A/N: While I was writing this wedding scene, I was listening to an exquisite piece of music that is over 400 years old. Pachelbel's Canon in D has graced countless weddings because it resonates with the boundless joy of two people pledging their lives to each other. I found a magical arrangement with just a cello and piano, by the Brooklyn Duo. The rich, mellow sounds of the cello are sublime. It can be found on Youtube. I hope you might consider listening to it while reading.
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Chapter 28: Sunrise, sunset
Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand,
Take my whole life, too
For I can't help falling in love with you*
It was still dark when Maria awoke in her bare room in the Abbey. Not even the melodious, extravagant trills of the lark could be heard. The whole world was silent and serene. Almost immediately Maria could feel her heart ready to burst with joy. Perhaps the euphoria had seeped into her dreams because she awoke with a single momentous thought: today was her wedding day.
Today she would make that pivotal journey from girlhood to womanhood, from postulant to wife. Georg's wife. The ache of love she felt for her husband-to-be was almost painful in its intensity. Did every bride feel this sense of awe and wonder, this unbearable anticipation?
She flung off the threadbare sheets and rough blankets, her bare feet unmindful of the biting cold of the stone floor. Even though it was chilly she opened the window. It had rained in the night so the air had a clean, newly-washed fragrance, and felt refreshing on her face.
The Untersberg couldn't be seen, it was just a huge looming black shape in the distance. She watched the gentle unfurling beauty of the dawn as it pushed away the night, giving a soft light to the world. Like every dawn, the moment was bursting with possibilities; a rejoicing in life at the birth of the new day.
The Untersberg became visible, as majestic as if it had been there since the beginning of time. She would be married on her beloved mountain in a tiny church nestled in a quiet hamlet. Mist shrouded the mountain in soft, gauzy veils. She knew it would cling to her skin damply if she were there now, swirling around her. But the clouds on the mountain-top would soon burn away in the blaze of the late summer sunshine. Already pale golden beams were piercing the clouds to shine down on the valleys, making them seem as if they were lit from heaven.
Tomorrow she would awaken to the sunrise with Georg, as his wife. She gulped down that heady thought, the frightening excitement making her skin prickle and her heart thud heavily with both gladness, and the anxiety of the unknown.
But amidst the muddle of happy chaotic thoughts lay a sly one, hidden, bloated with menace, waiting to ooze its ugly poison over the joyous feelings. Would they still be together in ten days time or even a week? How much time would God grant them before Maria had to take the children out of Austria? Most terrifying of all…. would Georg be safe when he stayed behind? Please Lord, watch over him. Maria whispered the prayer, trying to banish the fear which lay waiting like the serpent in paradise.
Knowing that every single moment was to be treasured she resolved to not think of the Anschluss on this most wonderous of days. Over the next few days she and Georg would fill their store of enchanting memories together to fortify themselves against the approaching bleak winter of uncertainty and danger.
The first hymns could be heard as the nuns began their daily ritual of prayers and songs. She felt a pang as she thought about leaving behind the only family she could remember well. Even though she had been patently unsuited to the life here, they had cherished her. But now it was time to lead the life she was born to live. To the exultant sounds of Hallelujah from the hymns, she knelt once again in prayer, full of gratitude for the pathway that God had illuminated for her.
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"Oh Maria! You look….." Eliza was speechless as she helped Maria dress in her ivory silk, antique wedding gown. Eliza brushed away a tear, stunned by the vision of the radiant bride. Carefully, she placed the lace veil with its delicate tracery of flowers, that had been so painstakingly made by the nuns. A simple wreath of leaves, symbolic of purity, held it in place. No tiara, not even one heavily encrusted with diamonds, could have looked more glorious.
"You're so loverly! Your Cap'n is just going to faint dead away when 'e sees you, 'e will." Eliza dabbed at her eyes.
"Thank you Eliza, but you're going to start me crying too," Maria whispered. Her voice snapped like a dry twig in the middle, as the tears fell despite her determination. Laughingly, she wiped them away.
