Here is the chapter you've all been waiting for! I loved writing it and I hope you love reading it. It's kind of long but I didn't want to split it into two chapters.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Sound of Music, Maria, Georg, the Baroness, the real von Trapp's or any of the other brilliant Rogers and Hammerstein characters.
Elsa:
Elsa did her duty in wishing the oldest von Trapp boy good luck before joining the real party in the ballroom. Maria was quite smart in arranging the party as so the interaction between the older and younger guests was made less awkward by the music and dancing. Elsa assumed a position leaning on the black piano near the doors exiting to the terrace. She was there when she saw Charles Jackson walk through the door. He looked very handsome, as handsome as Elsa had ever seen him. She felt a pang of guilt for treating him so rudely the last time she saw him the night of Katrina's birth.
He boldly marched across the room to the opposite corner of Elsa and began talking to a pretty young girl. Elsa watched with more than a little jealously when she noticed Charles was flirting with the child. Time went by at soon Friedrich and his parents entered the ballroom. Maria left the arm of Georg and approached Elsa, but Elsa hardly noticed as her eyes never left Charles.
"Hello, Elsa," Maria said and was cut off before she could say anything else.
"Can you believe his manners?" Elsa asked, "That girl is young enough to be his daughter."
Elsa saw Friedrich approach Charles and the girl on the opposite side of the room. Friedrich bowed and the girl nodded and he swept her off onto the dance floor. Charles looked over then, and Elsa knew he had spotted her. As he walked towards her his heavy presence seemed to grow larger and larger.
"Elsa," Charles said with a slight bow when he reached them, "Madame von Trapp." Elsa tapped her cane a few times.
"How many times must I insist you call me Baroness Schraeder?" Elsa demanded more than a little fatigued at his familiarity with her.
"My apologies," he replied, "It seems my mind was else where." Charles sent a look in the direction of the young girl dancing with Friedrich.
"You should be ashamed," Elsa cooed.
"Now, Elsa," Maria jumped in, "There is no reason to get upset. Amy is the daughter of Charley's foreman. He introduced her to Friedrich and the two have gotten on splendidly."
Elsa was a little embarrassed by her behavior but hid her emotions with another insult directed at Charles.
"With Americans one can never be sure," she replied, smiling at Maria as she spoke.
"I hope everything is well, Elsa," Charles began, in a voice only loud enough for Elsa and Maria to hear, "The last time I saw you was the night of Katrina's birth and you seemed very upset. No doubt Aunt Rose was right when she said you had never fully recovered from the death of your own child."
For an instant Elsa thought her heart had stopped beating. Charles had known about that? He had known for years and years and never said anything? Her humiliation and confusion were too complicated to deal with so she did the only logical thing she knew how. She turned them both into anger. Anger was by far the easiest emotion to come by especially when dealing with Charles Jackson.
"How dare you bring that up," Elsa hissed, low and deep in her throat. She was more infuriated at Charles than she ever had been. The music had stopped and everyone on the dance floor was clapping. Elsa seized the moment to make her way toward the exit door across the dance floor. Nothing could make her stay now. Nothing.
"Baroness Schraeder," Charles called after her, so loud that everyone stopped clapping and turned to listen in on the conversation. "I would ask you to dance but I wouldn't want to hurt your pride."
Elsa could feel her face turning red as she heard members of the party gasp. She turned around, in the face of public humiliation and met the eyes of her opponent. Else could feel everyone's silence gazes on her.
"Even if I could dance," Elsa retorted coolly, "you would only ever by an onlooker." The eyes in the room shifted back to Charles who stood up a little straighter and seemed eager to face Elsa's insult challenge.
"Well," Charles mused, "I suppose the next best thing to dancing with you is looking at you." Laughter filled the air as all eyes were again on Elsa who was outraged that Charles was able to insult and compliment her at the same time. That was a talent she had yet to master. When the chuckles at Charles' comment died down Elsa spoke.
"Oh, Charles," Elsa laughed mockingly, "Must you be so obvious? Everyone here already knows you are in love with me." More laughter and a few gasps ensued but Charles face dropped into a scowl.
Save for one time, Elsa had never before feared the look in Charles' eyes. The night of the party when she made a joke out of marrying him he had looked at her as he did now. The hard muscles of his body tensed and his defined brow grew even deeper as his eyes turned unnaturally stone.
Under Charles stare Elsa was beginning to feel a little foolish for what she had said. Why had she said it? She didn't want to hurt Charles.
