Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews! I haven't exactly planned out what's going to happen in this chapter, so, umm...if my thoughts seem a bit disjointed, you know why.
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Chapter 2
He almost thought his ears had heard wrong. She'd left the convent. She didn't want to be a nun. Why would she have missed her life at the abbey so much that she'd leave him and the children, only to quit that life and strike out on her own? Why? He didn't understand it. But he knew one thing, he simply had to see her again and extract the truth from her. He couldn't live on like this, wondering and guessing. If not to confirm any feelings between them, then only to reassure himself that his thinking about her was purely for platonic reasons, like old friends worrying about each other. That was it, he told himself, he had been her employer and simply wanted to know if she was doing alright for herself. Nothing more. It couldn't be anything more. His heart couldn't take it.
"Elsa, I've just received a telegram. An old friend from the Navy is in town and has requested my presence at lunch tomorrow. He's only passing through. I'm afraid I'll have to go as a gesture of courtesy. You don't mind if I'm not with you for a few hours, do you?" He looked at her expectantly, hoping against hope that his face didn't look too guilty.
"An old friend? Oh, Georg of course not. You enjoy your luncheon tomorrow. I've got some phone calls to make anyway."
There was no old friend from the Navy, of course. Georg ran through his plan during the car ride to town. He would first pay a visit to the Mother Abbess, since he had no clue where she lived or worked; the Reverend Mother would surely know. It was Friday so she would most likely be teaching at school. That was fine; he would catch her at her lunch break and offer to take her somewhere in order to talk things out. And he was lost in thoughts of what to say to her as his car rushed down the tree-lined road, a gray breeze threatening rain sweeping over the tops of the foliage.
He stopped before the imposing bricks of Nuremberg Abbey and rang the doorbell. Shifting his weight nervously, he smoothed down his shirt and hair, wondering if he looked presentable. Soon, a somberly dressed Sister came to the door, "Sir? How may I help you?"
"Ah, good morning, my name is Captain Von Trapp. May I speak with the Reverend Mother, please?"
The older woman inclined her head obligingly and undid the lock. "Of course, Captain, please come in."
She led him into the stone courtyard. He suddenly felt as though he were intruding upon a very sacred place, which, he supposed, he was. He had known the Reverend Mother a long time and had always respected her advice and opinion. He followed the Sister silently through still corridors until they reached an enormous carved-wood door, stained a deep shade of red throughout the years.
"Wait here, please." She went in alone and left him outside.
Captain Von Trapp took a deep breath. He didn't know what the Reverend Mother would ask him. Knowing her sagacity, she would know exactly the reason he came. And she would smile at him knowingly and her eyes would twinkle at him in their annoying way, and she would know exactly what he wanted to ask her. A man had no secrets under the penetrating gaze of the Reverend Mother.
"Captain, you may go in."
He bowed slightly to the retreating back of the Sister and muttered a grateful 'thank you', took a deep breath, straightened his clothing once more, and stepped inside.
Her office was just as he remembered it. A soft light streamed through the windows behind her desk; the religious icons around the room seemed to be watching him warily. The room was infused with a sense of solemnity. It was tangible in the air. A small child full of bubbling energy would've been instantly quieted had he entered this room. He closed the door quietly behind him.
"Hello, Reverend Mother. How do you do?" He bowed respectfully.
"Good morning, Captain."
She sat at her desk, sunlight streaming behind her and spilling onto the floor, and looked at him expectantly.
"Ahh, Reverend Mother, I'm sure you're very busy, so I won't take more of your time than needed. I came today to inquire after Fraulein Maria...uh, well, just Maria now." He winced inwardly; he didn't even know her last name. He'd never thought to ask.
"Maria?" she raised her eyebrows, "What would you like to know?"
"Well, I understand she's left the abbey."
The Reverend Mother donned a look of surprise.
"I...uhh...met her two days ago at the marketplace, and she told me," he mumbled quickly, seeing the look on the older woman's face.
"You met her? Oh I see." She leaned toward him, the tips of her fingers touching.
"Uhh...well, she – ah – hurried off rather quickly, before I could properly speak with her. I was in town today on some business and thought perhaps I'd...have lunch with her and...catch up. Do you – you wouldn't possibly know where she resides now, would you?"
He chanced a glance at her after he spilled all this out. Oh damn, he thought, there was that twinkle again; she'd seen through him. The Reverend Mother leaned back in her chair and smiled graciously at the younger Captain.
"Of course I know, Captain. However, I'm afraid she's working right now."
"Oh yes, I know, I'll catch her when the school has lunch break," he said quickly. She didn't look surprised this time. "Oh, uhh...she told me you'd arranged for her a teaching position. I only – wanted to ask her how she's doing... She left so...so soon the other day. I just wanted to – to see her," he finished lamely.
"Captain, I wanted to congratulate you on your engagement to the Baroness Schraeder."
"What? Oh yes, thank you very much." But he looked positively miserable, a look that did not go unnoticed by the Reverend Mother.
"Captain, may I offer you a small piece of advice? Don't do anything...stupid."
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Aww, the poor Captain, having his brain dissected by the wise Reverend Mother. The movie always left the Captain's character lacking, I think. I mean, you can only put so much in 3 hours right? Hah...I hope this delved into his character a little more.