As he awoke to darkness, he winced at the twinges his newly found consciousness bestowed on his injuries. Without the blessing of his sight, it was difficult to determine what time it was, but if felt like early afternoon. There was something in the way that the house below him seemed to buzz with light activity; footsteps here and whispers there. Today was the first day of March, he remembered, and the light breeze from the windows already seemed a little warmer than the previous day. He could hear somebody tip-toeing around the room and guessed with some certainty that it was Fraulein Maria.

"Good morning, Fraulein." No uncertainty was present in his sleep-gravelled voice.

"Oh Captain, you're awake!" She almost dropped the vase that she was carrying to the sideboard.

"Apparently."

"Are you in pain?" The concern in her voice (closer to him now) touched him.

"Not much." He lied. The pain in his head was almost unbearable. "The laudanum may take credit for that."

There was a pause and he knew she didn't believe him, but was holding back from confronting him for fear of making him worse.

He decided to break the silence, if only to distract himself from the way she was gently pulling him forwards so that the pillows could be plumped behind him. "Do I smell irises?"

"Yes! Oh Sir, the flowers are simply wonderful." The dazzlingly bright tone of her voice matched the swathes of flowers in the room. "Three dozen bouquets have arrived for you from all over Salzburg and continue to do so."

"News does travel fast!" He scoffed, a little annoyed that so much fuss was being made.

"But it's so thoughtful, Captain. They all want to wish you well." She remembered that he could not see them and realised that her excitement over the flowers may be insensitive. A description was in order "There are not only irises.. delphiniums and freesias from Baroness Ebberfield, cornflowers from Herr Zeller," Maria ignored his snort and gently pushed him back into the pillows when he sat upright at Zeller's name, "...daffodils from Hans... I'm afraid we will run out of vases soon enough."

"Hmm.." he grumbled, but secretly wished he could see as well as smell them. "What time is it, Fraulein?"

"One o'clock."

"It's what?" Horror swept through him.

"Even Captains need rest sometimes, sir." He could hear the pretty smile and light chuckle in her voice. That voice disarmed him every time.

"How is Max?"

"Up and about. He's with the children in the schoolroom." She bit her lip and hesitated slightly. "Would you mind if I brought them all to see you? I understand if you are too tired, but they really are so worried about you, especially the little ones and..."

He raised his hands to stop her rambling and smiled slightly "Alright, alright." Then he remembered his bandages and sleep-addled body. "But how do I look?"

Still impossibly handsome, she thought. But she knew what he meant.

"Not to worry, Captain. I'll call Franz and start running your bath - we'll have you cleaned up in no time." He coughed and she blushed the most furious shade of pink. That was not what she meant at all. "I mean..." she cleared her throat and grabbed the box of new dressings from the side table near the bed and put them down again. She opened her mouth to correct herself but then closed it again when she saw the smirk on his lips. There was no use. "I'll fetch Franz."

With that, she left the room and hurried downstairs to the butler's pantry trying furiously to calm her blush with the cool palms of her hands.

Washed and shaven, he felt so much better. The kind of newness that can only be felt in the aftermath of the first real cleanse after an illness. The dip in the mattress beside him comforted him no end because it was created by the weight of the Fraulein as she redressed his wounds while Franz combed his hair. His wounds prickled as the air met them and he hissed slightly.

"I'm sorry." The whispered apology was so soft and heartfelt that it warmed his whole body. The delicate movements of her fingertips across his skin as she dressed his arm were so sublime that they were almost unbearable. The fact that he felt so comfortable in her presence while shirtless was a surprise to him. He wondered how she was feeling about it...

Maria tried her best to concentrate solely on her task as a nurse. She tried hard to regard him as just a body, as just another human being who needed her help. But she couldn't. Now that he not in such peril, she marvelled at his form and his torso. Mindful that Franz was hovering over her, she was careful not to indulge too much in studying every scar and freckle on his body, but she was seeing more of him than she head ever seen of any man before. It was exhilarating.

Hoping that Franz couldn't read her mind, she unwillingly turned her back as he dressed the Captain in his crisp white shirt and brown velvet smoking jacket.

"Help me to the chair, would you?" He asked Franz. Franz automatically looked to Maria for help.

"Captain..." she started but he interrupted her sharply, the annoyance stemming from his pain rather than from her.

"I will not allow my children to see me as an invalid in bed." His order was final. Then his voice softened "So help me, please."

Maria could not challenge him on that, so she and Franz helped him over to the armchair by the window and the Captain thanked them both.

"Are you ready for them now?" She asked tentatively.

"Yes, Fraulien Maria. Bring them to me."

He hoped they would not be too horrified by the sight of him and he straightened the cuffs of his jacket.