Thanks again for all the reviews.

Sidenote: I finally watched Julie's performance in Duet for One and all I've got to say is 'Wow'. She gave such a powerful tour de force; it's a pity she didn't go on acting in such wonderful drama roles. Anyway, part of my life is complete after watching that film.

Now then, on with the story.

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Chapter 6

The door closed behind him with a dry click. Maria stared at the empty door, motionless. Just staring. She felt numb, she didn't know exactly what had just happened. Slowly, she sank into a chair, silent tears coursing in flowing rivers down her face. She didn't know how long she sat there, but all at once, she suddenly jerked up, gathered her things and left to return to school as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The fire had finally sputtered out, leaving the room cold and pale in the dim afternoon light.

"Georg, darling, I was getting worried. Caught in the rain? It's quite late." Elsa peered at him sympathetically.

Georg nodded noncommittally, muttered something about being tired, and trundled upstairs.

Elsa watched him go up, his shoulders sagging as if from an unseen weight. She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully and pondered. Something was definitely changed about him, ever since Maria had left. The Baroness paced about the quiet house, thinking.

In the calm of his room, Georg slumped onto his bed, utterly depressed. He felt like such an idiot. How could he make her understand?

Then there was the question of Elsa. He practically owed her his sanity. She had brought him back to life after the death of his first wife. She was the woman who dug him out of the deepening abyss he had sequestered himself into. Perhaps Maria was right, he was being dishonorable. He pondered the situation in his mind. True, he had made a commitment to Elsa, a promise he believed quite favorable at the time, until he sighted Maria again that day in the market. That fateful day, Georg's glittering future with a perfect hostess of a wife was altogether thrown in jeopardy once more. Just that brief vision of Maria had been enough to make him doubt his impending marriage when he had once been so adamant and confident about his decision. His thoughts drifted once more back to their meeting; it seemed like the event had occurred ages ago...

He had kissed her. It had almost been a reflex, his body had no choice but to do it. He felt like he would explode if he didn't kiss her right there. And when their lips made contact, Georg felt he had forged a connection between them that would never be broken. He had held her so tightly, and she had kissed him back. What was more, she had even invited him to kiss her again. Did she mean what she said? Or was it merely the shock of being kissed by a rain-drenched sea captain in the middle of her kitchen? He sighed and massaged his temples. One thing was certain thought: he loved her. There was no doubt about that. The scent of her golden hair, the feel of her soft body encircled by his arms, the texture of her lips pressed against his – it was...perfection.

He stood up and willed himself into the shower before dinner, feeling thoroughly miserable.

Elsa sat at the dining table, awaiting Georg for dinner. She rested her head elegantly on her folded hands, propped up by her elbows. These few weeks with Georg had been wonderful. She truly cared for him. She had asked herself repeatedly 'Do you love him?' and the answer was always a resounding 'Yes'. Easy question. Of course she loved him. But, she had to admit, she was not in love with him. And there was a world of difference in that seemingly insignificant little preposition. And he had seemed so miserable these days. Smiling at her own understanding, Elsa finally knew why. Though she was not in love, he certainly was. In a way, she felt happy for him. Such a good man deserved a fulfilling love in his life. And Maria was indeed a lovely girl, warm, sincere, and the children loved her. In Vienna, it was always just Georg and she, without the children. Every time he brought her back to the villa, he had always seemed so distant with the children, who had never taken a shine to her in the first place. But this time was different. And Maria had made the difference, she was sure. They truly looked like a family, and Elsa couldn't bring herself to break that beautiful relationship.

So, the Baroness had made up her mind. She would break the engagement, and she would tell him at dinner.

She heard footsteps and looked up expectantly, but it was Franz. "Good evening, Baroness. The Captain would like you to know that he is feeling ill and cannot join you at dinner. He sends he apologies."

"Oh I see. Thank you, Franz." She furrowed her brow in thought. "Oh Franz, will you please tell the cook to hold dinner a while?"

"Very good, Baroness."

"Thank you."

Feeling ill? Nonsense. Something had certainly happened today; that was no 'old friend' he was visiting today. He must have gone to see Maria. She stood up and proceeded up the stairs. Well, if she was to end his suffering, she may as well do it sooner than later.

A knock sounded at his door. Georg opened his bleary eyes and said, "Come in." It was Elsa. She opened to door to find his tired form lying on the bed, eyes closed in the hopes of drifting off to sleep.

"Hello Georg."

"Elsa, I'm terribly sorry about dinner, I'm just not feeling very well. Please excuse me."

"Georg, what if I said I could make you feel ten times better right now?" She smiled playfully at him.

Georg glanced at her. What did she mean?

"Oh Elsa, I'm just so tired. Can't it wait till morning?"

"Georg, I'm talking about your visit to Maria this afternoon."

Georg's eyes snapped open. "My visit – you...you knew?"

"I guessed. And please darling, before you say anything, let me speak first. As lovely as these few weeks with you have been, I cannot deny the fact that I am simply not in love with you. Oh I love you dearly, that's for certain. And I will treasure the time I've spent with you forever. But let's face it, love, if we get married we'll both to miserable. I'll be miserable because I won't be in love with my husband and his children won't love me and you'll be miserable because you're in love with a different woman."

Georg opened his mouth to speak but Elsa pressed a finger to his lips. "No please Georg, hear me out, that's all I ask."

She continued with a kind smile on her face. "Now don't think for a moment that I'm sacrificing anything here. Don't you go about feeling dishonorable or that you didn't live up to some sort of promise you made me. Just consider me a friend to whom you owe nothing. I mean what are friends for if they can't help you in times of need? I don't want our relationship to change, for I do love you Georg, I really do. But I can't bear to see you like this. You are a good man and you deserve better than this. So let's not go on keeping each other miserable shall we? What's the use in that?" She laughed. "What I'm trying to say is this, I don't think we should be married, Georg."

Georg gazed at her, speechless, with a look of deepest gratitude. "Elsa, I honestly don't know what to say." He examined her smiling face closely. "You know, Elsa, you are an amazing woman. Whomever you find happiness with is a lucky man indeed. Really though," he smiled guiltily, "Was I really that transparent?"

She laughed, "No darling, I just know you too well." He joined in her laughter.

"Now Georg, I want you to go see Maria tonight. There's no point in prolonging the girl's pain. Lord knows we've caused her enough, don't you agree?" She frowned. "On second thought, you'd better let me go see her first. Otherwise she may think you're the one who broke the engagement and that you're doing me a horrible wrong, which might I add is certainly not the case."

Georg looked grateful, "Well, it certainly seems like that at times. But thank you for offering to see her. Still, I – I think I'd better go alone."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Elsa. You've already done so much for me. I owe you...everything."

She laughed and brushed the air with her hand, "Nonsense Georg, the only thing you owe me now is a wedding invitation!"

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I've always felt the movie portrayed the Baroness a bit too harshly, but really I think she was a good woman at heart. Comment? Criticisms? Tomatoes flying through the air and smashing my computer screen? All are welcome...well maybe not the tomotoes.