Chapter 6: Can you Keep a Secret?

Apparently their Midas did not have the golden touch, the Captain found out minutes after they had departed the church. He also found out that Midas's real name was Nikola. And Nikola was a wealth of bad news. It seemed that the mud had dried quicker than cement and was just as strong. Though Nicola did have hope that at some magical hour the next morning when the rain would start up again, the mud would be at a perfect consistency for him to yank it out of the ground. Apparently there was a science about this process. When the Captain questioned how he knew that it was going to rain, Nicola had replied his tooth had told him. And his tooth was never wrong about the weather.

This was not what the Captain had wanted to hear after the lengthy conversation with Mikesh in the church. Especially after Mikesh had made a point of pulling him to the side allowing Maria to exit the church first. Once alone Mikesh discretely asked the one question that the Captain had feared anyone asking since finding out their new circumstance. More importantly it was how Mikesh worded the more statement than question.

"The marriage has been consummated. Hasn't it Georg?"

Indignantly the Captain narrowed his eyes at his accuser. "Of course not!" Was his immediate reaction. Mikesh simply tilted his head to the side and gave him the same look he gave his children when he knew they weren't being completely honest with him

"Georg," he said in a lowered sympathetic voice, "another tradition of a Gypsy wedding is after the ceremony the newly married couple retire together to consummate the marriage. When they would emerge from the tents the Elders would go in and confirm the consummation. Once confirmed they celebrate the union with the rest of the reception" Mikesh checked out the door for Maria's whereabouts before continuing, "We checked the rooms this morning." Putting a hand on the Captain's shoulder, "I," he emphasized, "checked the rooms too."

"I don't remember!" Inside the Captain a violent rage was forming. He wanted to fight against Mikesh's words. To catch them in the air and shove them back down the man's throat. Just as suddenly as the rage had built, guilt came and washed it away leaving the Captain weak from its power. "I…I…good lord," he looked back at the Altar of the church. "I don't know what happened…I think…but I don't…" Dammit, he did know and he wanted to change it and make it all go away. To turn back the clock twenty four hours and make it all go back to the way it was.

Mikesh let out a long sigh, "Does she know?" The Captain quickly brought his steal gaze back to the man.

"NO!" He replied through gritted teeth, surprising even himself with his protective tone, "She is much too innocent."

"You need to tell her."

"How?" The bear inside of him was wielding its ugly head again. Mikesh took a step back recognizing the danger, "How do I tell her that I raped her?"

"Raped?" Mikesh questioned but the Captain was too busy fighting inside his own head to hear the man questioning his use of words. "From what I saw last night. I don't think you raped the girl. You were both.." He hesitated here then took a deep breath gathering some courage, "well you were both very arduous with each other."

Now the beast inside of him growled at the insinuation of Maria that Mikesh was making and he immediately went into defense mode for her, "She could not possibly have given her consent. She was drunk and drugged!"

Mikesh nodded his head, "As were you, my friend. Now I don't know Maria, but from what you are telling me than she was acting completely out of character last night, as were you. If what I think happened…happened, well then you are both victims here."

The Captain shook his head, "Yes well, except I know better."

"No, you know better now. And you know you need to tell her your suspicions of what went on in that room last night." Mikesh looked out the door at Maria. A little girl from the party had wandered over in her direction and Maria was happily chatting away with her, "She deserves to know the truth." Maria twirled the little girl around in a circle while the sprite showed off her ornate dress to her. Though they were a distance away from them, the Captain could hear in his head Maria's appraisal of the dress. She was such a kind soul that it carried in the air around her. It was in the way she moved, in her voice, in her every mannerism- this peaceful kindness that made everyone she met want to be a better person. Though he couldn't hear her he was sure she was flattering the girl beyond belief, for it was who she was. And his heart shriveled in his chest. She deserved more than he could ever give. She had done so much for him and his family these past months. Had given so much of herself to them, he couldn't possibly take away her one dream in life. If someone found out about the consummation, her dream would be dead. Like a knight, he vowed to himself while standing in the doorway of the little church, he would do anything to protect it. It was the least he could do for her.

"Mikesh, she wants nothing more than to be a nun." He met his friend eye to eye and squared his jaw at him. He wanted him to feel his next words more than hear them. "It'll be easier for her if the marriage can be annulled."

Mikesh sucked air between his teeth, "You're asking me to lie?"

