Notes: Thanks to Edelwyn, she's helped a lot with a few very in-depth and pleasurable conversations we've had about Georg and Maria's characters in RL and movie. I didn't realize before how much there is to explore about this. It's very exciting! I hope she is glad that I've added some of her advice (one over which we originally disagreed) in this chapter, it really has improved it.
As always, please leave some feedback either if you like or not. Thanks for reading!
Chapter 6 -The Green Monster
Still on the dance floor with the baroness, while moving along other couples to the rhythm of a polonesa, Georg had noticed his governess leaving the ballroom with a sparkling group: her dancing partner and two of his guests, countess Weiss and her sister. He blinked, being wildly curious as to how Maria would deal and what she could be talking about with people so different from herself.
It wasn't that he thought that Maria was out of place in the party, on the contrary, to anybody it must have been obvious her inner beauty shone like a pearl beside a pile of pebbles; but his guests for the night belonged to the glittering circle of rich aristocracy, old people with old money. So somehow he doubted that most of them would take Maria's outspoken nature in stride. He himself hadn't been able to, at first. It was only gradually that she had won him over.
Slowly, but surely, he mused almost bitterly.
Yes, truth was that frankness was something that wasn't appreciated these days; there was a vast deal of hypocrisy going on. You could hardly tell who your friends were and who would sell you for a chance to keep on with their lifestyles. The politic wave moved people in ways that would ultimately show them in their true colors, he thought.
And if the Anchluss was coming, as it seemed it was, choices would end up becoming black and white for everybody. Georg wondered if he shouldn't be preparing for that eventuality or if only it was the stern pessimist in him that thought that their world was drifting away and there was really nothing to hold on to, to keep that sense of belonging and home.
The need to find that sense was strong those dark days. He let out a sigh.
"Why don't we rest a little," Elsa suggested and he agreed readily. He let go and moved as if to automatically follow outside but Elsa took his elbow and moved them towards Max instead.
Georg was happy that inadvertently she helped him to avoid checking on Maria. It was getting quite ridiculous, he decided.
"Whoever said that aristocratic soirees were great opportunities for making business contacts was sadly deceived," stated Max upon seeing them. He seemed slightly jaded, while smoking a cigar.
"What, you cannot really expect to find new talents among the duchesses and the middle aged officers, do you Max?" said Georg.
"Of course not, but I thought that most of them possess the love of music, or at least enjoy giving the appearance of loving arts enough so as to be interested in financing some endeavors of mine."
Elsa laughed. "Money is a scarce good these days. Well at least you could enjoy yourself and dance a little."
"You know that is not my cup of tea, so as to speak, or else I'd be delighted by your invitation," Max discarded. "But you two keep on going, the most I see you dancing the happier I become."
Georg contracted his mouth uncomfortably. Had Max been observing more carefully he would have read in his countenance that his good friend seemed reluctant to dance with the baroness anymore or to be teased about their being a couple. And also would have appreciated the nervous looks Elsa threw around.
"Has anybody seen little Fraulein?" asked Max, curious, after a minute of silence as they all had champagne. "I was supposed to be his partner and I feel I have been ignoring her completely. The poor darling."
"Ah, don't waste that way your compassion, Max," said the baroness. "Maria is enjoying herself well enough without you."
"Is she? Oh." Max seemed to remember something. "I see, that officer on the table, am I right?" he laughed heartily.
"Exactly, I love the way you're such a good observer."
"Yes, but shouldn't you be 'taking care' of him, Georg?" added Max in a fatherly tone. "Wouldn't like any young Casanova to fool with our little friend. I suppose that her saintly aura could attract them like flies to the honey. The idea of the forbidden and all, you know…"
"Max! You speak as if you knew what you were talking about!" exclaimed Elsa bothered.
"Oh oh, don't think I am immune to the veiled insult, my dear," said Max, touching his heart as if hurt. "I could even exert myself enough so as to prove you wrong…" he gave her a leering smile.
Elsa only rolled her eyes. Georg laughed but inside he started churning at Max's words. Maria could attract them like flies to the honey… It was ironic the wayhis words were true.
Her appearance in the party had been the final straw. Trying to feign indifference was a bit more than he had patience for, right now.
