Chapter 3 - Skirmishes

"So you drink," commented Georg in a soft voice, looking into her eyes with curiosity," Isn't wine among the pleasures to which you have renounced, Fräulein?"

Maria gasped, almost chocking. She looked around and perceived the amused expression of Herr Detweiler.

"Oh Georg, even if you had asked me to pay you for a ticket nothing would have stopped me from attending to this party!" he smirked. Maria noticed that he wasn't looking at her, but towards the baroness. Elsa had an affronted expression. Maria knew everyone was waiting for her reply.

"Uh, there are many pleasures I have retained, Captain. Singing, playing, reading a book… A woman does not always require the company of a man."

"It takes an especial sort of woman to think that."

"Only one who can enjoy small things."

"Like raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens?" Georg replied smiling.

Maria started, surprised that he knew her anthem and then she gave him the same secret smile she had once when he had called her "captain".

"Georg, how poetic of you" interrupted Elsa.

"This time it is someone else I am quoting." Georg replied.

"Who?"

Georg looked again towards Maria "Just a kid I met once that didn't know much about life."

She sighed and looked away.

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Maria ate slowly and sparsely. She was saving in her mind every detail of the party while trying not embarrass herself too much again. She spoke mostly to Max.

"So what do you think, Fräulein? Are you enjoying the party?"

"It's ravishing. How could anyone not like it?."

"Yes, but some like it more than others." Max laughed.

"What do you mean, Herr Detweiler?" Maria asked smiling; she knew he was up to something again.

"Seems you're attracting the attention of some," he said in a hushed voice, very diverted. Maria looked at him wondering what Max meant and he made an exaggerated movement with his eyes to induce her to investigate for herself to a point down the dinner table.

There, she noticed, was a dark haired man with a military uniform quite a few seats across. She had seen him before because he had been the center of an animated conversation and joyful laughter at the time the children had sang earlier that evening. The tall young officer had had champagne in his hand and tried approaching her tentatively about to say something before the captain and Max had drawn her apart.

The stranger smiled and she smiled back politely when he winked at her, finding good humor in his eyes. Maria had always found very easy to bond with young people.

She didn't notice that someone else was studying her.

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Georg blinked repeated. Did he just see her smiling at another man in the table? He pursed his lips tightly suddenly finding the Tafelspitz he was having, taste like cardboard.

It was just entirely normal that Maria would smile to his guests, Georg admonished himself. She could be a well behaved girl when she wanted (which was not the case most of the time), he thought. It meant nothing and he was very bothered by his own stupidity at getting even slightly worked up by such a detail. Didn't she just say that she could go on without a man?

Maybe it was because Emil Schafer–was that his name?- was a careless socialite. For all he knew the young man could very well be in league with Herr Zeller in political opinions. He wouldn't like Maria to get new friends that he wouldn't know about. Especially of the male gender.

"Fräulein, I was very impressed with the children singing tonight" the captain mentioned gallantly, stealing her attention.

"Oh, I am very glad you liked it, captain." Maria beamed, not realizing at all how sweet she looked.

"Yes, they only get better with time and practice," added Max, seeing that the conversation started in the correct direction for his interests. "How come you didn't know your children were so talented, Georg? You are their father!"

"I hadn't found until now the right person to bring out their many abilities, I am afraid," Georg replied, smiling at Maria.

"Well, we are all lucky that you have now. I hope you're paying handsomely this young lady, Georg. I would hate it if somebody else would steal her from us now they have seen her talents." Max quipped with an impish tone.

"You're absolutely right, Max. Maybe you'd like to negotiate money matters, Fräulein Maria?" Georg took up on the gag.

"No sir," replied Maria amused.

"Mm, then you sound like the sort of person I'd like to represent," added Max. "Have you considered a professional singing career?"

"Max!" the baroness interrupted with an tone of reproof.