She was composed by the time she knelt before the Reverend Mother for her blessing. For the last time she gazed into the Reverend Mother's tranquil face, full of kindly grace. Maria vowed silently that she would honour her and all the Sisters every day of her life. She would never forget all things she had learned from them.
Max was waiting for her by the car outside the gates, looking dapper in his formal morning suit. Liesel was trying to calm the two little girls who were twirling about in their pretty dresses in sheer rhapsody. They all stopped breathlessly when they saw her.
"Mother you look like an angel!"
"Mother, you're the prettiest lady in the whole world!"
"Thank you, sweethearts. But my, look how beautiful you all look in your new dresses."
Max handed her a bouquet, the drowsy scent of gardenias filled the air. "My dear, you look sensational. Georg is a lucky devil. He sent these flowers for you."
Maria buried her nose in the bridal bouquet, before carefully getting into the car with Liesl's and Eliza's help.
They drove up the mountain, through winding roads amidst a fertile patchwork of lush meadows and golden crops of ripe wheat and corn waiting to be harvested. Bunches of grapes gleamed, dark and glossy, bursting with sweetness in the vineyards on the slopes of the mountain. They passed orchards with lichen-covered trees, heavily laden with succulent cherries, peaches and apples. In this late summer season, Maria's mountain was at its most bountiful.
Higher and higher they went, all of them laughing as Max belted out a terrible version of 'My Favourite Things.' It seemed as if the things he treasured most involved different varieties of alcohol, and plenty of money.
Further up, the deep baritone of the Klopmann Monastery choir singing 'Gloria' drifted faintly on the breeze. The mountain path wasn't big enough to take the car to the church so they walked a short distance. Maria was astonished to realize she could hear 'Ave Maria' coming from the little church. She looked at Max, puzzled.
He grinned. "Sascha more or less invited himself to the wedding, but as a gift to you and Georg, he asked Fraulein Schweiger and the Tobi Reiser Quintet to do the music." He sighed ruefully. "That scoundrel managed to sign them both up when I was distracted at the Festival. Such a thief! Still, at least I have the satisfaction that you won the prize."
Maria listened with delight to the ethereal singing, coming as clear as bell, guiding her forward.
Father Wassner was waiting at the steps to the church, a breeze ruffling his sandy-coloured hair. He smiled, his eyes kind behind his round spectacles, as Maria knelt and kissed his ring. "Are you ready my child?"
Maria's insides tumbled with happiness. "Oh yes, Father!" She had never been more ready for anything. It was as if everything in her life had been leading up to this moment. Liesl gave her a last devoted look before guiding the little girls to scatter their rose petals.
Maria stood near the entrance, out of sight of her family inside, staring in wonder. Georg and the other children had spent the morning decorating the church with masses of roses in pink, white and red. They were a lovely counterpoint to the luscious green foliage draped everywhere. Luxuriant bundles of roses lay along the altar and were tied to the pews, even arching thickly over the entrance. Their delectable scent mixed with the fragrance of polish from the age-old wooden pews. Surely this must have been what the Garden of Eden had looked like?
She took a step closer and saw her children waiting for her near the altar. She smiled at them tenderly. But then her eyes were drawn to Georg standing so handsome and distinguished in his naval uniform. He filled her eyes, and her whole world. He was still and solemn, but his eyes blazed fiercely with love as he looked at Maria and drew her to him with his gaze. Vaguely she heard the Tobi Reiser Quintet playing Pachelbel's Canon in D. The gentle hypnotic notes created a ravishing cadence, the joy building gradually into an exquisite andante.
On Max's arm, Maria took each slow step closer to Georg. Before she even got to him, he was reaching to take her hand as if he couldn't wait a second longer. They stood gazing at each other for a timeless moment. With the harmonious splendour of the music cascading over them, it felt as if they were the only two people in the world. They turned and knelt before Father Wassner, their hands still clasped together as the Mass began.
As if in a dream, Maria listened to the readings from Liesl, Louisa and Brigitta from the Old and New Testaments, her motherly pride swelling at their poise. Then it was time for the placement of rings. Georg's voice was steady and strong as he made his vows to her, Maria's was softer but just as fervent. Through a haze of quiet rapture, she felt Georg lifting her veil to brush a tender kiss to seal their marriage. They were married. The exultant thought washed over her, filling her with wild delight.
