I love this chapter even though I hate it too. When you read it you'll see what I mean. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! I'm just about done with the story and I hope you've all enjoyed it!
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:
By the time April rolled around Elsa's middle had begun to expand much to her annoyance. Dr. Phillips was like a dictator the way he forced Elsa to rest and not to overexert herself. Elsa figured that Dr. Phillip's was probably the closet thing to Hitler she would probably ever know. She tried not to think too much about Hitler or the war as she had not received a response from Charles.
She could understand that he was probably still angry with her for her foolish behavior at the train station and for not telling him but to keep Elsa in limbo for four months was beginning to upset her. The least he could do was write to tell her he was okay. The air raids on Britain made her nervous and there were skirmishes all over Europe, any one of which Charles could be involved in.
Elsa had started the adoption process and had written Charles numerous times about it. Armina was such a part of her life now, that she couldn't imagine not adopting her. If Charles had a problem with that they would just have to work it out later.
She wrote Charles letter after letter as that was one of the few activities Dr. Philips approved of. Aside from lying on her bed and spending time at home Dr. Phillips allowed her little other activity. She was grateful Armina was around to keep her company but Armina had a sense of adventure and loved to go hiking on the trails around the plantation, an activity Elsa was forbidden from joining.
Staying at home and listening to Aunt Rose was about to drive Elsa out of her right mind. Angelica was often gone with Armina hiking with the von Trapp children so the one source of sanity in Elsa's life was Maria.
One afternoon, an early spring day in which the flowers outside the plantation ventured to poke their heads out, Elsa was entertaining Maria and Rosalind.
"Next month Friedrich will be coming home for summer vacation," Maria explained.
"I have not met that one of your gaggle have I?" Rosalind asked, and Maria and Elsa both laughed at the turn of phrase.
"No, you haven't Rose," Maria replied.
Elsa was pleased that Maria and Rosalind got along so well. In fact, had Elsa been placed in a life or death situation she might have confessed that she was grateful Rosalind had come to stay with her. The old woman was picky, stubborn and most often grouchy but Elsa liked her none the less.
"How you expect a woman of my age to keep them all straight I'll never know," Rose said. The laughter of Elsa and Maria was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.
"I wonder who that could be," Elsa said. After a moment James entered approached Elsa.
"Telegram Baroness," James said and handed the note to Elsa before exiting.
"Perhaps this is a response to my adoption request," Elsa told Maria and Rosalind who waiting while she opened it. The instant she saw it was from the war department Elsa's heart began to race. This could not be happening. She could barely focus enough to read the words on the page.
Baroness Elsa Jackson stop we the war department of the united states of America regret to inform you that lt col Charles p. Jackson of the 131st company was reported missing in action on this day April 26th of the year 1942 stop we will contact you when more information becomes available stop our sincerest regrets col jay Williamson 131st division
Elsa read the telegram over and over before she finally tore her eyes away from it.
"Elsa, what's the matter," Maria asked. Elsa was too lost in her own thoughts to notice Maria approach and take the telegram from her hand. A numbness crept over Elsa's entire body.
"Will someone tell me what's going on? What does the telegram say?" Rosalind asked, her voice much less demanding that it normally was.
"Charley is missing," Maria choked out.
Elsa could not bear to hear the pity and kind words her friend and aunt would most surely offer. She struggled to her feet and pushed Maria away when she tried to help her.
"I need to lie down," she said wearily and went to her bedroom.
The reality of the telegram was too much for Elsa to face. The only thing repeating over and over in her mind was 'he's not dead,' 'he's not dead.' Elsa knew he was alive; he was too strong, too brave, too much a part of her life to be gone. Had he even received her letters? Did he know he was going to be a father? Elsa never regretted anything in her life more than not telling Charles that day on the phone that she was pregnant.
Despite the telegram Elsa continued to write to Charles even though most of her friends and family thought she was a hopeless fool for doing so. She told him everything in the letters. How wrong she was about everything, how she would never take him for granted again, how she was confined to bed rest for what seemed like an eternality, how she hated him for putting her through a painful and agonizing labor, how she loved their son.
