Three
After making his own very private preparations in his private study, Georg came out clearer headed than he had been in a long time. He walked straight out onto the terrace where Elsa and Max were chatting, drinking glasses of pink lemonade.
"At last, he comes out!" announced Max theatrically with a wide smile. Seeing the calm, determined, almost peaceful expression on his best friend's face, Max felt undeniable relief. Watching how depressed the family had become since the party – for a very obvious and understandable reason – had been heartbreaking to watch. He tried to make everyone merry, but it was a monumental task. Now, seeing the change in Georg, he felt true hope that things would just get better from here on out.
"I'm sorry I've been such a recluse today," said Georg, stopping before them. "Max, would you go to my study and wait for me? I'd like a private moment with Elsa."
"Yes, sir," said Max, giving both a playful smile, but inside he sensed that something more serious was going on, if Georg was asking him to go to his study. This meant he wanted to talk privately later. So he left the terrace and went back inside, wondering what was going to happen.
Georg turned his gaze to Elsa, who stood up with a smile. He smiled back, but it didn't quite reach his blue eyes. "Elsa…" he began, stepping up to her and taking her hands; his smile had faded.
"Yes, Georg?" she said, her smile fading slightly when she got a good look in her eyes. As she watched him take a deep breath, somehow she knew exactly where this conversation would lead.
When he'd resolved to break up the engagement, Georg had no idea what words he could use to do it correctly. But when he saw Elsa, they just came to him naturally. "It's no use," he said sadly, with a small shake of the head. His sadness, guilt and apology were prominent in his tone, and he made no effort to try to hide them. "You and I…I've been dishonest, to both of us…and utterly unfair to you…"
Elsa wished that she could say she was surprised, because then she would have a reason to shout at him, even slap him across the face. But, leaving aside the fact that she was a very well-bred lady who would never emote like that in front of anybody, Elsa was not surprised. But it still hurt quite a bit. She had pushed away all insecurities, doubts, and fears of this happening by throwing herself into wedding preparations – which, of course, made her look all the more like a fool in this moment. Pushing back the tears of hurt and humiliation from her eyes, Elsa lowered her head just slightly.
Seeing her expression, Georg felt more guilt than ever, for letting it go on like this, and only now trying to do the right thing. Wanting to not make any more mistakes, Georg resumed talking, "When two people talk of marriage –"
"No, don't," Elsa interrupted him. "Don't say another word, Georg, please."
Hearing the hurt and humiliation in her tone as well as her face made Georg feel wretched. Suddenly, he knew the only way that they could part without any ill-feelings was by telling her what was going to happen tomorrow. "Elsa, it's for the best. I've just received word from a trusted source that the Anschluss will be made official tomorrow, and Austria as we know it will cease to be."
Upon hearing this, Elsa's head came up and she met Georg's gaze again. Her blue-grey eyes conveyed her shock and sadness. "Oh, Georg…" was all that she could say.
Georg squeezed her hands for a moment, holding her gaze in determination to convey how important his next words were. "Elsa, you know my convictions; everybody in Austria knows my convictions. So do those in the Nazi party. You know they believe in absolute loyalty. What do you think they will try to do to someone like me? They will either try to convert me, or try to eliminate me altogether, as well as everybody close to me. I will not put you in that kind of danger…when our marriage would not be based on something stronger than mere affection for each other."
His words, while bringing a wave of terror through Elsa at the thought of what could happen to Georg, put everything into perfect perspective. Just as hearing about the Anschluss and the Nazis' mysterious plan for him had cleared his mind completely, the news of the Anschluss and therefore the position she would be put in if attached to Georg cleared her mind completely, too. The both of them knew what Elsa would do when the Anschluss happened: live her life as usual, be friendly and neutral to everybody – Nazi or not – and keep her head low. Though Georg would never do that, he knew that this did not make Elsa a bad person: she did it for survival, and to keep her life and those close to her safe.
Looking at Georg as her mind cleared, Elsa felt as if a great weight were lifted off her shoulders. She knew that he did not agree with what she would do, and would never do such a thing himself, Elsa felt a great appreciation for what he was doing now. If he could bow out graciously, so could she.
To show that she understood and agreed to what he was saying, Elsa slowly nodded and gave him a sad smile before her expression turned to worry again. "What are you going to do, Georg?"
Georg took a deep breath and sighed. "I will…do anything it takes to get my family out of here."
She nodded again. "I have a summer home in Switzerland. I might just go there soon. The doors will always be open to you…if you just happen to be passing through, whether I am there or not."
Georg felt undeniable relief upon hearing these words. "Thank you, Elsa…and I am so sorry." He kissed her hand one last time. This meant that their parting would be amiable and not hostile, that Elsa indeed understood his reasons for doing this. After all, a marriage is a true partnership. Without love or a sharing of principles, how long could they really last together? Not to mention the facts that his children needed a mother and his heart belonged to another.
Elsa said in reply, "It just isn't meant to be for us, and I'm glad we can part as friends, Georg," she said. She reached up and kissed his cheek in farewell. "Now, if you'll forgive me, I'll go inside, pack my little bags, and return to Vienna where I belong." She walked past him towards the house, but then stopped and turned around. Her face looked conflicted and guilty for a brief moment before resolution set her face. "Will you do one last thing for me, Georg?"
"Of course," said Georg, not knowing what to expect.
Elsa's gaze shifted to the lake for a moment. "Somewhere out there is a young lady, who I think…" She looked at Georg with a more genuine smile, "will never be a nun, and has been hurting as much as you have been since the ball. End both of your suffering, please."