Outside the tiny church they stood together, for the first time as man and wife, united in a profound sense of peace as the church bells pealed loudly in celebration. Maria's heart felt as if it was soaring higher than the mountains.
Father Wassner came to congratulate them, while the children gathered around to hug their parents. Maria instinctively felt a frisson of alarm when she realized one of her brood was missing. "Where's Kurt?" she asked anxiously.
Louisa and Friedrich grimaced and exchanged glances. Friedrich confessed, "He's dangling from a rope, ringing the bells."
At Maria's horrified look, he added, "I couldn't talk him out of it. He convinced the boy who usually does it to let him have a go." Friedrich didn't mention the schillings that had changed hands between the boys.
Maria could well imagine that her new son, with his resourceful charm, had talked the other boy into it. "Is it dangerous?" She couldn't bear the thought of Kurt falling and hurting himself. Now that she was officially their mother all those fears that that were so tightly entwined with love were amplified.
Georg walked over and peered up into the bell tower. He could see the pale legs of his younger son, wriggling madly in the air like a spider, as he used his weight to pull the thick rope up and down. Above him the heavy bells were ringing jubilantly. Georg glimpsed Kurt's face and saw his son was having the time of his life, as if he were on a particularly exhilarating fair-ground ride.
He sighed wryly. "I think he's fine."
They were distracted as a small group from the local community came forward. Father Wassner introduced them all. "Captain, Baroness….," for a moment, Maria thought he was referring to Baroness Schraeder and almost looked around. But then she realized with a little start of shock that it was herself he was talking to. Good heavens, she had never thought of herself as a baroness before. The grand title didn't seem to fit somehow.
"This is Herr Wolken." Father Wassner introduced a grizzled man with a thick white beard, dressed in the lederhosen of country folk from the mountains. "He would like to invite you to a meal in the square, to celebrate your wedding."
The elderly man, already stooped from years of work in the fields, bowed to them, taking off his Tyrolean hat with deference.
"We are humbled by your presence Captain von Trapp, an Austrian hero, no less; and your lovely bride, the Baroness, and your beautiful children. It is an honour that you have chosen our church to be married in, and we welcome you into our village. It gladdens our hearts even more, that your wife is also from the mountains. Her parents were from another village and we knew them well, before they passed some years ago."
He smiled at Maria, revealing endearing gaps in his teeth. "Also, we are very proud that a daughter from the hills won the Festival." It seemed that the news had even reached this remote corner of Austria. Touched by his words, Maria thanked him warmly.
Georg graciously accepted the invitation from the dozen people from the village, assembled in their best Alpine attire, standing a little way back respectfully. "Thank you, the honour is all ours." Although he had planned a picnic with the children after the service, he would never churlishly refuse the hospitality of these quiet, reserved people.
They were led to the nearby village square, leafy with towering oak trees. Close by, a small brook tumbled its way past the village. The trickling sound of water, and the heady scent of honeysuckle clinging to the crumbling stone walls added to the idyllic scene.
A lattice of branches from the trees dappled the sunlight and provided welcome shade to the wooden benches and tables. Cheerful red and white checked cloths decked the tables, which were piled with dishes of ham, sausages, cheese, potato salad, freshly baked bread, platters of newly harvested vegetables and fruit, and mouthwatering apple strudels with jugs of clotted cream.
The simple but appetizing country food complemented the abundance of more sophisticated picnic fare that Georg's French chef, Claude, had packed. There was enough for a feast and the children gasped with glee, desperate to tuck in as they seated themselves on the benches.
Although the speeches were supposed to happen first, Georg relented, allowing the children to start eating, warning them not to fall on the food like ravening wolves, and to serve the villagers first.
Never one to miss out on a good meal, Kurt reappeared, looking guilty but thrilled with his new experience. His parents were simply too happy to scold him for trying something dangerous without their permission. He sat chomping placidly on a chicken drumstick, his eyes devouring all the food on his plate.
