Notes: Thanks a bunch for the reviews! I am honored you like so far. I'm analyzing comments and we will see within a couple of chapters. I think it's fair to mention that the story may move from the T to the M rating and you'd have to look for it under that category in case it disappears from the regular page if you still want to read.

Next chapter will probably take longer because of the World Cup hassle, sorry.

My especial thanks to Edelwyn and Fran for their help in shaping the next chapters..

Meanwhile, I'd like to ask if you think a romantic/passionate song could fit into the story at this point :) Thank you again and hope you enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget commenting, please!

Chapter 11 -- Interlude

Maria's eyes fluttered open as she woke up a couple of hours later, finding herself lying over the bed in a complete darkness.

A sigh got out of her ribcage without her noticing, as it used to when she was a kid and she had cried herself to sleep. Her eyeballs felt like sandpaper. Each of her extremities was heavy and tingled because of having fallen asleep in an uncomfortable position.

She dragged herself out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom, closing the door and turning on the light. Immediately, she splashed her tear-stricken face with warm water, rubbing it a little to eliminate the grim. Her hair was tousled; she combed it, and then unbuttoned her jacket and dress, getting out of them and into the nightgown that hanged from a hook, with economy of movements. She was the most exhausted she remembered ever feeling.

That'd do for now, she thought, as she turned off the light and exited the bathroom, still disoriented and intending to get under the covers and lose herself into oblivion again.

Maria moved towards the bed and her stare wandered in the direction of the doorstep where she noticed, with a whimper, that Georg was sitting over the floor, with his back to the door and his knees flexed.

She stood for a few seconds trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness of the room.

He was awake and gazing at her. His formal jacket and tie lay beside him, and his shirt had a few of the top buttons open.

"What…what are you doing still here, captain?" she asked confused.

"I wanted to make sure you were Ok. I was worried," he said with a tired tone.

Maria frowned, bothered. "I think you should go to your bed now. We both need to sleep," she said.

"You are sorely deceived if you think I can sleep either in my bed or anywhere else after all that's happened tonight. But you can go back to your own sleep. I will be happy checking on you."

"Oh, God!" Maria finally felt wide awake at hearing his words. How could he possibly think she could go to sleep again by her own accord knowing he was there observing her for hours to end?

"You really don't need to. I cannot let you spend the night over there like that."

"I don't want to disturb you. It's just that we still have things to discuss. I don't want to risk your leaving first thing in the morning without having a chance to explain myself. So I'll wait for you, take your rest, Maria."

She looked at him for long moments and then she took off her shoes and walked towards him.

"Georg," she said his name for the first time and extended her hands towards his.

Georg looked up surprised and moved by her simple and powerful gesture of saying his name for the first time. He took her hands unsure.

"Please stand up. Come sit with me over the bed. We will talk if you wish. I will hear everything you got to say."

"Now? I don't think you're in a condition to do it."

"I cannot sleep now, and you'll catch a cold if I let you sit over there."

He nodded and rose up with effort from the uncomfortable position he had been in. Upon getting up he smelled her hair. Her fragrance was more her at that hour. There was nothing in the darkness to distract his senses from that unique perfume.

They sat, him at the end of the bed and she at one side, there was a safe distance between them, she thought. Her mind evoked the memory of their last kiss, it was impossible not to be conscious again of his strong warm body and blue eyes and of the fact they were alone in her bedroom at dawn in the middle of the silence and soft embracing darkness.

Neither knew what to say at first. Maria avoided looking at him and rather let her eyes go to the window. The full moon of earlier seemed to be covered now with clouds. The night had become increasingly cool as dawn approached.

"Did you mean what you said earlier, Maria?" he whispered.

"What?"

"That you couldn't be a nun now."

She sighed and blinked. "Yes, I did."

"And do you still plan to leave this house?"

She kept her silence, shy of giving any response.

"Maria, don't do it."

She wasn't ready to give him an answer, at least not without redefining her situation in the house at the moment. She changed subject as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I fear that someone could learn that you spent the night in my bedroom." Maria muttered in the stillness. "You know how people are fond of gossip and it wouldn't be good if the children overhear it."

Georg couldn't deny it. "It's no use to repent about the past. I will leave before daylight," he retorted.

Maria nodded.

"Do you like this room?" he asked.

"Oh yes, I love it and have become very used to it. I really enjoy the white painted walls. And the bedclothes are so warm and comfortable. I had never had such a beautiful room."

"It must be wildly different from the Abbey."

She laughed silently. "Yes, of course, postulants' cells are even smaller than the actual nuns'—and those are no bigger than half this room. And since we make a vow of poverty and humility, we don't have anything fanciful or that allows for luxurious comfort or even for much warmth. No looking-glasses or armoires, and a shared bathroom. The window in my cell was infinitely small, that was what I liked the less of it."

In his mind Georg wondered what she would think of his huge suite. It was enormous and ten times more comfortable than Maria's present room. That idea couldn't materialize in any comment though.