The capitain had hated to see her dancing with another man. He wanted to never see her do that again. But it was insane! Georg found himself unsure of what to do now, and confused by the absurdity of the new situation and how fast such strong feelings were unveiling for him. He almost wished he hadn't invited Maria to stay to the ball.
Yes, he was intensely attracted to her. His pulse started to beat quicker when he looked at her and he had found his eyes going towards her lips during the meal, wondering what it would feel like to kiss her… to run his hands through her golden, shiny hair, to discover the flicker of passion and want in her eyes and know that it was for him, only for him, to have the right to… Georg's breathe became faster just at the thought.
But it wasn't likely that she did return that fascination. That idea started to cross him mind in a very painful and real way. But for God's sake, he thought, if she wasn't returning his feelings because of her vocation, why was she leading on some other man?
Or was she?
She had looked at him in such a way when they had been dancing the Laendler… the idea started to give him the hope he wastorn to entertain. Being married for many years he knew how to recognize attraction in a stare and he was a very experienced man. Yet he was confused.
Twitching his hand around, Georg turned his attention to some guest or other.
----------------------------------------------
It was eleven o'clock, Georg realized a few minutes later, checking his watch.Some of the most elderly guests were taking leave already but most people remained and seemed to be enjoying the evening. A certain Colonel Mercer even had told him that he had liked it so much that he and his wife had just decided to give their own ball the upcoming month and had been so civil as to invite Elsa and Georg as if they were already a couple. Elsa had lively accepted and a commitment had been made.
The captain had remained silent meanwhile, his mind somewhere else, until when with the corner of his eye he perceived that the same group of people that had fixed his attention minutes earlier reentered the house; all but Maria, that is. He soon caught countess Weiss looking his way with a significant smile, and he frowned bothered.
Could Maria possibly have gone to sleep? She very well could have taken the other entrance to retire. He was intending to confirm this particular when he was taken by surprise noticing that young Elvin or whatever was his name, was leaving for the patio once again with a very hurried step.
Georg decided he had had enough of the ridiculous situation. Hadn't Max himself thought it advisable that he should take care that no pathetic excuse for a man would play the puppy with Maria?
It was his responsibility to take care of that, his anger advised him. And in the deal he would have a word with Maria about inappropriateness of behavior. Yes, that was what he would do.
He sighed and escaped Elsa, leaving her dancing with a famous politician. It was imperative to see what could be keeping them outside alone.
But upon crossing the doorstep to the patio he saw something that made him see literally red.
Emil was leaning towards Maria and had a hand on her bare shoulder. She on her side seemed to be saying something passionately. Neither of them noticed him, entranced as they were in their interchange.
The captain got much angrier than that the situation vouched. He knew it, but couldn't do much about it. He got closer and took Maria's arm, stealing her away for the second time that night.
"Will you excuse us?" Georg said, slanting his head with a strained expression. "I need a word with my governess urgently".
"Captain Von Trapp!" exclaimed the younger man, taken aback by the interruption. Emil seemed about to articulate something else as a protest, Georg was reading his intention, probably wanted to ask him not to entertain Maria for long, and the very thought made him angrier.
"Of course," ended up Emil, apparently noticing nothing wrong, but biting his lips with disappointment. "Will I see you later?"
"I don't know, probably I should retire now. It's better if I wish you goodnight. Thank you for everything, it was a pleasure meeting you," said Maria, not wanting to seem rude but feeling out of breath by the grip on her arm that was getting fiercer each second.
"Will I see you again?" spurted out Emil, but without letting Maria a chance to reply, Georg half pushed her through the opposite exit, towards the gardens, stiffly, fuming and not exactly sure of what he intended to do.
Maria's heart thumped as if it was to get out of her chest when the Captain got a firmer hold of her arm and led her outside. In her mind there was the thought that it was improper of him to drag her out to the park in the absolute darkness. What could it be all about?
While walking the lawn in the general direction of the gazebo, they felt the freshness of the air, the dampness of the soil and the deafening silence of the night surrounding them. She was almost scared.
Had she done something wrong? Her little to no experience in society only left her many doubts. But her anticipation mounted as the captain stopped and turned her around without taking his hand off; her skin by now felt over sensitized and on fire with the contact of his ungloved touch. Maria tried to free herself gently to no avail.
She looked up at him confused. "What was happening up there, Fräulein?" growled Georg his mouth twitched in a hard half smile.