Contentedly, Maria and Georg sat together, exchanging tender private glances. Deep emotions flowed seamlessly between them, making words unnecessary, though they spoke quietly to their guests.
Eventually, with the tinkling of a fork on glass, Georg signalled to Friedrich, as they had already arranged, to speak first. A hush fell over the small gathering.
Friedrich stood up, his ears were pink with self-consciousness about speaking in front of an audience. He swallowed down his nervousness and persevered manfully, clutching a piece of a paper. It didn't help his confidence that his voice seemed uncertain whether it had fully changed into the deeper baritone of a man, or the higher-pitched squawk of an adolescent boy. To his mortification, he knew it could change within a single sentence, and it filled him with dread.
"As Father's best man it is my duty to make a speech." He took a deep breath. "My siblings and I want to say how happy we are today. Fraulein Maria, erhm…, I mean Mother….." Bravely he looked up from his paper to give Maria a beautific smile. He looked down again, shifting uneasily at being the center of attention.
"Mother is best person we could have asked for. There is no-one nicer or more fun than her. We like to think that it is because we were smart enough to wait for eleven previous governesses to go away, that we got the perfect mother in the end. So we really feel like we can take credit for Mother staying with us for good."
His father chuckled with agreement.
Friedrich continued, a bit shamefacedly, "We weren't very nice on Mother's first day with us but we all promise that she will never again find a frog in her pocket or beetles in her bathtub or pinecones on her seat."
Maria laughed warmly, "Thank you darlings, I'll be grateful for that."
"We are very happy that we taught Mother Hochdeutsch, though of course we liked the way she spoke when she came to us too."
Maria looked at Georg, feeling awful over her silly dialect which the children did not know that she had faked. She and Georg had decided it would be simpler not to tell the children about that. Georg smiled at her reassuringly as Friedrich continued.
"We feel proud that we were able to teach her something because she has taught us so many millions of things that we will never forget. But most of all we'd like to say thank you for everything she has done for us and for making us all so happy." He finished in a rush. "My brother and sisters helped me to write this speech."
He sat down to cheers and clapping, and flushed even brighter red with pride as Georg murmured deeply, "Thank you son. Well done."
Georg stood up to give his speech, reaching for Maria's hand and holding it tightly as she sat next to him.
"There was once an ancient Greek philosopher called Pythagoras…"
Maria burst into peals of laughter at his reference to the ancient Greeks, remembering how they had both enjoyed sparring about the philosophers from the day she arrived. It was their private joke, that over that taunting playful teasing they had grown to love each other.
He grinned at her before looking at his children. "You may be interested to know, that Pythagoras didn't just invent a mathematical formula to torture you with, but he was also a wise man. He set the speechmaker with the challenge of saying a great deal with only a very few words."
He turned back to the gathering. "So let me try to meet that impossible task by trying to convey what is in my heart, in mere minutes rather than the aeons it would take to do justice to the depth of my feelings. Unfortunately for you all, I am neither a philosopher nor a poet!" He waited for the laughter to die down.
"I'm just an ordinary man, no doubt clumsy and inadequate with words, who has been blessed with the most precious gifts one can receive in life: boundless love and a loving family. The most astonishing thing of all is that I have been awarded this extraordinary love, not once but twice."
He paused for a moment to look tenderly at Maria as she pressed his hand against her cheek. "Although I have been trying hard over the past days and weeks to think what wonderous things I must have done in my past to be deserving of such happiness, I simply cannot find anything. So I can only humbly thank God for my fate to have had the love of two fair ladies, whose grace, warmth and infinite capacity for love have made me into a better man."
He looked steadily at all the children, knowing that many of the older ones were thinking of Agathe on this day, no doubt conflicted by sadness and guilt, in the middle of the festivities.
"Your Mama will always live on in our hearts. Perhaps, like me, some of you can feel her presence here today. I know that she would be filled with a sense of peace and elation that we have all found joy again. I think that your governess came into our lives as a godsend, sent by angels, to help us become a family again."
He received a few relieved smiles and some vigorous nods from the children. It made sense to them in their innocent, child's view of the world.