Georg looked more shell-shocked than ever. Elsa merely gave him one last, mysterious smile before heading inside.
Within the next half hour, Franz was driving Elsa to the train station, and Georg and Max were locked in his study in deep discussion.
When the children sat down to their dinner at six o'clock, Georg was with them. He would not waste one minute he had left with his children tonight. More than ever, he wished he knew for how long he would be gone. He prayed it would be just this evening. Then he could be back home, and talking to Maria right away.
Before he said the prayer, Gretl said, "Father, shouldn't we wait for Baroness Schraeder?"
Georg sighed and said, looking at each child, "She has returned to Vienna. We've cut off our engagement."
While all of the children looked surprised, they couldn't deny that this was good news. "I'm sorry, Father," said Liesl, hoping indeed that this would not make her Father even more depressed.
To everyone's relief, Georg merely smiled and patted her hand. "Don't be, Liesl. We parted amicably, both agreeing that it was not meant to be. Now, let us say grace and dig in!"
Soon after the prayer, Georg set out to fix the small rift that had come between him and his children once and for all. "Children, we will have a visitor coming later tonight."
All of the children looked at him curiously. "Who, Father?" asked Friedrich.
Georg allowed himself to smile. "Take a guess."
The seven children all looked at each other. Each knew who they wanted it to be, but were afraid to guess that because of the way their Father had avoided any mention of her. "Do we know this person, Father?" asked Louisa.
"Yes, to my knowledge, you know her quite well," said Georg, sounding casual but still smiling.
"Her?" asked Brigitta, her hope rising at this information. She found the bravery to just ask outright. "Father, is it Fraulein Maria?"
Smiling bigger than ever, Georg nodded. All seven children cheered happily, and Marta got out of her seat to hug her Father. Georg pulled her up onto his lap, holding her tightly. "Oh, Father, thank you!" she said, her arms around his neck.
"Yes, thank you so much, Father!" said Liesl, who had a tear in her eye.
The grateful looks his children all gave him made Georg's heart feel lighter than it had in two weeks.
"How long will she stay, Father?" asked Kurt.
"Can she please stay forever?" asked Gretl, who had left her seat to stand by her Father, her little hands on his arm.
"Well, I don't really know for how long she will be with us this time," said Georg truthfully. I don't know for how long I will be away, either. "I have to go to a meeting tonight, and she will be here for as long as I am gone. After that…who knows? I know that the two of us have some things to talk about. I would love for her to never leave us again, and you seven can certainly help me try."
Immediately, all of the children began to talk excitedly about ways they could convince their beloved Fraulein to stay, as well as about how excited they were she was coming back. Georg watched this all in peace, holding both Marta and Gretl to him securely.
At that moment, Franz came in and murmured softly to him, "You have a telephone call, sir."
Georg felt the contents in his stomach turn to lead, and he lost all appetite. Keeping this feeling from his face, Georg hugged his little ones, put them down, and excused himself from the table.
He knew exactly who was calling, and he didn't like it one bit.
After the phone call and a brief talk with Franz, Georg rejoined his children, and did not let any of them leave his sight for about an hour. They all gathered in the drawing room, where he resumed a great tradition he had started with them weeks ago: reading aloud to all of them. The current book was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and everyone loved it. The children especially loved the funny voices their Father made for all of the unusual characters in the story. He would often have Marta read the dialogue of Alice, since she was the same age as the character and could read quite well for her age.
At the sound of an approaching car and a flash of car headlights through the window, Georg's insides turned to ice, but he gave no sign of this to the children. He gave a theatrical sigh. "Well, my ride is here."
All of the children groaned, and it broke Georg's heart.
He opened his arms. "Come here," he said, "I want a hug from everyone." He hugged each of his children tightly and close to him, whispering to each words of love and encouragement. The children couldn't help but wonder why Father was hugging them all so tightly when he was only going to a meeting.
When he had finished, Georg walked to the door and turned back, looking at each of them with eyes a bit brighter than normal. "Mind your Fraulein now; do whatever she asks of you and be good to her."
All of the children nodded and spoke their consent of this. Georg gave them one last smile, looking at each of them lingeringly, before leaving the room.
Immediately after he left, all of the children began talking excitedly again about the return of Fraulein Maria in just a few hours. Liesl spoke the least, and couldn't help but watch through the window as her Father got into the car, and then watched the car drive away. She couldn't define the bad feeling she felt rise in the back of her mind, nor why she felt it at all.
Georg sat in the back of the car during the drive. He had no idea where his destination would be, and he knew better than to ask. Two men sat in front, both in Nazi uniform. The one driving was about his size, and the one in the passenger seat was quite big and buff. Georg sat as still as a stone throughout the ride, his face completely neutral as he looked out the window, Salzburg speeding by.
Finally, the car stopped just up the road from a well-known but almost isolated restaurant. Walking towards them, Georg recognized the figure of Herr Zeller, flanked by two Nazis also in uniform. Georg could not help feeling disgusted that they already wore their uniforms before the Anschluss was even official. Just like this meeting, their arrogance disgusted him, but he kept that in check.
The car door was opened for him by the driver as the man in the passenger seat walked around the car. "Herr Zeller," he greeted coldly as he got out. He heard the buff man from the passenger seat walk up near him. Herr Zeller just stood before him with a small, smug smile. Georg spoke with a hint of sarcasm. "May I dare to ask just what you wish to –"
A harsh, hard blow to the back of his head stopped his speech – a precise, accurate hit. A small exclamation, and then Georg fell straight to the ground.
And then all was black and silence.