Most of all she told Charles about his son. She had named him Richard, after Rosalind's beloved husband. He was a strong and healthy baby and she spoiled him beyond all measure. Rosalind often commented that Armina and Richard Jackson were the two most spoiled children she had ever seen in her life. Elsa didn't care, though, she loved them both and she knew Rosalind was touched by the children in a way that brought her back into life.
Elsa delivered Richard in July, only a few months after Friedrich had come home from school. During the time Friedrich was home Elsa was confined to bed rest by Dr. Phillips so it came as a great surprise to her at the end of the summer when Maria told her Angelica and Friedrich were engaged.
Elsa hardly recognized the mousey little thing when she and Friedrich came to visit. The girl did indeed have a beauty to her, and Maria later told Elsa the girl's heartbreaking story of abuse and betrayal and Rosalind's generosity toward her. Rosalind could not have been more pleased although she pretended to be alarmed at Friedrich's choice in a bride. By the time the wedding came around that fall Elsa was recovered enough to attended, holding angelic Richard in her arms.
When Elsa returned home from the wedding, James informed her someone was there to see her. The old butler told Elsa the woman refused to give her name but was waiting in the den. Rosalind lifted an eyebrow and excused herself as she needed to rest her eyes for a brief time to recover from the wedding excitement. Her great aunt was getting on in years and Elsa worried about her constantly.
"Mother, I'm going up stairs to finish my book," Armina said as she ran up the stairs, an action Elsa had scolded her not to do a number of times. The girl loved books, and was one of the smartest children in her class, much to Elsa's motherly pleasure.
"Walk, darling, walk," Elsa called after her.
The words worked on Armina until she reached the top of the stairs and took off running down the hall to her room. Elsa rolled her eyes and looked down at the baby in her arms.
"I have a feeling you're going to be a ball of fire too, aren't you?" she said to Richard. He opened his sleepy eyes to look at her before closing them again.
"Hilda, put Richard down for his nap," Elsa instructed the girl.
She nodded and carefully took Richard from Elsa. Elsa took off her gloves and hat and proceeded into the den. She was in high spirits today as she was finally beginning to feel herself again. It had been nearly three months since Richard's birth. She strutted into the den with her head held high and set eyes on her visitor.
The woman was hard looking. She had wiry grey hair done in curls around her head and the sternest eyes Elsa had ever seen. She was a tiny woman, short and by no means attractive in an unstylish blue dress but there was something solid about her. The woman stood as if she were a Greek column made of the toughest marble and able to stand the test of time.
"Can I help you?" Elsa asked, touching the back of her head to make sure her elegantly styled hair was still in place. The visitor took a few leisurely steps toward the crystal lamp on the end table.
"This is a nice place you got here," the woman said, her voice rough and nasal and her American accent strong.
"Thank you," Elsa said, unsure what to make of the woman. "May I ask, who are you precisely?"
"That's nice," the woman responded, which made little sense to Elsa. The visitor smirked sarcastically. "He's never even shown you a picture of me. How typical of him." Elsa frowned and waited for the woman to continue.
"I'm Doreen Jackson, Charley's my son," said the woman.
Elsa's mouth dropped open. She had always assumed Charles' mother was deceased like his father.
"You're surprised," Doreen said, her voice's only emotion seemed to be sarcasm, "Charley and I haven't been that close since he came over here to run his father's business."
Doreen took a few steps toward Elsa and put her rough hands on her hips.
"Actually, that's not true," she sighed, "I might as well be honest with you. I told Charley I'd never speak to him again if he married you. I don't approve of your kind. All rich and snobbish. In the states we think everyone is equal, and that's fine by me. Well, Charley told me how you strung him along and then crushed him. Before he married you he used to visit me four times a year. I suppose it's my fault he didn't talk to me after he married you, but, well, with the war and Charley…"
The woman trailed off and Elsa stood in shock and contemplation. Charles had never mentioned the plight with his mother, and Elsa was irritated that he didn't bring the problem to her so they could work it out.
