Forbidden – Chapter 3

Elsa made her way down the darkened corridors and in no time at all, she was at the door to the master suite. She hesitated for a moment, wondering whether or not the door would be locked as she once heard Max quip to Georg about his annoying little habit of always locking himself away in his suite. Should she knock or just try the door? The idea of knocking seemed a little more polite than just entering someone else's room, although the thought of waiting on the threshold for Georg to open the door filled her with a strange nervous fear that was very unlike her. No, Elsa thought, she would just bite the bullet, so to speak, and try the door. To her surprise the door was unlocked, and she slowly and quietly opened the door just wide enough for her to slip into the darkened room.

The first sign that something was amiss, as she softly closed the door behind her, was the sounds of panting and heavy breathing coming from somewhere in the room. Feeling her heart begin to race, Elsa allowed herself a moment or two for her eyes to adjust to the dimness of the room before turning around.

Somehow, due to being in a state of pure shock, she managed not to gasp out aloud at the sight in front of her - two naked forms entwined on the huge bed in the center of the room: her Captain and his governess.

Confronted by the image in front of her, Elsa didn't quite know which way to look. From her place at the doorway, Elsa was hidden in the shadows yet could see everything clearly in front of her. Although the room was darkened, there was just enough light from the small lamp burning on the other side of the room to illuminate the entire scene.

Maria lay on her back with her lover beside her; his lips on her neck as he caressed the creamy skin of her naked body with one hand, from her bare breasts down to the light brush of hair between her legs. Lying on his side facing in Elsa's direction, Georg's fine naked body was in full view: his strong and muscular chest, the smattering of dark curls running down his torso to his full erection. Oh how Elsa had longed to see him like this! And how many nights had Elsa dreamt of having him naked in front of her? But not like this! Not when he was with another woman, making love to her right in front of her!

Elsa wondered for a moment whether it was their first time together. Although she had noticed the attraction between Georg and Maria, she hadn't suspected anything actually happening between them. There were no signs, no instances where she would catch Georg alone with his governess. No, it had to be their first time together. Yet, as she watched the two of them together, it became painfully obvious that they had been together many, many times before.

The look of pure desire on the young woman's face, her eyes half-lidded with lust as Georg placed kisses all over her body. His mouth seemed to be everywhere at once: from her neck to her breasts, to her abdomen then back to her breasts. The way she moaned and writhed underneath him as he took each nipple in his mouth, sucking and teasing the pink apex. And the cries of delight from the young woman each time he pulled each nipple erect with his teeth. It was obvious that Georg knew exactly what Maria wanted and what she desired. And it was also clear that Maria knew what Georg craved in return. From the way her hand casually drifted down Georg's body to grip and stroke his manhood up and down, to the way she pulled his face towards hers to kiss him passionately.

For a moment as she watched their lovemaking, Elsa felt a pang of jealousy. Never in all the years that she was married to the Baron had she experienced lovemaking such as the one going on before her. Even with the numerous lovers she had, during and after her marriage, she'd never felt the passion or the ecstasy those two lovers before her were showing to each other.

Now she felt awkward, uncomfortable and out of place watching such an intimate moment between two people and she knew she should leave the room at once. Yet, for some freakish reason she was frozen to the spot, transfixed by their lovemaking, almost like she wanted, or needed, to see more.

She watched Georg pin Maria's arms above her head as he placed numerous kisses on her neck, sucking and teasing the skin. With each kiss, Maria gasped loudly and moaned in pleasure. Then he moved lower – sucking and teasing her breasts once again, then lower still down to her abdomen then between her legs.

Elsa's hand flew to her mouth as she stifled a squeal of disbelief as she watched Georg pleasuring Maria with his mouth. The young woman was clearly enjoying herself: arching her back and breathing heavily, sighing and moaning in pleasure. Elsa watched dumbstruck as Georg continued his actions until Maria gripped the sheets beside her and threw her head back, crying out Georg's name over and over whilst her body shuddered through orgasm after orgasm.