No, that wasn't true. She did want to hurt him because merely looking at him and being near him was too much for her to bear. She realized then how foolish she had been. She loved Charles all along. She loved him. She loved him. She loved him. Oh, how good it felt to finally admit it to herself; to not be afraid to say it in her mind.
Charles took a few long strides toward her.
"Perhaps we need to cool that hot temper of yours, Madame," Charles said and Elsa felt herself being lifted into the air and over Charles' shoulder.
She held onto her cane and tried futilely to swat him good and hard with it. All she could see was the ground below and the heels of Charles' shoes. From the laughter following them she guessed all of the guests had followed them outside. Had the situation not been so humiliating Elsa might have laughed herself.
Elsa heard the hollow sound of Charles shoes on the wooden dock that extended out into the lake. The next thing she knew she was flying through the air until she hit the water and was completely drenched. She held onto her cane and kicked her legs out to stay afloat. Her uninjured leg had more than enough force to keep her afloat. When she pushed her wet blond hair away from her eyes she looked up to see Charles laughing so hard he was nearly doubled over. The rest of the guests were laughing just as hard, although Maria was merely smiling a little awkwardly.
"I think this is the best you have ever looked Madame Baroness," Charles said with an exaggerated an insulting bow.
The guests laughed even harder. Charles turned and walked back to the party, the rest of the guests following him with laughter filling the air. Elsa swam the short distance to shore and with her cane navigated the wet bank out of the water. Her elegant off the shoulder black evening gown was completely ruined but she didn't care. She loved him. She loved him. She loved him.
She felt a hand on her elbow as the wet material weighed her down.
"Are you alright," Maria asked when Elsa was back on the garden path.
"Only my pride is hurt," she told Maria flatly. Maria led the Baroness around the house to avoid the ballroom and up to the guest bedroom.
"There are clean clothes in the closet there," Maria said pointing and then left.
Elsa quickly stepped out of the wet dress and wrapped herself in a warm white robe she found hanging in the closet. She was rummaging through the draws of pants and blouses when she heard a knock at the door.
"It's me," Charles said.
Elsa did not think twice about her actions next. She scooped up the heavy mass of wet cloth, opened the door and hurled her dress at Charles' face. Unfortunately the dress, although still wet, did not drench Charles like she hoped it would. From the expression on his face the action didn't even seem to surprise him very much. He tossed the dress aside, took a step forward, and slammed the door behind him.
Elsa was a little worried what he might do at this point, as she was only wearing a bathrobe, a fact he didn't know.
"What do you think you are doing?" She demanded her voice quite shrewish. Even she thought so. "How dare you come in here after what you did? I never want to see you again, do you hear me? Never."
Charles grabbed Elsa by the wrist of each of her hands. She struggled to get free but finally gave up and settled for sending him the most ill intended stare she had ever given.
"I came up here to ask you to be my wife," Charles said his commanding voice as strong as his grip.
He let go of one of her hands and reached into his pocket. Taking out the little black box he brought the hand holding her other wrist in front of his chest. He forced the box into her hand and let her go. She hopped back a few steps before silently looking at the item in her hand.
"Now, reject me so I can do as you wish and leave," Charles ordered.
Elsa was speechless. Her heart and her mind were telling her two different things and she dared not speak for fear of which would be the strongest.
"Well?" Charles demanded.
Elsa brought her eyes up to meet his. From the sound of his voice she thought he would be scowling at her, but in fact he was eagerly watching her every move.
"You love me?" she asked, running her fingers over the velvet box.
"Unfortunately for me, yes, from the first insult you flung at me," Charles replied lifting his chiseled jaw a bit higher.
"I was never kind to you," she told him, and listened intently for the answer.
Charles was silent for a moment.
"You didn't have to be. I like a woman I can sharpen my wits on more than a kind woman…you are brave, fearless, demanding, clever, aloof, and charming, traits I've come to appreciate in a woman," he said.
Elsa looked down at the small box in her hand. How could she answer him? Even if she wanted to say yes there were five hundred generations of Baron's and Baroness' standing in her way.
"You truly expect me to agree after the way you treated me tonight?" She asked her voice cold.
Charles lifted his eyebrows and gave a monstrous loud laugh.
"How I treated you tonight is no different than how we've ever treated each other…and I never expected you to agree," he began, taking a few steps toward the door and then turning, "as soon as you rip me up and down I can move on with my life. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I hadn't asked, after loving you for ten foolish years, but once you reject me I can think about starting a family with someone else."
The words 'starting a family' coming from Charles' lips cut Elsa very deeply. Elsa had taken Maria's advice, she had prayed about what to do about Charles, but she had yet to receive the answer.