"You love outdoors, don't you?"

"Yes, remember when I told you that I gave so much more of a problem in the Abbey? Truth is that most of it related to my escaping to the mountains when the days were shiny and beckoned me out."

"Yet the order at the Nonnberg abbey has a vow of seclusion…"

"Yes, it does." Maria's face was down. He knew she was thinking the same he was, that she was never cast to being an inmate there. To become one would have been to stifle her energy and spirit in a permanent way, which would have been tantamount to killing her little by little.

"You know that my family has been a very religious one by generations?" mentioned Georg.

"Yes, I do. The kids' upbringing is not lacking in religious education, morals or faith. You've brought them up in a great manner."

Georg smiled. "Thank you."

He continued with his line of though, "When I see them I cannot help but to feel proud and blessed. I think that my mission in this world has been fulfilled to an extent. But they need so many things that I know I won't be free from that mission for the rest of my lifetime."

She nodded. "Being a parent is a task that doesn't end when the kids grow up," she said.

Georg hesitated a moment before saying what was now in his head, a little concerned for her reaction, "You are so good with children, haven't you ever wondered if becoming a mother wasn't a more natural inclination for your character?"

Maria sighed instead of getting mad. "You are the second person tonight who questions my choice of vocation."

"Am I?" the captain asked rather astounded. "Tell me."

"No, no. It was nothing."

"You've started telling. Who was that person and what was it that they told you?"

"Countess Weiss, she gave me a good get straight tonight. She asked me a number of very personal questions, not to mention she gave me some tips that made me blush."

"Such as?"

"She wanted to know if I had ever been kissed."

Georg laughed.

"And what was your answer, Maria?" he said in a softer voice.

"I didn't reply but she seemed to read right through me." She felt him put his hand over hers. "You see, I must be very transparent."

"Maybe you are. But it doesn't follow it is a bad thing."

"In fact, she made a few insinuations regarding you," she observed him to catch his reaction.

"Did she? Tell me more."

"It wasn't that direct. More like hints. About gentlemen looking at me tonight and…"

"And?" he pressed her.

"She thought I'd be kissed before the night was over," Maria let out in an almost unintelligible voice.

"The good countess is an eagle when it comes to these things. I understand now some of her looks. I must be more readable than I thought myself," he said surprised.

Maria felt a wave go through her at his words. She had felt his stares and the sparks between them and all the time he had felt the same. Even other people had noticed.

"I suppose that if she read into your eyes now, her conclusions would be quite different, wouldn't they?" he asked

Maria gasped at his comment. "Oh, she would probably be very happy, she thought I needed to learn about kissing techniques before taking my vows, she thought I was making a mistake," Maria looked straight into Georg's eyes.

The captain thought of sending next day a bouquet of roses to the countess.

"Will you curse me Maria?" Georg asked rather unexpectedly.

"For what?"

"For being the instrument of your realization that you cannot be a nun," he elaborated.

"No. I can only blame myself for the mess that my life has become; that always has been, in fact."

"Always?"

Maria nodded; thinking that now she would talk a little more about her life; she was much more relaxed now than two hours ago. It wouldn't hurt to talk more now that the gates were opening in a way she wouldn't have believed it possible only one day before.

"You see, I have never had a real home. I know this may sound ungrateful to God, but I have never been able to help thinking that. My mother died when I was a small child and then my father packed me up and sent me to live with an uncle." She sighed looking up to the ceiling. "At my uncle's I was a burden. I never was able to reach the expectations they had on me, whatever low they were."

He shook his head with an expression over his face that denied in silence.

"I never was a quiet, obedient child. And I got a duly and daily punishment for it," she said, merely enouncing a fact, but without any trace of lingering self-pity.

Georg wondered how a child under those circumstances could have managed to become a healthy and mature adult. He now admired Maria more than ever. And loved her even more. He scooted up into the bed and hugged her as if wanting to protect her from that past.

Maria let him do it, loving the tenderness of his warmth.

"Was that the reason why you entered the Abbey?"

"I don't know. I am not sure of anything now. But I guess that somehow the abbey did offer me for two years the hope of a permanent home and a place where I could be accepted for what I am. I was very happy there. I learnt a lot and I thought I was doing God's will."

"And have you been happy in this house too?" he asked, holding his breath.

"Yes. I have been happy here too. In a different way," Maria declared, "It was surprising at first, when the reverend mother asked me to come here and be a governess I did all I could to avoid her sending me away.

"Yet she is a very wise woman. She knew better."

"I know that now. But back then, I thought I had failed and was rejected again. It did hurt, since she did it because she entertained doubts of my vocation."

"You shouldn't think that. The fact you weren't fit for a monastic life doesn't mean that your life doesn't have a purpose, you only have to find it now."

"I know, and it's so scary, you don't know how much," she tightened in his embrace.

"Yes I do, it scares me too," the captain said exhaling into her hair.

"Why would it scare you?" Maria whispered, laughing softly.

"Because, Maria, I want you to be my wife."