Within seconds, Georg moved back up the young woman's body and claimed her lips in another deep and sensual kiss. He made to move on top of her but instead Maria pushed him onto his back before climbing on top of him, straddling him as he entered her.

It was almost unbearable to watch: the two lovers thrusting against each other, gasping and moaning as they made love. Elsa leant against the bedroom door and closed her eyes, not able to bring herself to watching more. To Elsa's relief, it wasn't long before she heard both voices cry out in ecstasy.

Elsa had seen enough. She'd been beaten. She's lost Georg forever to his governess, and perhaps it was time to pack her little bags and go back to Vienna where she belonged?

But as she placed her hand on the door handle, about to open the door and slip away, she heard something that instantly made her change her mind.

"Oh Maria, I love you so much!"

Something in Elsa snapped upon hearing those words come from Georg's lips. She had been courting Georg for the past year. She was the one that had been his saviour. She was the one who had brought some meaning back into his life. She was the one brought to meet his children with the intent of marriage.

Yet it was her that he loved. That governess!

And it made Elsa boiling mad.

She spun around and flicked on the light switch next to the door.

Almost immediately the two occupants of the bed jumped and looked up towards the door to see Elsa standing right there. Maria shrieked and quickly began to scramble to find some bed sheets to cover herself with.

"Don't bother, dear. I've seen you naked already." Elsa remarked dryly as Georg glared at her, his eyes like daggers.

"Elsa, what the hell are you doing?" he bellowed.

"What am I doing?" she scoffed. "Oh I should ask you the same question. The governess Georg! You're sleeping with the governess!"

"Elsa…" Georg warned as he hopped up out of bed, not particularly concerned by the fact that he was stark naked. "Elsa, you have no right to be in here," he stated fiercely as he strode across the room and picked up his robe that had been casually discarded on the sofa in the corner of the room. He returned to the bed and handed it to a grateful Maria who was still trying to cover up her naked body.

"I have no right?" Elsa repeated as Georg retrieved a second robe and slipped it on. "What about us Georg? I asked you tonight if we could… but no. You rejected me, for her!"

Georg eyes flicked to Maria who gave him a questioning look, as he knew she would be she was wondering why he hadn't mentioned Elsa propositioning him earlier that night.

Elsa glared at Georg expecting a response but when she got none, she exploded. "How long Georg? How long has this been going on between you two?"

"Just tonight," Georg replied a little too quickly.

Elsa's eyes widened at the obvious lie. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? I know this little affair has been going on for longer than that. I watched the two of you just now, there is no way that little nun would be letting you do those things to her on a first time." Elsa shot a scathing look in Maria's direction. Maria instantly blushed furiously.

"Alright Georg, if you won't tell me, then perhaps the little nun will." Elsa strode over to the bed and hissed at Maria. "How long my dear? And don't lie to me this time like you lied to me earlier tonight." This time it was Georg who shot a questioning look at Maria, wondering what on earth Elsa was talking about since Maria hadn't told him about her confrontation with Elsa earlier that night.

Maria closed her eyes and bit down on her lip and she finally spoke. "Two weeks," she muttered under her breath to Elsa, her voice barely above a whisper.

Elsa blinked as she strained to hear what Maria had said. "What was that dear?"

"Two weeks!" Maria practically shouted it at her.

Elsa said nothing for a moment before she slowly approached Georg to stand right in front of him. Then, without warning, she slapped him hard across his face. "Two weeks! You bastard!" she screamed.

Georg flexed his jaw and rubbed his cheek tentatively, recovering from the sting of her slap. "Now Elsa, please listen…"

"No you listen Georg!" Elsa cried. "You strung me along all this time, pretending you cared about me when all along… When were you going to tell me? Or were you just going to keep this little affair secret, a forbidden mistress on the side? I won't put up with it. I won't!"

"No one is asking you to, Elsa," Georg sighed. "I was going to tell you about Maria tomorrow, and break off our relationship."

