Back to the Beginning
Chapter 3
Disclaimer...blah blah same as usual.
The sky was dark shadowed with dark gray storm clouds. Darkness swept over Salzburg as rain poured down and splashed the window panes. The whole family sat in the library, many reading books, Lucas was playing with his train with Gretl. Maria sat knitting booties, while watching her husband try and figure out something at a table. Liesl was snuggled up to Fabian sleeping as he read.
The thunder shook the window as Friedrich look up from his letter he was writing and sighed as he dipped his pen in the ink. He set back his work carefully writing the birthday letter to Isobel
"A Fraulien Isobel," the butler said, as he moved away to see a dripping wet shivering 14 year old, hair plastered to her face, you could just make out the faint bruise on her cheek. You could hear her breathing across the room the deep gulping breaths that made her chest rise in and out.
"Brigitta go get some dry clothes, yours will fit her," Maria was the first one to speak. "Kurt go and put on more tea and don't say it a woman's job, since you never stop saying you will never marry. Isobel come by the fire." she told the shaking girl.
Isobel sat in the chair and peeled of the soaked shawl and jacket.
"I ran away," she finally said then looked at Friedrich. "Father he..." she broke down crying.
"Liesl take you sisters and brother up stairs please," Georg said quietly, "You too Friedrich."
"But Father!" Friedrich whined a bit, but he just wanted to know why Isobel was here in his home.
"Just for now Friedrich," his father told him in a soft but demanding voice.
Friedrich sighed and went to Isobel and told her he would be in the next room.
"It's okay, what's happened Isobel?" Maria said gently, kneeling in front of the frightened girl.
Isobel bit her lip.
"Its okay what ever it is we help you," Maria assured the girl.
"Father he got angry at me cause I wasn't dancing good enough for him, I fainted one day and they got me to a hospital, it was about a month after you left. He wouldn't believe me, he said he would arrest Friedrich, but he didn't do any wrong I swear it! I told him that it was Gustav and he called me a liar, then he slapped me hard. He called me disgrace to the family and said that I wasn't his daughter. I couldn't stop him, I was changing after class he kept me behind so all the girls were left... then he..." she broke out crying again. "It's not my fault."
Georg looked at Maria, who looked back and nodded. He quietly left the the room.
"Shhh. I know it's not your fault. But you need tell what exactly happened." Maria said.
"Why did she run away?"
Captain Von Trapp turned to face his oldest son. "I can't say yet son, but I believe she will stay here for a while." he said, "She has had a hard time, but tell what you know of Gustav?"
"Her teacher?"
"Yes, him. "Georg said.
"Well he's a bit of a leech, but the best instructor in Switzerland, why?"
"Soon, Friedrich, soon," Georg said slowly and walked away. Who would do something to a young girl; it was disgusting, foul, and unnatural.
Maria tucked the girl into the bed and kissed her forehead. She told Brigitta and Louisa not to stay up talking all night, or wake up Isobel.
The storm was still racing on as Maria looked out onto the terrace.
The poor child, she was just turning fifteen, she didn't need this on her now, she decided would talk to the abbey about adoption for the child. It was the only way Isobel could have a normal life.
Maria rubbed her own stomach. It was only two years ago when she lost her second child to the fever she had when she was four months. She was going to get a doctor over to the villa soon as possible on tomorrow. She went back up stairs and checked on the children. Although most of them were practically grown up, for some reason she always remembered them as the trouble makers they were.
"Can you call the doctor tomorrow Georg?"
"I already have the telegram written Maria," he said as he pulled his wife into his arms, so they could go to sleep.
The night was uneventful except for the four year old that ran into his parents' bedroom and jumped onto the bed, and decided to sleep in the middle of his parents.
The sky turned blue, and the clouds disappeared as the sun rose that morning. The birds were chirping and singing their song.
Maria was up, even with the turmoil of last night, she was up singing and making the bed after Georg had given up and got up as well.
Isobel walked into the room in a pink dress from Brigitta. It almost fit her perfectly, except, even being the same age as each other, she had a dancer body, so the hem was a little short on her and it was a bit baggy on the bust where Brigitta usually filled it out. She sat down in a chair, as breakfast was already on the table.
"How you feeling?" Louisa asked first.
"Alright considering everything that is going on." she said quietly.
"How did you get here?" Kurt piped in his mouth full of food.
"Kurt don't talk with you mouth open." The Captain told his son.
"By train. I saved most of my allowance since I was five, I took a chance and left." she said just as quietly.
"Kids! Don't pester Isobel with questions." Maria said absentmindedly, as she wiped the syrup covered four year old face beside her who wriggled, trying to get away from her. "Hold still Lucas." she told her son sternly.
The boy puffed and pouted and sat with his arms crossed.
"You have a telegram Captain, and a young man is here to see Liesl." the butler said.
"Thank you Franz," the captain nodded and got up and left the room.
Liesl looked at Fabian and got up and motion him to come with her. She walked to the door.
"Rolf?" she said hesitantly.
"Liesl it is true you have come, I heard rumors but I didn't have the time to come and see if it was true for myself," Rolf was ecstatic till he nodded her hand in Fabian's. "Who is he?"
Isobel sat nervously as the doctor examined her. Maria kept her word and said she would be right there.
"You are quite malnourished, you need to gain some weight, and have you thought of what you are going to do yet?" he asked putting things back into you bag.
"I'm a dancer and always been thin, and what choice do I have I'm fifteen, people will think of me as a whore anyway." she said bitterly.
"But to be that thin and to be pregnant is very dangerous for the health of your child." the doctor told her.
"I don't even want this child, I never asked for this to happen!"
"I know child, but it is what it is and you need to take care of yourself, or you lose your child and possibly make that young man lose something which he deeply cares about." he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Baroness, please make sure she eats properly and keep and eye on her, I shall be back in a few weeks." he said picking up his bag, "I'll show myself the way out. Good day Baroness, Fraulein."
End of chapter three
SCB