"Don't you think we are a little too old to start a family?" Elsa scolded, careful to keep her voice from giving away anything.
"We could always adopt," Charles said but seemed to be growing tired and impatient with the conversation.
"But," Elsa began pleadingly without realizing what she was saying, "But I do so want another child. One that would be ours and--"
Elsa cut off her sentence as soon as she realized what she had blurted out. Charles was not shocked or surprised. He smiled devilishly.
"Planning our children before answering my marriage proposal? Your aunt would be ashamed," Charles teased mercilessly. Elsa pursed her lips together in frustration.
"Get out!" She growled angrily through clenched teeth.
"As soon as I have your answer," Charles replied, his tone matching hers.
Elsa still could not bring herself to give an answer so she made sure the tie around her middle was secure and marched passed Charles to the door. She was about to open it but Charles placed a hand on the door near the top of her head and she wasn't strong enough to force the door open.
"Let me out you, you…cad!" Elsa snapped yanking on the doorknob and glaring at Charles. She was running out of words to throw at him.
"When you answer me," Charles replied not moving.
Elsa's eyes grew wider and she let go of the doorknob in favor of reaching up to pull Charles' hand away. He was a great deal stronger than she anticipated and after a brief struggle Charles' arms enclosed her shoulders. She tried to wiggle away from him but his grip was firm.
"Answer me, Elsa, just answer me and I'll go," Charles demanded. Elsa refused to make eye contact with him.
"I can't," she finally spurted, and struggled to fight back her tears. "I can't answer you because I want to tell you yes."
As soon as she said that Charles released his hold on her and she reached out to balance herself with the bedpost. She kept her head down and felt two tears on her face.
"We have been in a state of suspended action for ten years. I am not leaving here until we end this cycle of despair. It's not good for either of us," Charles said.
Elsa quickly wiped the tears away and regained her senses. The quicker she could think clearly the sooner Charles would leave…or never leave again.
"I know, Charles," Elsa said and brought her head up to face him, with as much nobility as she could manage.
She still had the black box in her hand. She opened it slowly and looked down to see a lovely diamond ring inside. Charles certainly had taste.
"I've had that ring since the night of the big band concert," Charles said laughing a little. Elsa looked at him again.
"I don't find that funny," she replied a little sadly. "You should have asked me then," Elsa told Charles her voice a bit accusing.
"Would you have said yes?" Charles replied giving her a knowing look. Elsa smirked.
"I was always afraid you would ask me, that is why I started avoiding you," Elsa said.
"I know."
Elsa was not surprised by Charles' response. She dropped her head and looked down at the item in her hand. Each time she thought of giving Charles and answer her voice seemed to leave her. She did want to marry him but she had just admitted it to herself, how could she possibly overcome her pride enough to tell him?
"I'm waiting, Madame," Charles said, his loud voice filled with impatience and frustration.
Elsa was still quietly fighting internally with herself and did not answer. Charles took a step away from the door. If she didn't tell him now he may leave her forever. She didn't want that.
"Let me begin for you," he began his tone mocking but not unkind, "Charles Jackson, you vulgar common American, how dare you insult me with a proposal of marriage…"
Charles did his best to imitate Elsa's low feminine voice and his loud commanding one sounded quite odd. Charles then laughed at his attempt to mimic Elsa and she couldn't help but join him with a small chuckle. She put a hand to her forehead and slowly rubbed away the pain of an oncoming headache.
"Please tell me I don't sound like that," she teased him, looking at him with a sly smile.
"I don't love you Charles and I never have," Charles continued, this time using his own voice to say the words. Elsa's smile quickly faded.
"I could never, never marry you," Charles prompted; now stepping quite close to Elsa.
"You are a vulgar American," Elsa began her eyes intently focused on his stern face, "But you are by no means common. Your marriage proposal is not an insult, as I think any serious proposal is quite flattering to a woman."
Elsa did not want to say the next words, but she said a silent prayer to herself and somehow they came.
"And…I do love you Charles, I always have," she whispered and dropped her head in shame and surrender.
"You're wasting my time," Charles said, his voice so harsh Elsa jerked her head up to glare at him. How dare he treat her so cruelly after she confessed her feelings?
"You've told me nothing I don't already know. I didn't come here to watch you fain injured pride in lowering yourself to admit your feelings. I want to know if you will be my wife," Charles demanded.
His bluntness and arrogance burned the short fuse to Elsa's temper and now the bomb was about to explode.