"I suppose I just wanted to see you for myself. See the kind of woman my son would marry. I saved ever since the day I got the news of Charley's…disappearance. I finally saved enough to come over here and meet you. I wasn't about to do it on Charley's money…your money. I must say, Charley was right when he said you were beautiful beyond compare. I prefer the plain hard working kind myself," Doreen explained.
Elsa now felt a little sorry for the woman. She was of the working class in America and someone Elsa would have rather died than associated with in the past. The woman's words erased all hope of comfort Elsa might have found with Charles' mother.
"Won't you stay for dinner?" Elsa offered. She knew it was silly to ask but just to be near the mother of Charles gave her almost as much joy as being with his son.
"I'm afraid you wouldn't want me," the woman smirked, her hard face not giving an inch, "Besides, I just wanted to see you, now I can go home."
Doreen walked pasted Elsa, her short legs carrying her along with surprising strength and speed.
"Wait," Elsa called after the woman. Doreen stopped in the doorway and turned around.
Elsa was not quite sure how to say what she needed to, but she knew she could not let Charles' mother leave until the two of them became friends.
"You should know, Charles has a son," Elsa said. Doreen's face maintained its same shrewd doubting expression.
"What?" she asked flatly. Elsa took a few steps toward the woman and it seemed Doreen noticed her cane for the first time.
"Richard," Elsa continued, "He was born a little over three months ago. He's upstairs asleep right now. He is your grandson and if you would like to see him…"
Elsa trailed off. From Doreen's expression Elsa could not tell if she was wasting her breath or not. Doreen looked up at Elsa and her lips pulled back a little at the corners.
"You mean, you had a baby?" Doreen asked.
Elsa thought perhaps her expression now was disbelief, although it was hard to tell.
"Yes, I am quite sure it was me who had the baby," Elsa replied, teasingly.
Doreen's expression remained the same and Elsa was irritated she could not get any kind of response from the woman.
"Well, I suppose I can stay for a minute, just to see him," Doreen answered.
Elsa smiled delightedly and instructed Doreen to follow her. Elsa worked her way up the stairs with Doreen following close behind her.
"What happened?" Doreen asked, bluntly. Elsa stopped and turned to look at the woman. The expression of doubt was still there.
"I was injured, during the war," Elsa responded. Doreen kept her eyes locked on Elsa.
"How?" she questioned.
Elsa was beginning to understand the line of questioning as a test and Elsa was determined to break some of Doreen's wrong preconceived notions about her. Somehow she found the word easier to say than they had ever been.
"I was shot in the leg while trying to help war orphans," Elsa replied.
She turned from the woman and kept making her way up the stairs. She stopped outside of Richard's door and gestured for Doreen to enter. Elsa followed the tiny sturdy frame in front of her into the room.
Doreen leaned over Richard's crib and peered down into the face of the sleeping baby. Elsa saw the woman smirk and wondered if anything could make the hardness of her face disappear.
"He looks too sweet to be Charley's child," Doreen remarked smugly.
Elsa thought the woman meant the comment as an accusation and Elsa could not and would not stand for such an insinuation.
"You have insulted me in every possible way. I love your son. I admit I treated him terribly at first but I had my own problems. How dare you speak of me and Charles' child in such a way," Elsa snapped. The old woman's face finally cracked into a smile and Elsa was baffled.
"I meant Charley was a mischief maker when he was a boy, he wasn't sweet like this baby…may I hold him?"
Elsa was so taken aback that she nearly took a step backward. She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment.
"Uh, well, yes, of course, go ahead," she stuttered.
Doreen gently lifted the sleeping baby and cradled him in her arms. Her hard features dissolved into a warm motherly smile that Elsa thought such a face was not capable of. Armina suddenly appeared in the doorway out of breath with a book in her hand.
"Mother," she whispered to not wake the baby, "I can't believe it. The wizard told Dorothy she has to get the witch's broomstick."
Elsa smiled at her daughter and saw Doreen look from the child to Elsa. Armina ran back down the hallway with her book. Elsa had promised Armina that if she finished reading The Wizard of Oz then they could go see the movie playing at the local theater.
"Was that Charley's daughter too?" Doreen asked.
"Yes," Elsa responded, "We adopted her not long ago." Doreen looked down at Richard again. She paced the room and sighed.