Elsa glared. "And that is supposed to make this better?"

"No, of course not. But Elsa, listen here…"

"I will not!" exploded Elsa. Then for the next few moments all Maria could do was sit and watch in stunned silence as the altercation between Georg and Elsa erupted into a screaming match with Elsa hurling a tirade of abuse at Georg.

Finally Georg bellowed. "Elsa stop this at once!" To his surprise, Elsa stopped shouting. Georg caught his breath then lowered his voice. "Elsa, I am sorry you found out like this, but my mind is made up. We have to end this between you and I. I'm in love with Maria and…"

"Enough," Elsa cut him off abruptly. She got up close right in his face. "Do you think it is really that easy to get rid of me? No, Georg. You're not getting rid of me at all! I've put a lot of time and energy into our relationship and you are not walking away from it. All my friends expect us to marry and marry we shall."

Georg shook his head. "No Elsa. I'm sorry, but when two people talk of marriage…"

"Georg, I don't want to hear it. You are going to listen to me now." She flicked her eyes towards Maria. "And you too." Elsa sneered so fiercely that Maria looked panicked and Georg moved to wrap one arm protectively around her.

Elsa narrowed her eyes and snarled. "This is what is going to happen. Georg, you are going to end this affair with Maria, right now. And Maria, you are going to return to the Abbey tonight. And tomorrow, Georg you are going to announce to the world your plans to marry me."

"You're insane," Georg replied, not believing his ears. "What on earth makes you think that either one of us will go along with this crazy idea of yours?"

"Because if you don't, I'll tell everyone about what I saw in here tonight. Everyone! From all your friends and associates, to the nuns at the Abbey to even your own children. Everyone will know what kind of sinful relationship the two of you have been undertaking in secret. Georg, you know the kind of connections I have everywhere all across Austria. You'll both be ruined." Elsa paused dramatically as she analyzed their responses to her threat. "Georg, I'll give you to the morning to decide." She scowled at Maria, her eyes cold and threatening. "Good night my dear." And with that, Elsa spun on her heel and left the room.

Maria began to shake and took in several deep breaths, trying desperately to calm herself down. Georg pulled her to himself in an embrace before supporting her as they walked towards the sofa where they sat down together.

Maria broke down in his arms. "Oh Georg, she saw. She saw everything! You and me and us and what we were doing and oh god…."

"Shhh…" Georg soothed as he stroked her hair, but he felt just as shaken as she was. While it wasn't the first time he'd participated in some sort of scandalous relationship with a woman, it was the first time he'd ever been caught in the act.

"Oh that was horrible…" Maria whispered as her body continued to shake. Georg rubbed his palms around in comforting circles across her back. "I had no idea that she was going to…"

"Neither did I," Georg replied.

Maria lifted her head to look at him, her cheeks tear stained. "But she propositioned you tonight? She wanted you in her bed?" Georg nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Georg shook his head. "I don't know. I suppose since I thought I was ending it with her first thing in the morning that there was no point. Elsa making advances towards me wasn't going to change anything between you and I, but you're right, I should have told you, I'm sorry Maria." Maria gave a faint nod, acknowledging his apology.

"But what about you, Maria?" Georg then asked her. "You didn't tell me that Elsa had spoken to you during the party. Why not?" Maria shook her head and shrugged. "I suppose the same reason as you didn't tell me about her earlier. No point."

"But now she knows."

"Yes, she knows."

The two of them sat in silence pondering the fact that Elsa now knew about their forbidden relationship, and the threats she'd made towards them. Georg held Maria's hands in his own, slowly rubbing the pad of this thumb over her knuckles.

"Georg, what are we going to do?" Maria asked him after a few minutes.

"Do? There's nothing to do. I won't be blackmailed. Not by her." Georg was very definite.

Maria looked bewildered. "But what about what she has threatened to do?

"No, she cannot threaten us. And even if she does do and say all the things she claimed she would do, I don't care. I love you Maria and I'll do anything to be with you."