"For me, today feels as if, we…., all of us, have been reborn in the presence of God; not just me as a new husband, and your governess as my wife and your mother, but as a family. It feels as if today we are stronger and more resilient. We can rejoice in the love both your mothers have given us, knowing that we will be able to face any adversity with courage."
Still standing, he reached down to cup a gentle hand to Maria's cheek. "Before I speak of your new mother, who came to us as radiantly as the spring after a terribly harsh winter, I want to say a word to each of you, my beautiful children."
Georg paused for a moment as a swell of emotion blocked his throat for a moment. Whatever happened in the near future, whatever fate held in store for him, he wanted to try to give them a few paltry words of wisdom, and more importantly to tell each of them of his love and pride. He struggled to find the words they would remember all their lives, that could convey the depth of his feelings for them, knowing that it was only thanks to Maria that he had been given a chance to get to know his children again. He felt her squeeze his fingers tightly, her eyes adoring, giving him strength when he faltered for a moment.
"It isn't often that a man gets a chance to honour his children publicly. Your new mother and I decided that now would be a perfect moment to tell you how much you mean to us, and to tell you of our hopes that even in the noisy confusion of life, you will always love and protect each other. It is our dearest wish that all of you will have lives filled with happiness."
He smiled. "Let me begin with…." He looked at Liesl, his first-born who was always first to be mentioned, but then he winked at her and swivelled his gaze to Gretl who squealed with surprise at being first for once.
"My darling little Gretl; your giggles and hugs are like the sunshine breaking through on a stormy day. You have a very important job to do in this family: keeping all those rowdy older brothers and sisters in line, but you have been doing a marvellous job so far. You have my full trust, and I'll be leaving you in charge when Mother and I are on our honeymoon. I hope you will always have big dreams and follow those dreams wholeheartedly, my princess."
Gretl was glowing with happiness, squirming with pleasure at the words, barely able to sit still in her high spirits. Georg turned to Marta.
"My sweet angel, Marta. You are like the magic gold dust in our lives, generously and selflessly spreading happiness wherever you go. You have enough love and kindness inside of you to fill the whole world. Never lose that sweetness my darling, it is a rare gift that has been bestowed on you. My hope for you is that your self-confidence will blossom as you realise how much we all cherish you."
Marta buried her shy face into Liesl's lap, overwhelmed by her father's words.
"Brigitta, my heart aches with pride when I see you, usually with your nose buried in a book! You have been blessed with perceptiveness and imagination. I suspect that at some point in your life your creative gifts will be giving much pleasure to many people. You are like a compass in our family, and I know your siblings often turn to you for your insights and advice. I hope you will never lose the courage that you have, to be so open with your love and affection."
"Thank you Father," Brigitta whispered, wiping away a tear.
"Kurt, my dear son, I am constantly astonished at the ingenuity and the engineering prowess that you display in the quite spectacular pranks you have pulled." Everyone laughed at that as Kurt beamed with pride. "You have the adventurous spirit of an explorer, and the clever mind of an inventor. I hope that you will use your talents to create extraordinary things for the world. More than that, your outlandish sense of fun always make us laugh. I am very proud of you, son."
Kurt looked embarrassed and thrilled. He puffed out his chest in exultation. He had rarely heard such praise from his father.
"Louisa, your loyalty, strength and determination are remarkable. I only ask that you not be afraid to open your heart to love. You are like a solid rock of integrity, unwavering in your principles, someone we can all turn to in a crisis. I know you have the fearlessness and tenacity to climb the highest mountains and follow your dreams. Bless you my sweet."
Louisa gave him one of her unique smiles which seemed to light up the village square.
"Friedrich, my son. I look at you and remember the little boy you once were, now grown so tall. It seems like you've become a young man overnight. You have courage and decisiveness that make me think that one day, other men will look to you for leadership. But importantly, you temper that strength with the goodness and decency that you inherited from Mama. I know you will always behave with the utmost integrity, doing the right thing and always taking the right path even if it is the most difficult one. I could not be prouder of the way you have turned out."