"You are the most conceded, impossible man I have ever met," she snapped and reached for his hand yanking it toward her.
"You have the sense of a goat and the feeling of a pig," she yelled and shoved the ring box into his hand.
She then attempted to lunge for the door and free herself from the prison she was in with Charles. His free hand reached out and caught her arm and he pulled her to his chest. She fought the action by using her fists to try and push him away.
"Answer me, Elsa," he commanded and then kissed her fiercely.
She managed to finally force his lips away from hers and once they parted she drew her hand up to slap him across the face. He caught her hand before she made contact and his expression was truly stunned. Elsa had never tried to slap him before so she was almost as shock as he was.
"Perhaps you need another dip in the lake," he suggested, his eyes, full of anger, were staring her down.
At that moment Elsa could bear it no longer. To be so close to Charles and yet to be constantly fighting him was tiring and a bore. So what if he was below her rank? She loved him. She loved him. She loved him.
"Yes," Elsa retorted, tears filling her eyes, "Yes, I'll marry you, you horrible man. I can't go on another day like this."
She turned away from Charles as she felt the tears fall. She couldn't let him see them. He still held onto her hand and with his other he placed a finger under her chin and drew her eyes back to look at him. What happened next Elsa could hardly believe. Charles embraced her softly, and she pressed her cheek to his shoulder as the tears began to subside.
"I love you Elsa," Charles said, "I love you so desperately. You have no idea how much I need you. I never meant to be cruel to you, but you know you deserved it. We are the same Elsa. Both of us a little harsh and too blunt for our own good, but we will be happy together. Always fighting, most likely, but happy."
Elsa hugged Charles even tighter, and then felt her cheeks burn as she realized she still had nothing on but a bathrobe.
"I've been such a fool," Elsa whispered. "I'm sorry for what I put you through, but you know me, perhaps you are the only one that ever truly has. You know I'm proud. Charles," Elsa said drawing back to face him, their noses nearly touching.
"You know I'm blunt too. Marrying you will not be easy for me. I'll be giving up family tradition and people will talk. A Baroness, especially the Baroness Schraeder, marrying an American will be quite a shock to them and to me," she confided in him.
Charles' brow squeezed together for a moment and then a grin appeared on his lips.
"I know," he said in a low rumble, "That's why we are going to elope."
"Charles," she said a little stunned, but not too stunned.
Elsa could not help herself from smiling back at him and falling into an embrace yet again. Charles began kissing her neck. His lips finally made contact with her skin and the feeling of it brought her higher than she ever thought possible. His arms wrapped around her waist and she moved her arms to encircle his body. She was waiting for him to break of his soft kisses on her neck in favor of kissing her lips again. She could hardly wait for the electric feeling of Charles kiss she had enjoyed on the terrace so long ago.
"Elsa I hope everything is alright, I've," said Maria as she swung open the door.
Elsa looked over in time to see the horrified, embarrassed, yet slightly gleeful look on Maria's face before she looked toward the ground and began to shut the door.
"I'm so sorry to intrude," she said.
By this time Charles had stopped kissing Elsa's neck, to her dismay and relief, but he still stood very close.
"Wait Maria," Elsa said, and then made eye contact with Charles.
He smiled, took her hand and kissed it. She would have preferred a kiss on the lips but with Maria looking on that would have hardly been appropriate. Besides, Elsa knew she was already blushing at the awkwardness of the situation.
"I'll call on you tomorrow, when I've made arrangements," he said and with a bow to Maria and a secretive wink to Elsa which made her heart skip a beat, left the room.
Elsa held onto his hand until he was out of reach. Once he was down the hallway Maria turned her inquisitive eyes on Elsa. Elsa smiled with satisfaction.
"I'm sorry to intrude," Maria apologized again as she entered the room and gently closed the door.
"Actually," Elsa said raising an eyebrow, "After ten years and me in only this bathrobe it's a good thing you came in when you did."
Elsa did not think Maria's face could go any redder or her eyes get any bigger at the implication. Maria seemed to sit on the bed as if her legs would give out. Elsa sat next to her and swatted her knee lightly.
"Oh, come now Maria, we are both adults," she said, and noticed something in the pocket of the robe.
"Yes, well, I…" Maria stumbled over the words, causing Elsa to laugh, "I take it he proposed?"
"How did you know?" Elsa asked surprised Maria would pick up on the details.
"He came to me last week, and asked permission," Maria replied. "He seemed to think since we are such good friends that I should grant him the honor." Elsa laughed again as she pulled the black ring box from her robe. Charles must have slipped it there.