Maria's heart felt full. At last she knew the depth of Georg's love for her. And she so desperately wanted to agree with him and put everything aside, just as long as she could be with him. But yet, she knew that she couldn't do so. "No," Maria shook her head. "Just think of the consequences of her actions…"

"I don't care," Georg said firmly.

"No Georg, I think you care very much. You're a proud man: serving your country, standing up for your beliefs and even the party tonight – I saw the look of pride on your face when the children performed. And heavens, remember how horrified you were at the thought of your children roaming about Salzburg dressed up in nothing but a pile of old drapes? Georg, I know what people think of you and your children does matter to you, a lot." Georg didn't reply but just clicked his tongue against his teeth.

Maria continued. "Think about if the Baroness really told everyone exactly what she saw here tonight, if the children found out…" she shuddered. "It's not only us we need to think about but them too. It won't just be gossip we'll be contending with, it will be real. Ruining you, ruining them... This kind of scandal will tarnish them too."

"I know," Georg replied quietly.

"Do you think it's fair to put that sort of burden on their shoulders?"

Georg sighed in defeat. "No."

"So we need to end it," Maria stated matter-of-factly.

Georg didn't reply. There was a long pause before Georg spoke. "Maria, this is not what I wanted to happen between us. I love you…"

"I know, and I love you too, but we didn't think this through before we started this affair, I know I didn't. Not really. All I could think about was how much I wanted you and how much I loved you. I never thought we'd have to face this kind of reality." She looked deep into his eyes. "We need to end this. Tonight."

"No, Maria. I'm sure we can find a way…"

Maria stood up and walked away from him, blinking the tears away from her eyes. "There is no other way than ending it, don't you see?"

"Maria, wait." Georg placed his hands on her shoulders and spun her back around. "Wait here." He walked over to his bureau drawer, opened it and got out a small, black box. He walked back over to her and opened it. Inside was the most exquisite diamond ring. "Maria, I had planned on giving this to you tomorrow, once I'd broken off my relationship with Elsa, but I suppose now is the more appropriate moment." Maria closed her eyes and held her breath. "Maria, darling, will you marry me?"

Maria turned away and began to weep silent tears. "Oh you don't know how long I'd hoped you'd ask me that," she sobbed. "But you know I can't accept you. Not now. Not with the Baroness's threats. I… can't…"

"Maria please," Georg protested. "We can make this work, I know we can. No matter what…"

She spun back around. "Georg, please don't make this harder than it already is. I want to marry you so desperately, but I can't… we can't…"

Georg looked at her hard for a few moments before snapping the lid of the little black box shut in his hand. He was angry. "I can't change your mind?"

"No," she whispered. "I can't risk the Baroness saying all those things about us and putting the children's future in jeopardy. If it was only you or myself that I was thinking about, then maybe we could stand firm and waver the storm that she would bring upon us. But I love your children too much to knowingly put them in harm's way like that." She took Georg's hands and pleadingly looked into his eyes. "I'm saying no, not because I don't love you, I'm saying no because I love you. Try to understand."

"I do understand, Maria, I do." Georg picked up her hands and brought them to his lips in a kiss. "You know I should say something meaningful like thank you for making this hard decision for us and our entire family, but I won't. I'm not happy about this entire situation."

"But it's the way it has to be."

"I know." He dropped her hands before drawing her face towards his and giving her the most tender of kisses. "So what happens now?" he asked.

"Well, first thing is, can you drive me to the Abbey tonight?" He nodded. "Then I suppose you'll have to announce your engagement to the Baroness in the morning."

Georg nodded sadly. "I don't love her," he stated.

"I know you don't," Maria replied.

They kissed one last time before Maria quickly dressed then returned to her room to collect all her belongings. By the time she'd packed and gotten downstairs, Georg had brought the car round to the front of the house. In silence she got in the car and they drove off into the night.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed or favourited. I'm still feeling pretty nervous about posting this story so I'd love a few words of encouragement. There is more to come, much more!