Despite his boyishly flushed cheeks Friedrich seemed to have grown in stature in mere minutes. "Thank you Father," he said gruffly.
"Liesl, sweetheart, what can I say except thank you with all my heart for guiding and loving your brothers and sisters when I was so immersed in sadness over losing Mama. You've had far too much responsibility for one so young, but I hope that now we are a whole family again, you will be able to dance joyously and freely. Though not too freely of course, I will have my work cut out for me, beating off the eager young men as it is."
Liesl smiled prettily.
"And now my new wife: Maria; I am blessed beyond words. You came to us armed with an indomitable bravery, an unshakeable faith, a sense of humour and an outrageous sense of mischief."
Maria laughed, knowing that only she and Georg knew about the ridiculous deceit she had practiced on him when she arrived.
"Before I even saw you, I was enraptured by a voice that could stun the heavens. You torpedoed into my life, and with astonishing precision, you blew apart all the barricades I had been hiding behind. Thank you for the music, the joy and the laughter you have brought all of us, and most especially for the love that healed us all. Our whole family are honoured that you chose us instead of a life serving God. Every day of my life I will give thanks that you decided that your path lay with us."
Maria swallowed down the hot tears that were threatening to burst forth.
Georg chuckled, having heard from Sister Berthe over the last week, some of the things that had been said about Maria at the Abbey. "If I were able to hold a moonbeam in my hand, or catch a cloud and pin it down, or stop the tide, or keep a wave upon the shore, I could not feel luckier or more blessed than I do now, knowing that you are my wife."
The familiar teasing light that she knew so well, appeared in his eyes. "Now, I have one last question for you. If you win this, you get me and the children, and if you lose, you will still get us. Who was it who said: "One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is Love.""
Maria smiled tremulously, "That was Socrates."
Everyone cheered as Georg kissed her hand. "Looks like we belong to her now, children!"
"Wait a minute, you forgot about me!" a plaintive voice called out.
Georg grinned at the ripple of laughter that lightened the atmosphere. "Ah yes Max, what would we do without you? You're like my eighth child. I suppose I should say thank you, for being instrumental in bringing Maria and I together. But I know you are a man who seeks few rewards for your good deeds." He said that ironically, since he knew Max was the complete opposite. "So I will only assure you that you will get your reward in heaven." The children burst into giggles at Max's crestfallen look.
Sascha, who had sobbed piteously throughout Georg's speech, blew his nose into his handkerchief noisily. He muttered to Max, inadvertently loud enough for everyone to hear. "Do you think he might say something nice about me too?" he wondered hopefully. He had been impressed with Georg's eloquence, and never tired of hearing nice things about himself. He looked indignant at the titters of laughter around him over his question.
But he seemed mollified when Georg looked amused, but obligingly acknowledged him too. Georg said ambiguously, "Thank you for being you, Sascha."
Sascha took that as a compliment and preened as proudly as a peacock. After all, Sascha knew how very important he – Sascha – was, and that his very presence lent a certain dignity to every occasion. He thought gleefully of how he would be dining out on this for months, on his appearance at this celebrated, but simple, wedding. Could there be a more famous couple than the winner of the Salzburg Festival and Austria's most highly-decorated naval hero? Much as he disliked the captain, he enjoyed the fact he was so highly respected.
Privately he thought that the ceremony had been far too simple and lacking in glamour and opulence. There hadn't even been a little bit of publicity. He would have expected something much more lavish for this illustrious couple, complete with throngs of press and fans, and crowds of Austria's elite. Still, he consoled himself, he had been present at the wedding of the year, if not the decade. He would make sure to embellish his account when he told the story to everyone who would listen, to make the wedding seem much grander and more glorious than it had been.
Georg ended his speech by thanking Father Wassner for his guidance and his moving Nuptial Mass. He also thanked Eliza for being such a good friend for Maria, and then Fraulein Schweiger and the Tobi Reiser Quintet for making the hills come alive with music. He was also gracious in his thanks to the members of the little mountain community for their hospitality.