"Mrs. Jackson," Elsa began, "Would you like to stay with us, here, for a while. You could get to know your grandchildren and…and you could tell me about Charles when he was a boy. We have plenty of room and you would be no trouble at all."
Doreen smirked.
"You want me to stay after I insulted you in every way possible?" She questioned.
Her face betrayed the slightest hint of amusement and Elsa guessed the woman was teasing.
"I would like to get to know you as well," Elsa replied her voice smooth. Doreen lifted her faded thin eyebrow.
"I'm a proud woman, Mrs. Jackson," Doreen began, "something Charley once told me we have in common. If I stay here I insist on paying you back. I don't want to owe you anything."
Elsa had managed to shrug off the older woman's insults thus far but she now clenched her teeth to keep from blowing up.
"Very well," Elsa said coldly, "I'll have a room prepared for you."
Doreen did make good on her promise. She stayed with Elsa but found a job working as a waitress at a local restaurant in town. To say people in Elsa's circle of friends gossiped would be an understatement. They were appalled that Elsa, who was quite wealthy, would force to mother-in-law to work for minimum wage in order to pay rent.
Staying for a short time turned into a long time. Rosalind and Doreen became awkward but fast friends to the great surprise of Elsa. Rose needed someone to help take care of her now that Angelica was married and Doreen stepped up to the challenge. The arrangement solved a number of problems, as Rosalind informed Doreen that her services could be paid by free room and board with Elsa. Doreen quit her job at the restaurant and the flying rumors no longer slapped Elsa in the face.
By the time Richard was two years old the war was still raging on and Elsa had heard nothing on the whereabouts of Charles. She and Doreen waited anxiously for the mail to arrive each day but nothing ever came. The army had yet to find his body, which meant he could be alive, but with each passing day the hope grew dimmer and dimmer. Elsa could not bare the thought that Charles would never see his beautiful son or see how she had fixed things with his mother.
Maria convinced Elsa that what she needed was some fun in her life to get her mind off of the war. She began attending balls with Georg and Maria and rekindling old friendships and making new ones.
On evening at the von Trapp home Elsa was sitting outside enjoying the pleasant evening when a gentleman stood beside her. She looked to her side quickly thinking the man might be Charles. She was disappointed when a silver haired tall and slender Frenchman met her eyes.
"It's a lovely evening, is it not mademoiselle?" he asked in a pleasant French accent. Elsa smiled and nodded.
"May I?" he questioned gesturing toward the chair. Elsa again nodded and the man sat next to her.
"I am Count Andre de Jacqout," he said extending his hand. Elsa took a little suspiciously.
"The Baroness Elsa Jackson," she replied. The man lightly kissed her hand Elsa saw for the first time he was quite handsome.
"A lovely name," he said. Elsa smirked a little and thought perhaps the man would have not said such a thing if he had known Elsa hated the way her name now sounded. Elsa pulled her hand away and the man looked at her in alarm.
"Forgive me Baroness, is there a monsieur Jackson?" he questioned.
"Yes," Elsa simply stated. He stood bowed and apologized for intruding before he disappeared back into the ballroom. She knew she had embarrassed him, he probably heard from someone at the party that she was single. Elsa turned around and followed him back inside with her eyes. She sighed and her thoughts were interrupted by Maria.
"Was that the Count de Jacqout?" Maria asked. Her voice was full of so much surprise Elsa was alarmed.
"Yes, I believe it was," Elsa replied, squinting at Maria with curiosity. Maria plopped down in the chair the Count had just occupied.
"He talked to you?" Maria questioned again. Elsa sat a little straighter in her chair.
"Yes, he talked to me. Maria, what is wrong with you?" Elsa flung the question back at Maria. Maria put a hand to her head and then leaned over the side of the arm of the chair.
"They say the Count de Jacqout is the richest bachelor in all of Europe. He's met almost every foreign dignitary you can imagine and he never talks to anyone without being formally introduced. Georg and I only invited him tonight because it would have been rude not. We were surprised he even came at all. He barely even spoke to either of us tonight. He paid you a great compliment just now," Maria explained.
