The children scurried into the dining room eagerly and after a hurried 'good morning' to their father and Max, converged on Maria, nearly knocking her off her chair and flat onto the ground. They were all ecstatic at having their governess back.

Georg, on the other hand, wasn't too thrilled about this behaviour. As much as he loved both his children and Maria, in his mind, breakfast was still a formal occasion. In other words, no running about or acting uncivilised.

"Children, kindly take your seats," he said, suppressing a small smile. The children quietened immediately and hurried back to the places. "Whose turn is it to say 'grace'?"

"I think Fraulein Maria should say it," Marta piped up softly.

"Oh yes," chorused her siblings.

"Very well then," Georg said, gesturing to Maria, who was seated in her usual place opposite him. "Would you, Fraulein?"

She flashed him a small smile before dropping her head and murmuring a silent prayer, thanking God for much more than anyone in the room would know. Except maybe her fiancé.

'This is turning out to be like Maria's first night here,' Georg thought to himself as he watched her, fighting his will to not break out into a broad grin. He didn't want the children to get any ideas before he told them officially; though like Max said, he had no doubt Brigitta suspected something already.

Even if she hadn't noticed anything going on between her father and her governess, the middle von Trapp daughter noticed that something was amiss in this situation.

"Um, excuse me, Father," she asked quietly, raising her hand as if she was in the classroom at school. "Shouldn't we have waited for the Baroness?"

Georg knew now was the time to face the music. "Children, there's something you need to know. The Baroness and I are no longer engaged. We ended our relationship last night and she left for Vienna."

"Why?" Louisa enquired. Georg knew that out of all his children, Louisa was probably the most opposed to her father marrying the Baroness.

"Mind your own business," Friedrich shushed her.

'Definitely like her first night here,' he thought. Instead he said, "Actually, Friedrich, Louisa has a right to know the answer to her question."

"When I asked Baroness Shraeder to marry me I did it for all the wrong reasons. I didn't do it because I loved her, or because I thought she was the right choice to be your new mother. I did it for social reasons and the fact that I felt I needed to remarry quickly, as your mother had insisted."

The children were in awe. Even the little ones seemed to understand the severity of what their father had just said. Everything was quiet for a moment.

It was Liesl who broke the silence. "Wow Father. You never told us Mother asked you to remarry if she died."

Georg smiled at his eldest daughter. She really was growing up. She reminded him so much of Agathe; except for her hair, which she inherited from him, she looked exactly like her mother. She was very much like Agathe in her personality as well; she was so kind and caring and sweet.

"So we came to the conclusion last night that our engagement wasn't the right thing and ended it." Georg looked up briefly to see everyone's faces; already the children were looking noticeably happier.

"That being said, there is someone I would like to marry, for all the right reasons," he continued. "However, before I can, I am going to need your permission."

The children nodded. "Okay," they chorused.

"Do we know her?" Kurt asked.

Georg nodded at his youngest son.

"Do we like her?" Gretl asked hopefully.

Another nod. "Yes."

That was when Georg saw smiles forming on his three oldest daughters' faces. He was quite sure they were all aware of his intentions.

"It can't be..." Louisa breathed.

"Is it..." Brigitta continued.

"Fraulein Maria?" Liesl finished.

This caused everybody else's head to snap up and them all to start talking at once, over the top of each other.

"Yes, children," Georg announced. "It is. I would like to marry Fraulein Maria. So...do I have your-"

But before he was able to finish the sentence, all seven of the children had leapt of their seat and were converging on Maria for the second time in one meal.

"I'd take that as a 'yes', wouldn't you, Georg?" Max said. Georg had completely forgotten his friend was there, despite the fact he was sitting right next to him.

Georg smiled at him. "Yes, I would."

All the children were so excited at the news they'd just heard that they could hardly contain themselves through the rest of breakfast.

"Can I be the flower girl, Fraulein Maria?" Gretl asked.

"No," piped up Marta shyly. "Father said I could be the flower girl. Please let me be the flower girl, Father," she said looking up at her father eagerly.

"How would you like to both be flower girls," Maria said. The girls' faces lit up and they squealed happily.

As soon as the children were excused, they all skipped off happily to the schoolroom. Georg had never seen his children so eager to do their lessons.

Then he realised that one of his children had remained behind in the dining room. It was Liesl.

She walked over and gave her father a huge hug. "I'm so happy for you, Father," she said, practically sobbing as she leaned into her shoulder.

"Thank you, sweetheart," Georg smiled as he patted Liesl's back. "Now, go off and join your brothers and sisters."

Liesl smiled and was on her way out the door, when Maria called her over. Just as eagerly, Liesl skipped over to her governess' side.

"Liesl," Maria began, breathing heavily. This was a big step for her. "Liesl, I would like you to be my maid of honour."

Liesl's mouth broke into a grin and her eyes glowed. "Oh, yes," she wept, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'd be honoured."

"Thank you," Maria said. Now she had tears in her eyes. "I didn't want to ask when Louisa and Brigitta were around in case they got jealous."

But Liesl only smiled. "Nonsense. Brigitta will be happy with whatever you and Father choose to do. And Louisa? Being a bridesmaid doesn't seem like her 'thing'; she's such a tomboy."

Georg looked up at his fiancé and his eldest daughter. He didn't think he'd ever been more proud in his entire life. But at the moment, Liesl still needed to hurry off and do her lessons.

"Liesl," he called, jerking his head towards the door.

Liesl nodded her head, telling her father she understood. She skipped to the door and squealed "Whee," before racing off to join her siblings.

Around noon, after the children had finished their studies for the day, Max announced he had to go into town to run some errands.

"Can we go with Uncle Max, Father?" Friedrich asked. The question took everyone by surprise. Normally, the children would not let Maria out of their sight, and here they were willingly asking if they could go on an outing with Max.

Not that Georg minded. If he agreed (which he was very inclined to do), he would be able to spend the whole afternoon alone with his fiancée. That seemed like the most magical thought in the world.

"If Max doesn't mind," he said simply, flashing a small smile at Maria.

The children all then turned and converged on Max.

"Please can we come into town with you, Uncle Max?" asked Kurt.

"Oh yes, may we, Uncle Max?" begged Marta.

"Certainly," said Max enthusiastically. "Let's go."

Maria and Georg stood on the front steps long after the car had pulled out of the driveway, holding each other tightly.

"Well," said Georg, kissing Maria's head. "It looks like we have the rest of the day to ourselves. Is there anything in particular you would like to do? Or anywhere you'd like to go?"

"As long as I'm with you, I'm the happiest girl in the world," she cried joyfully. Then suddenly something floated into her mind. "Actually..." she said. "I know exactly where we can go..."