"No. Of course not." Actually he was, but he knew this man well. He had lied far worse than what he was asking of him for much lesser causes. "I'm asking you to do the right thing for a good and humble woman." He made a point of looking at Maria now, from the corner of his eye he could tell Mikesh had followed his gaze. She now had a posse of three little girls around her and she was making a fuss over all of them. They were laughing and talking all at once, as if they had known Maria all of their lives and not just for mere seconds.

Mikesh made a sound in the back of his throat. And the Captain smirked for it had the sound of surrender to it. "Fine," Mikesh said, "if your solicitor asks, I don't know a thing."

Now he, Maria and Mikesh were making their way to Mikesh's house on the outskirts of the town. Since the Captain and Maria were stuck in town for another night, Mikesh had graciously invited them to stay at his estate for the evening. Not wanting another night in the dingy inn, the Captain had greedily accepted the offer. Plus Mikesh had a phone and it was in working order. The Captain was chomping at the bit to get in touch with Max and the children. He was sure they were all worried sick over what had happened to him and Maria.

Though not as worried as he was over his Fraulein. She had not uttered a word since they had started their trek to Mikesh's house. He was not used to her holding her tongue and her silence unnerved him to his very core. It would have been better if she was yelling and screaming. At least then he could have gotten a sense of her thoughts. Glancing over his shoulder to her in the back seat of the car, her posture worried him more. She sat rigid against the back door of the large car, huddled into the corner of the seat with arms folded across her chest. She was staring straight at the back of his head, yet she was so lost in thought she hadn't even noticed him turning towards her.

"Maria," his first attempt at breaking her out of her reverie had no impact what so ever, she didn't even blink. So he tried another tactic, "Fraulein?" This caught her attention and she brought her glassy eyes to his face, "are you alright?"

"Fine Captain." She answered him. But it wasn't his Maria whose voice spoke to him. It was some stranger to him, some lost scared girl unsure of the path in front of her. His legs twitched in the front seat wanting to jump into the back and take her in his arms and comfort her and assure her that it was all going to be alright. But it wasn't his place. On paper they were husband and wife but here in this car bumping down a dirt road they were still employer and employee. Two strangers at best entangled in the most intimate of relationships. What an odd place to be in. So he simply turned around and watched the scenery.

Mikesh's estate finally appeared before them. The border of the grounds had a waist high granite stone wall that outlined the territory all around with a high archway over the drive made of wrought iron. Once in the drive they drove through dense woods that thinned as they came into the clearing of the large Tudor house. The soft glow of the lights coming from the windows was inviting and the Captain began to relax a little now that he was in familiar territory again. Not to be a snob, but it was hard to give up luxury, even if it had been only for one night.

When they reached the front door, it was thrown open and they were greeted by a beautiful mocha colored woman who was full with child. She startled for a moment at her surprise guests then lay a hand on her big belly and let out an even bigger grin. "Well this is a surprise." She stated with a heavy accent that the Captain didn't recognize, "But a welcome surprise at that!" Quickly she gathered Maria into a warm hug, well as warm as her bulging belly would allow, "I'm Ana, Mikesh's wife."

Mikesh introduced them all and explained briefly their situation to his wife who found it all a little confounding. Well heck, so did he. Then he excused himself and the Captain to his study so that the Captain could call the hotel where Max, Elsa and the children were staying.

The operator connected him quickly to the hotel. To his surprise when the Captain asked to be connected to Max Dettwieler's room, he didn't have to be. For Max was right there in the hotel lobby and the manager handed him over the phone. What a relief to find out that they had all made it to the hotel safely. And Max sounded beyond relieved to finally have word from his missing friend.

"Georg!" Max exclaimed over the crackling phone line, "Where on God's earth are you?"

"In Slovenia."

"Slovenia!" Max yelled over the phone just as the Captain had earlier in the day. "Why are you in Slovenia?" The Captain went on to explain to Max about the events the day before about getting lost and getting the car stuck in the mud. He told them how the mechanic would be getting the car out the next day, hopefully if the conditions were right.

"So then you'll be here in France tomorrow afternoon then?" Max asked.

"Well, no Max. Actually I'm calling to tell you that Fraulein Maria and I won't be coming to France. We're going to have to go home tomorrow instead."

"Why?" Max questioned and the Captain could hear the panic in his voice for having to remain in charge of the children longer than he wanted to. "Why can't you just come here? We have two days left on the reservation."