Elsa put a hand over her mouth and looked a Maria with wide eyes.
"Oh, dear," she said. Maria returned her look with a frantic one.
"'Oh, dear?' What does 'oh, dear' mean?" Maria asked.
"I'm afraid I just embarrassed him," Elsa explained. The hand flew back to the top of Maria's head.
"You what?"
Elsa smirked and a guilty look appeared on her face.
"I didn't know who he was. He…he was flirting and I told him I have a husband," Elsa explained. Maria nearly toppled out of her chair.
"You must apologize to him, right this instant," Maria ordered.
"I will do no such thing. I did nothing wrong Maria," Elsa defended. Maria stood up and walked over to Elsa's chair. She practically yanked on Elsa's arm to make her stand up.
"Elsa, he is an important dignitary. You know I don't care about such things usually, but I will not have him look on the von Trapp family with disgrace. There is already so much gossip out there about us already, I don't want one of the richest men in Europe to add too it. And besides, you don't have a husband as he has been missing for two years. It might not hurt for you to make some new friends," Maria gently encouraged.
Elsa was bitterly disappointed in knowing Maria had given up hope on ever finding Charles.
With a sigh the Baroness picked up her cane and began walking toward the ballroom.
"Very well Maria, but I want to know I only do this because I am your friend," Elsa stated.
Maria squeezed her hand gratefully and Elsa proceeded on her mission to find the Count. She mingled with some of her old friends and said a special hello to Liesl and Jeof. During the course of their conversation Liesl informed her that the Count had retired to Georg's study. Elsa thanked them and excused herself.
She stood in front of the slightly opened door to the room full of books for a few minutes making herself prepare for the encounter. It had been such a long time that she mingled with near royalty she had to make sure she remembered all of the rules.
"May I come in," she asked with a hand on the door. The Count drew his gaze up from a book he was looking at and smiled with pleasure.
"Please do," he responded with heavy accent.
"I…I wanted to apologize for my behavior," Elsa began, although she did not really mean what she was saying.
"Ah," the Count replied, "Someone told you who I am." Elsa was a little alarmed that he knew why she had come to him but she pressed on anyway.
"Yes, and I'm afraid my actions were very rude," she said. The Count chuckled softly and stealthy moved closer to Elsa.
"Tell me, Baroness. Would you have apologized if you thought of me as you did a few moments ago?" he asked, his smooth fine features bright with amusement.
"Frankly, no," Elsa said before she could stop herself.
The Count laughed again. He laugh was nothing like Charles'. He was far most soft spoken, his eyes were blue and his nose was sharp in an attractive sort of way.
"Then no apology is necessary. I am curious as to one thing," he said as he was now face to face with Elsa, "They tell me when I came here that, how you say, you have no husband and when I ask you, you have husband."
Elsa looked down at her gloved hands before she looked up into his blue eyes again.
"Yes, well," Elsa began a little out of breath, "My husband is missing in action. He has been for two years."
"Ah," the Count replied. "I am sorry to hear that."
A few minutes of highly uncomfortable silence erupted. Elsa wanted to leave the room but she knew running off would be rude and Maria would probably make her return to apologize for that too.
"Well, since your husband is missing, perhaps it would be prudent of you to have dinner with me," the Count explained.
"And why is that, Count de Jacqout?" Elsa slyly questioned.
"Please, call me Andre," he replied. "You must need someone to escort you about town, seeing as you are a woman of class and taste."
"I suppose I must accept, Maria would have my head if I declined," Elsa said. Her words were meant to sound a little less inviting than they came out.
"If I were not the Count you would decline?" He asked. Elsa lifted her chin defiantly.
"Yes," she stated. He smiled with amusement again.
"I have business here in Switzerland. I will be staying for some time. I look forward to persuading you into accompanying me to dinner," he replied and led Elsa to the door.
He kissed her hand and wished her goodnight. When the event was over Elsa found herself wondering how she unintentionally managed to win the affections of one of the richest men in Europe. It certainly had not been her goal, and she would never think seriously of Andre, for she loved the memory of Charles alone more than she could ever love any other man.
