Chapter 2:

"Liesl?" Gretl asked as she helped her into her dress.

"Hmm?"

"What is going to happen?"

"What do you mean?" Liesl asked, though slightly distracted, as she zipped the back of the little girl's dress.

"I mean," she turned around and looked at her sister, who was knelt on the ground at her level. Liesl couldn't help but smile at the girl's seriousness as she placed her hands on her eldest sister's shoulders. "I mean that Marta said that Father and Fraulein Maria were real close, like in love people. Are they?"

Liesl again smiled. She had noticed the looks between them, and how Fraulein always seemed to blush when they were close. She had also noticed the vulnerability in her father's eyes, that she hadn't seen in a long time although he seemed perfectly confidant and emotionless towards the baroness.

"I guess we will just have to wait and see what they tell us, right?" she replied, tapping the end of the girl's nose with her finger, before standing up to do her hair. She picked up her brush and began to absentmindedly comb the tangles out.

Liesl wrote in her leather bound diary about the exciting day, and all that it had contained, while sitting up on her bed over the covers, while dressed in her nightgown, when she heard a knock on the door. After placing a ribbon in the book to mark her spot, and setting it on her bedside table, she called to the mysterious person on the other side of the door.

"Come in?"

Friedrich, looking very cautious and sneaky, opened the girl's bedroom door just enough to slid in, and closed it immediately behind him.

"Friedrich? What is it? Is something the matter?" she asked, a bit worried, as she pulled her legs over the side of the bed and sat upright. Liesl and her brother talked often after the younger ones had gone to bed, for they were closest in age, but he looked awfully worried tonight.

"Oh," he began, letting out a small laugh, seeing the worried look on his sister's face. "It's nothing, I just didn't want any of the party guests to see me."

Liesl smiled and gestured toward the empty space on the bed next to her, and he sat down.

"So did you see Father and Fraulein Maria tonight?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes!" Liesl exclaimed, a little too loudly, and cupped her hand over her mouth. "Yes," she repeated, in a quieter tone. "I thought that they were going to kiss!" Friedrich nodded furiously.

"I did as well! I was surprised when Father went to dance with her. I know we have talked about our suspicions about them, but tonight..." the boy paused, and Liesl quickly filled in for him.

"Tonight confirmed it!" She grinned.

"Right." he said with a laugh.

"Liesl, are you going to do my hair now?" Marta's voice broke her thoughts.

"Yes." She laughed. "Why don't you tell me exactly what you saw Father and Fraulein Maria doing, hmm?"

"Okay!"


Standing on the back patio, with her hands on the railing, Maria was lost in thought. She was still slightly worried about being accepted into the family as a mother. She had been worried when she first arrived about being accepted as a governess, but this was different. She loved each one of the children for different and wonderful reasons, and the thought of them being her own thrilled her. Mostly though, she loved Georg, and she wanted there to be little or no conflict with their relationship.

Just as her thoughts had turned to him, she felt his arms wrap around her waist from behind.

"My beautiful," he kissed the back of her hair. "Lovely," he kissed her cheek. "Amazing," he kissed her lips. "Maria." At this, she couldn't help but forget all of her worries. She grinned wide, but realizing her worried look before he had approached her, he asked, "What's on your mind, darling?"

"Oh, just curious about the children's reactions, I suppose."

"Maria, Maria. They adore you." He smiled at her. "I adore you. How could I not?"

Her cheeks turned pink, just as they heard 14 little footsteps rushing down the stairs, full of excited chatter. They smiled at each other and walked inside, hand in hand.


Thank you to everyone who has left reviews! They mean so much to me!