"What, my dear? I am just still fascinated with the musical act of this evening. It's wonderful to see these innocent Austrian voices raised in singing".

"Are you suggesting that Austria alone has the monopoly on virtue?" butt in Her Zeller, who unfortunately had been sitting near enough to eavesdrop on Max. Maria had heard about him and was slightly bothered by the accusative tone he used. Had it been her place she would have reacted saying something, but it was the captain who took up on the sneer.

"Some of us prefer the Austrian raise in song to ugly German threats".

"The, uh, ostrich hide his head on the sand, and sometimes on the flag…"quipped Herr Zeller, showing to be a quick contender to Georg's wit. "Perhaps those would warn you that the Anschluss is coming, and it is coming. But maybe they would get further with you by setting their words to music…"

"I don't doubt that if the Nazis take over Austria, Her Zeller, you'll be entire trumpet section" retorted the captain with a dangerous glint in his blue eyes.

Maria was transfixed by the interchange as was all the people sitting around the table. The tension was latent. And she knew that the captain wouldn't let his principles be suppressed just because the rules of decorum dictated he had to be a polite host.

"You flatter me, captain," snapped the Nazi, in a singsong voice.

"Oh, how clumsy of me, I meant to accuse you." Georg stood up and Maria jumped a little on her seat.

On her side, baroness Schraeder who had been observing everything silently for last minutes saw the last chance to turn the conversation to paths that wouldn't ruin even further her grand party.

"Georg, the waiters have taken too long to bring the dessert, shouldn't you be going to see what is going on?"

"Indeed. I better do." He rose from the table. Maria followed him with her eyes and her mouth slightly open.

She felt her heart go to the captain in sympathy for his feelings and righteous anger. The last thing she wanted herself was to have Austria ruled by the Nazi. It was upsetting to know that most of the people in her country thought differently though and that probably there hadn't been a real pro-Austrian feeling in most citizens in many years.

The loss of territory in the last Great War had been certainly devastating and the depression had made economic reality more pressing than patriotism. The result was an overwhelming acceptance of the Nazi ideal uniformly at all social levels. Now more than ever, Maria realized how true these facts, she read about on the newspaper, were.

"It's always nice to see so much young passion and naïve patriotism," continued Her Zeller once Georg had exited the room. "But fortunately most of the Austrians realize that sentimentalism won't be what will save this country from the economic disaster."

Maria felt like kicking Herr Zeller in the shins. Or running to find the captain, although it was indeed the baroness place to do so, not hers, being merely the governess. But Elsa seemed just too busy chatting away with some or other of her new acquaintances.

For the first time, Maria wondered if this woman would be the correct choice for the captain's wife and mother of the children. The idea brought an unsettled feeling with it, which was inexplicable. And it wasn't about the children only. She suddenly ached, thinking that that blonde ice woman across her would be the one to stand by that passionate and intense man for the rest of his lifetime.

It simply didn't look right. At least not right for the new man the captain Von Trapp had shown to be ever since their spat by the lake.

Maria frowned as if a headache were about to burst. Maybe she was too simple and inexperienced to understand the underlying workings of high class matching. She didn't doubt that at least partially, it was the captain's rank and prestige that helped the baroness love. She simply refused to think that the captain's interest could have similar basis.

She didn't like to consider that he had any interest in the Baroness at all. She also refused to analyze why she felt so much like she was... jealous?

"No!" she mumbled to herself.

Ice cream was soon served and everybody busied themselves with a delicious strawberry extravaganza, as a means to forget about the unpleasant previous interchange. Her Zeller had excused himself and went outside with a couple of his fellow partisans.

Maria couldn't but wonder why this man had even been invited at all. The captain knew where Herr Zeller stood politically. But probably he had thought that it was better to sustain at least the appearance of diplomacy.

Not that what the captain just did would lead to believe that diplomacy had been his aim in inviting members of the Nazi party that night.

Maria left aside her spoon, feeling her appetite go.