"Well, something has happened and…"

"What?" Max cut him off, now with concern in his voice, "What has happened? Has something happened to Maria?"

"Sort of." The Captain cryptically replied. He wasn't sure telling Max over the phone was a good idea. He wanted to wait until they were all at the house together. That way he could tell Elsa first. She had a right to know, but he always confided in Max and right now he wanted someone who understood him to know. He could use some help right now and Max had always been a strong shoulder to lean on. Plus he always kept his confidence when asked.

"Well what Georg? Is Fraulein Maria alright?"

"Yes she's fine…she's just married." The Captain couldn't help the chuckle when he said it. It sounded so absurd to say it aloud.

There was a long pause on the line.

"I don't think I heard you right, Georg. Did you just say Fraulein Maria is married?"

"Yes. Yes I did."

"Ahh, whom did she marry?"

"Ummm, me. Now Max…" but before the Captain could get out his warning to keep this information quiet, Max cut him off by exclaiming loud enough for Franz to hear him all the way back in Salzburg,

"Are you telling me that you and Fraulein Maria are married Georg!?" And over the phone the Captain heard the beginning of an echo that started with Elsa's voice then went onto to Liesl's to Friedrich's all the way down his children one by one to Gretl. And they all said the same thing, "Father and Fraulein Maria are married?"

"For god sakes Max, I wanted you to keep it a secret. Is there anyone in the hotel lobby that doesn't know that the governess and I are married?" The Captain sneered through the phone.

"Well…the concierge was away from his desk. I don't think he heard, but…oh, not to worry. Gretl is telling him the news right now."

The Captain slapped his palm against his forehead, "Wonderful. My problem just worsened by the thousands, thank you Max." He briefly explained to Max about the festival and the drugged laced water. Then he explained it all over again to Elsa once she got on the line, after ending his conversation with Max to fix it with the children.

"I see, Georg." She coolly replied into the phone when he was through with the explanation. "And how are you going to resolve this?" Her tone had a bite to it that he couldn't understand. Hadn't he just told her it had all been an innocent accident? She should have been sympathizing with his plight, not throwing ice daggers at him over the phone line.

"Tomorrow Maria and I are going to return to Salzburg and I will contact my lawyer and have it annulled."

"You make it sound so easy."

"It will be easy, Elsa." He reassured her while she clicked her tongue at him.

"Hmmm." Was her curt reply. "You know Georg," she whispered into the phone, although her tone made it sound like a banging drum in his ears, "I knew that you had an…extra" she emphasized the last word, "interest in the governess. However, I assumed you were a noble gentleman and would take care of it discreetly, as others do. I never dreamed you would get drunk enough to wed her just to take her to bed."

"Elsa," the Captain hissed into the phone, "I know that this whole thing is a little more than upsetting, so I'm going to let that little comment slide. Maybe it's best we end this conversation until we both have had time to cool off and start thinking straight again. Less we say things that we don't mean."

"Oh I don't know, Georg." She paused and took a deep breath, "I don't believe I've ever said anything that I didn't really, really mean." She took an even longer pause then ended the conversation with, "Nor do I believe you've ever done anything on accident."

His vision actually turned to red, he had gotten out a strangled, "Elsa…" before the phone line went dead. He stood momentarily with the beeping receiver in his hand then he slammed it down onto its post.

"You told the baroness?" The Captain jumped at the sound of Maria's voice behind him. He had been so angry with Elsa he hadn't even heard her come in the room. He simply looked at her giving her the answer with his eyes. "Why?" She questioned him, "I thought we were going to just end it with the lawyer tomorrow. I didn't think anyone had to know. Especially the baroness."

"Maria, we couldn't keep it a secret from everyone, they were going to find out anyhow. The Baroness will get over it. But we have a bigger problem right now."

She threw her hands up in the air, "What? What could possibly be worse?"

"Well…the children know too."

She grabbed her mid-section in disbelief and let out a loud, "Ohhh," then she ran her hands through her hair before balling her fists at her sides, "Why? Why on earth would you tell the children?"

"I didn't," he quickly told her in self-defense. What was it with this woman? He was a naval hero for god's sakes. He had faced violent dangers during the war, but when she lost her temper with him…he immediately felt weak. "They overheard Max and me talking."

And then she said something that shocked him to his very core and put a snicker on his face. "Bloody Hell!" She cursed at him.

"Maria!" He exclaimed at her blasphemy while giggling on the inside. Damn she was kind of cute when she cursed