Glasses of expensive champagne from Georg's cellar were distributed to the adults, and Maria tried it for the first time. The tiny golden bubbles prickled and burst on her tongue, tasting of sunshine, flowers and celebration. It gave her the courage to give Georg his gift.
She had been practising one of the more romantic songs from his favourite Austrian composer, Schubert: 'Du bist die Ruh' [You are my tranquillity].
"Full of joy
I consecrate to you
my eyes and my heart
as a dwelling place..."
She could see from Georg's face how moved he was and how enraptured by her singing he continued to be. It filled her heart with gladness that she could give him that.
After that, the Tobi Reiser Quintet began to play, beginning with the laendler, the courtship dance from the mountains. Georg took Maria's hand and with lithe, elegant grace they moved together through the sensuous intertwining of arms, symbolic of their union. The villagers joined in, and Maria smiled to see Max dancing with Eliza, and Sascha with Fraulein Schweiger. The children joined in too, trying to copy the complicated moves, with comic results.
With the sunset coming quickly to the mountains, by late afternoon it was time for everyone to go home. Maria and Georg changed out of their wedding finery, into clothes more appropriate for their mountain honeymoon. Maria's breath caught to see how potently masculine Georg looked in his soft suede trousers, boots and rugged shirt. Already the giddy butterflies were fluttering in her stomach.
The two little girls were over-tired after too much excitement. Gretl in particular, looked as if she were on the verge of a volcanic tantrum. She mutinously refused to get into the car, her arms folded crossly, a dangerous wobble to her mouth. "I want to stay here with Mother!"
Neither Georg nor Maria were sure what Max whispered in her ear as a bribe and decided it was best not to ask. Maria lifted her tenderly and settled her snugly into Liesl's arms. "We'll be home before you know it," she whispered reassuringly, as she stroked her youngest child's hair.
Amidst raucous laughter and shouting from the children, Max drove them away.
With everyone gone the newlyweds were left alone, surrounded by the majestic mountains. Georg cupped Maria's face reverently. "My wife." he murmured. "With everything I am I will love you forever."
The sun was already dipping behind the jagged peaks, turning the highest mountains, with their dustings of permanent of snow, a bright luminous pink. Hand in hand they made their way through a trail of dark, silent, heavily-scented pine-forest, and then out into an open pasture of tall grass swaying gently in the breeze. The sun was sinking fast by the time they reached the wooden chalet that Georg had rented. Before going inside they took a moment to watch their perfect day end in a blaze of golden glory.
Georg lit the fireplace and the candles and lanterns. The fire crackled merrily, hissing and popping, the dancing light creating a romantic atmosphere. Maria's heart felt as if it were leaping about in agonized anticipation. Sensing her nerves, Georg took her in his embrace and gave her a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"Maria darling, we can wait, if you are tired or worried. We have all the time in the world."
She trembled, shaking her head. "I don't want to wait," she whispered, touching his mouth. "I want to be your wife."
Georg heaved a huge breath of suppressed emotion, his chest expanding mightily, then nodded. "So be it. Let me just shave and I will be back shortly." Smiling reassuringly, he kissed her fingertips. "Don't go away."
Jittery with excitement and worry, her stomach roiling, Maria put on the lovely nightgown that Frau Schmidt had packed for her. It was a floor length drift of white satin and lace, paradoxically both demure and alluring, hinting at subtle sensuality. She had never been more conscious of her femininity.
Surely her heart was going to beat right out of her chest, she thought, feeling cross with herself for the ridiculous sense of apprehension, her head jumbled with chaotic thoughts.
Georg came back in, rubbing his smooth chin, then stopped dead as he saw her in the soft glow of the fire. He looked as if he had turned to stone. His awestruck look made her heart soar, and freed her from some of her nerves and inhibitions. She smiled at him with all the love and trust in her heart as he came to her. He lifted her up and carried her to the bed as if she were the most precious thing in the world.
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A/N: Thank you for reading and I would love to know your thoughts.
*Music and lyrics by Perretti, Creatore and Weiss (sung by Elvis, of course!)
The chapter title is from Sunrise, Sunset - the gorgeous wedding scene in Fiddler on the Roof.