. The dessert was some sort of chocolate cake with a vanilla cream and he found it to be curiously good. The children began to protest to his leaving, he had already been gone for two weeks out of the month so far and he was only home for about three days last month. It was almost as if he preferred to be away from the house than to be anywhere nears it. With another stern look from their father they each quickly closed their mouths and went back to their desserts.
"How long will you be gone for this time father?" asked Gretl as she gave her father a concerned look. She hated it when her father left; there was no one in the house to pay attention to her when he was gone. This wasn't totally true, because her brothers and sisters took care of her very well, and her new nanny adored her already.
"I don't know, Gretl," said the Captain sounding somewhat cold.
"Are you going to go see Baroness Lawrence again?" chimed in Louisa.
"As a matter of fact I am, Louisa."
"When are we going to get to meet her?" asked Liesl.
"Why would she want to see you?" snarled Friedrich
"Well, as a matter of fact you all shall meet her, I'm bringing her back with me and…" pausing to cause suspense for his children "… and Uncle Max."
Each of the children had a large smile on their faces, showing all their teeth, and a few even echoed their father and shouting out "Uncle Max". Eliza looked around the table and smiled along with the children even though she knew not of anyone the Captain had mentioned. She glanced towards her daughter who, too, had on a smile of utter confusion. They had both expected an explanation of the two people, Baroness Lawrence and Uncle Max, but they did no receive one.
When dinner was over all the children were dressed in their pajamas and unwilling in their beds, even Julia. The only child that could not be found after dinner was the eldest daughter, the one who claimed she needn't a governess. Eliza had correct inclination that the girl was wondering the rounds with the young boy who had delivered the telegram. The girl had inquired about him to the butler, who had answered the door when it rang, if it had indeed been the one to deliver the telegram. It appeared to no one but Eliza that the girl had been excused only to go see the boy.
Captain Von Trapp hardly noticed his daughter missing. From time to time he would sneak a peak at the clock and then he would go back to reading his book. He wasn't very interested in his book. Partly because he could hardly concentrate on the words on the pages, his mind would explore the possibilities of Eliza. He had figured her to be soft and malleable, but she had turned out to be firm yet sweet, He found her personality strange, but captivating. He couldn't keep his mind off of her, he tried to think about the Baroness, but she was nothing compared to Eliza he couldn't help thinking.
Upstairs, Eliza was having the same problem. She had received cloth to make some dresses for herself from Frau Schmidt. Eliza had received so new from the old women that the Captain could be gone for up to three months at a time while visiting the Baroness, but she figured this visit to be shorter since he was planning to bring her back home with him. The women also suspected a chance for the two to be married, that he was bringing her to see how she can handle to children. Eliza repeatedly pricked her fingers with the pins as her mind raced about the Captain and her dream. She had to place her fabric down for the night, she was afraid of getting it all red from her finger pricking.
Eliza was on her knees praying for the children and in hopes that they find happiness with their new mother. As she was starting to end her prayers she saw a girl, from the corner of her eye, walking slowly past her and to the door.
"And God…" stated Eliza out loud, "Please help Liesl to realize that I won't to be her friend and that she can talk to me."
"Your not going to tell on me, are you?" interrupted the girl.
"Shh…" was Eliza's response "… in the name of the father, the son and the Holy Ghost, Amen."
"You won't tell father will you?" The girl asked again.
Eliza smiled as she looked at the girl up and down, she was drenched and dirty. She got up to close then window, she looked down and asked, "How on earth did you get up here?"
"It's how we always get up here to play tricks on the governesses. Louisa, can make it up with a whole jar of spiders in her hands!" The girl smiled. Eliza gasped but then gained back her composure. "You won't tell father will you?" The girl asked once more.
"Were you out there all by your self?" asked Eliza. The girl shook her head yes, but then slowly shook her head no when she realized that she couldn't lie to this woman. "Here, you can put on these…" Eliza walked over to her dresser and pulled out a white night gown for Liesl to put on . "When you change we can have a nice long talk."
"Remember how I said I didn't need a governess?" The girl grinned. "Well, maybe I do!" She turned around and went into the bathroom to change.
Eliza was proud of her self for how she handled the whole situation and she walked over to her bed to wait for Liesl. She glanced at her bed and then remembered what the girl had said about Louisa and the whole jar of spiders. Eliza flung the covers and looked at her mattress, nothing was there, she then went to the end of the bed and peaked under the covers again, nothing was there. She laughed at her self as she tucked her covers back in.