Over the next few months Andre tried unsuccessfully to get Elsa to go out with him, but she declined each time. They always flocked to each other at parties as they had the same sense of propriety and Andre Jacqout got along splendidly with Armina when Elsa finally consented to introduce the two.
After putting him off for a good year and a half Elsa finally gave in and attended the opera with him if only to get Maria off her case. One night at the opera led to another and another and before Elsa knew it she was doing something with Andre at least once or twice a week.
Richard was nearly three years old by the time May of 1945 came around. Elsa had agreed to celebrate V-day with Andre over dinner on the terrace at the plantation. During the day she had taken Richard and Armina to the von Trapp's where games and fun was enjoyed by all. Armina begged to stay the night, as she and Marta had become fast friends. The day had all but worn poor Richard out and he was in bed by the time Andre arrived. Hilda had prepared dinner but in a common act of generosity by Elsa she gave the girl the night off to celebrate.
Rosalind and Doreen had decided to be adventurous and take a scenic train ride through Switzerland. Elsa thought perhaps Doreen was glad to get away, as she and Elsa had been quarreling non stop since Andre entered their lives. Each time Elsa looked at Charles' mother she felt so empty she often physically put a hand on her stomach to try and make the feeling go away.
Andre and Elsa enjoyed a quite and pleasant dinner on the terrace before they turned their chairs toward the mountains and looked up at the stars. Elsa could not help her heart from wishing it was Charles with her and not Andre.
"What are you thinking Elsa?" Andre asked, as he sat rigidly in his chair.
"I'm thinking how wonderful it is that the war is finally over," Elsa lied in response.
"The war is over, now thing may finally begin settling down," Andre said. Another long silence erupted before Andre stood and held out his hand.
"Would you care to take a stroll around the gardens?" He asked.
Elsa smiled faintly and took his arm. He led her down the garden path toward the largest pines on the plantation. There was a white bench underneath the majesty of the trees a place Elsa and Charles often visited. Elsa sat on the bench and inhaled the fresh pine air. She did not think she could come to love any place as much as her home in Vienna but she had been wrong. Everything about the plantation reminded her of Charles even the smell.
"Elsa," Andre said and he lowered himself to one knee before her. She straightened her back and narrowed her eyes.
"Elsa, this is such a beautiful and perfect night. You are beautiful and perfect, my darling. We've been seeing each other for a long time now and I love your children as my own. I love you too, Elsa, surely you must know that by now. I wonder if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife," Andre said, and from within his left pocket he pulled out a lovely diamond ring.
Elsa's heart was aching and she didn't know why. Doreen wasn't even there and the feeling still was. Elsa enjoyed spending time with Andre, true, but she had never before even considered marrying him. The thought was not altogether repulsive to her. After all he was attractive, rich, and from his actions in the past year, quite in love with her. He was good for her too and the children liked him.
"Andre, I've never even thought about marrying you," she said. Andre rose from his knee and sat on the bench next to Elsa, taking her hands in his.
"I could make you happy Elsa, I know I could," he said.
Elsa pulled her hands away and used her cane to hoist herself up. She took a few steps away from Andre and then turned around to face him.
"You know I could never love you the way you want me to," Elsa began, "My heart belongs to Charles and it always will."
Andre stood up and walked over to Elsa. He took her hands again and she felt uncomfortable in his grasp.
"But you do care for me. That is all I need Elsa," Andre said.
He pulled her close to him and tried to kiss her but Elsa pushed away from him. In her heart she knew Charles was alive and this situation felt too much like she was cheating on him. Andre let her go and let out an angry sigh.
"Your husband has been dead for three years Elsa. You must face the fact. He's not coming back. I offer you a chance for a new life. Would you give up the chance of a real life with me for the fading memory of your dead husband? You know where to find me when you decide," Andre said and left Elsa in the garden.
She sat on the bench and put a hand to her forehead. She did not know what to do. For Armina and Richard growing up with Andre for a father was better than growing up with no father at all, wasn't it? With Charles gone the plantation was becoming more run down by the day, Andre would bring it back to life again. Elsa sat there for a good part of the night agonizing over what to do.