"How charming of him," Elsa said, and then stiffening added, "At least they teach some edict in America." This time it was Maria who laughed.
"Did you say yes?" Maria questioned.
"I couldn't not say yes," Elsa replied, "Not after everything Charles has done for me. You don't know the extent of his goodness Maria; you've only just met him. It seems a shame now, we wasted so many years…perhaps I should say, I wasted so many years."
"I wouldn't say wasted, Elsa," Maria began, "Sometimes the Lord has to prepare us for what's to come, and no one know what that will be except Him."
"How did you get to be so wise?" Elsa asked her friend eyeing her with curiosity, "Did they teach you that in the convent? Perhaps I should have joined one."
"No my dear," Maria began laughing; "I cannot see you as a nun."
Elsa was a bit insulted at first but then her laughter joined in with Maria's. Elsa was giddy. She felt like she was back in boarding school with one of her silly childhood friends.
"Maria," Elsa began seriously, "Charles and I are going to elope, tomorrow. Please don't tell anyone. I wanted you to know so you don't worry when I miss our weekly lunch date."
At this Maria threw her arms around Elsa and hugged her excitedly before releasing her and jumping to her feet.
"Elsa, this is marvelous," Maria said. "You better get dressed. You have a big day ahead of you."
Maria hugged Elsa again and left her to get ready. Elsa could hardly believe the night she had. First the insults, then the swim, and now she was going to get married.
Two thoughts were on her mind the rest of the night. One was not a thought fit for a lady to think about her impending wedding night so Elsa tried to focus her attention on the second. Charles said he wanted to have a family.
Elsa spent the night wondering if she was too old to have another child, how much danger would be involved, and if Charles was serious about what he said. The Baroness was, as Maria and Charles had both said, quite brave. If there was any chance of her having another baby, she would take it in a heartbeat. Whatever life gave to her next, Elsa knelt by her bedside and thanked her Maker for sending Charles and Maria to her.
When Elsa finally heard Charles' car pull up in the driveway the sun had already begun to set. Elsa was a little disappointed Charles hadn't managed to make arrangements for them to be married that day, but she supposed that she could wait another day at least. Elsa resisted the urge to open the front door, run down the front steps, and throw her arms around Charles instead of waiting for him to call on her. She might be giving up her heritage but that did not mean she could give up propriety too.
"Baroness," her old butler addressed with a disapproving look about him, "Mr. Jackson is here to see you."
James, the old grey haired servant of Elsa's parents knew something was going on. Elsa's luggage had been packed and was waiting in the foyer.
"Thank you James," Elsa said, using her cane to walk into the foyer, "I will be gone for an undetermined amount of time. I trust you will keep all in order until I return?" The butler frowned.
"Of course, Baroness," he said and puffing up his chest continued, "If I may say, your parents would be quite appalled at your lack of—"
"That will be all James," Elsa said, her tone bitingly cold.
The butler, normally soften spoken and withdrawn, closed his mouth. Elsa knew James was a clever enough old man and knew when to close his mouth.
"Very well," he said with a bow and left the room.
When she entered the foyer Elsa saw that Charles already had the foreman picking up her luggage and loading it into the car. Elsa could not resist the urge now that Charles was inside the house. The foreman looking on or not Elsa then stepped forward and quite boldly for her reached up to Charles' face and drew him down to her for a kiss. This kiss was altogether better than the one on the terrace, because Elsa now knew there would be many more like it.
"I had hoped you would be here earlier," she said, once Charles put his hand around her waist and they began walking to the car.
"Yes," he responded, smiling, "Arrangements took much longer than I thought. I found a small chapel and they agree to marry us in the morning. I had to pull a few strings get the license that soon and the reverend had a christening he had to schedule around. I thought we could spend the honeymoon on a cruise of the Grecian islands and then, when you've had your fill of mingling with the rich and famous, we could spend the rest of the time at my plantation."
"Darling, you do think of everything," Elsa said, somewhat mockingly. Truth be told, Elsa wouldn't have minded spending the entire honeymoon at Charles' plantation.
"We can always change plans if you rather we do something else," Charles offered as if picking up on Elsa's involuntary smirk.
The foreman had finished loading the suitcases and now they were ready to go.
"No, your arrangements are fine, as long as they involve us getting married quickly," Elsa replied. Charles laughed loudly.
"I never believed I'd hear you say that."
He opened the car door for her and she stepped inside. Elsa noticed with a roll of her eyes they drove off into the sunset just as Max had predicted.
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