Forbidden – Chapter 4

They drove along in silence; the only noise was the constant and rhythmic sound of the car engine. There were no other cars on the road due to the lateness of the hour, so it didn't take very long before Georg pulled up outside the Abbey.

He parked the car and turned off the engine before switching off the headlights. They were plunged into darkness.

After a few moments, their eyes adjusted to the darkness enough for them to see the silhouettes of each other's faces in the dim moonlight.

Georg turned to Maria and took her hand. "It's not too late to turn around and take you home," he whispered quietly.

Maria bit her lip and shook her head sadly. "It was too late the moment the Baroness walked in on us."

"I should have locked the door," he berated himself. "Or I should have said more to stand up to her." Georg shifted in his seat to look at Maria more directly. "Maria, I'm sure if I spoke to her again, I could reason with her…"

"No, it's not going to work. No matter what you say to her, you can't stop her from speaking out. You can't keep her silent forever, not unless you do what she asks."

"But if she says anything, it'll be her word against ours. We can deny it…"

"Georg," Maria cried in exasperation, burying her face in her hands. "Even if we did deny it, the damage would already be done. The rumours, the gossip, the scandal. Everything." She looked up. "We can't risk it, not when it'll affect the children if she says anything."

Georg didn't reply, knowing she was right. They sat there in silence while he held her hand, gently playing with her fingers and stroking her hand tenderly. "What are you going to tell the children?" Maria finally asked.

Georg shrugged and tapped his fingers nervously against the steering wheel. "I'm not sure. Perhaps I could say you left a note saying you missed your life at the Abbey too much, you had to leave, and that's all there is to it."

Maria let out a low laugh. "You know they're never going to believe that, don't you?"

Georg raised his eyebrows and let out a defeated sigh. "Well it'll have to do. I obviously can't tell them the truth, can I?" Maria shook her head.

Another few minutes of silence passed before Maria announced quietly. "I should go." She made to open the door but Georg stopped her. He took her face in his hands, tilted it towards his and then kissed her softly. With a whimper she melted into him, opening her mouth slightly, inviting him to kiss her deeper. He traced her bottom lip with his tongue before gently exploring her mouth. He pulled her closer, removing her hat and lacing his fingers through her soft, golden hair. She moaned into his mouth as he kissed her over and over again.

She wanted so desperately to stay with him, but she knew that this would be their last moments together. Maria began to sob. Georg lovingly kissed her tears away as he placed feather-light kisses all over her face before his mouth found hers once again.

She wasn't sure how long they clung to each other, kissing and touching but Maria knew the long she stayed, the harder it would be to leave him. Reluctantly, she pulled away and let him go. Before Georg knew it, she'd opened the door and gotten out of the car. But as she reached into the back seat to collect her carpetbag and guitar, Georg grasped for her hand. "I love you," he whispered to her once last time as she let go of his hand, closed the door behind her and walked up to the Abbey gates.

Georg watched silently from the darkened car on the opposite side of the road as Maria crossed the road, looking incredibly beautiful despite wearing the dress that even the poor didn't want. She reached the Abbey gates and rang the bell. She stood erect, starting straight ahead while she waited for someone to answer the bell. After a minute or so, a nun carrying a small lantern arrived at the gate, unlocked it and stood back to let Maria in. Maria paused for a moment before turning her head his way. She gave him one last long, lingering look before she turned back and entered the Abbey.

Georg didn't know how long he sat in the car after she'd gone, but it was a while. Finally, he started up the car and began to drive back to the villa. As he drove, he began to feel angrier and angrier. How dare Elsa do this to him, to them! All sorts of bitter and vengeful thoughts started running about his brain so that by the time he drove through the gates of the villa and parked the car, he was furious.

After quietly entering the house, he took the stairs two at a time and strode purposefully down the hallway in the direction of Elsa's room. When he got to the door, he didn't even bother to knock, instead flung opened the door and switched on the light.

Elsa was in bed, still dressed in the revealing negligee she'd put on earlier that night before her failed attempt of seducing Georg. When the light came on, she sat up, surprised to see Georg standing at the threshold of her room. But at once she smiled, pleased to see him in her room. "Georg, darling, at last. I've been waiting for you," she purred seductively.

"Enough Elsa," snapped Georg as he slammed the door behind him.

Elsa's eyes widened as she glanced at the time. 4am. "Georg," she hissed. "Quiet, do you wish to wake the whole household?"

"I don't give a damn about waking the whole household," he barked back, "not after the threats you made earlier."

"Threats?" Elsa questioned him before letting out a mock laugh. "No, I would hardly say threats. I would perhaps say, asking for what I'm entitled to." Elsa's lips curled in a half smile as she hopped out of bed. She didn't bother to wrap her robe around herself as she walked up to him, pressing her near naked body up against his. "And," she whispered, "I, ah… assume you've made the right choice?"

"Right choice? Good god Elsa!" Georg cried in exasperation. "The only right choice is for me to be with the woman I love, and that is Maria."

Elsa's smile faded to be replaced by a look of rage. "So," she spat, "that's your choice?"

Georg didn't speak for a moment. "Yes, that would be my choice, no matter what the consequences would be." He looked down. "But Maria chose differently. She chose to go back to the Abbey tonight, like you requested."

Elsa was flabbergasted. She truly hadn't expected the woman to do as she'd asked. "The Abbey? But you just said…"

Georg looked Elsa right in the eye. "Maria decided she wanted to protect the children from the vicious lies you threatened to spread…"

"They aren't lies, I saw you both…"

"I don't care what you think you saw." Georg glared at her, his eyes blazing with fury. "But despite your threats, Maria has made the hard choice, the honourable choice."

"So she's…g-gone?" Elsa stammered.

"Yes," Georg confirmed.

There was a moment of silence before a smile came back across Elsa's face. "So you'll marry me then?" she asked in anticipation.

Georg wanted to shake his head, tell her he wasn't going to let her blackmail him and that she could go out and do her worst – he wouldn't care. But then he thought about Maria and how much she given up that night by leaving, and also how much she wanted to protect the children from the scandal and the shame that would come if their secret affair was exposed. So Georg let out a deep breath and reluctantly agreed. "Yes, Elsa I'll marry you."

Elsa's eyes gleamed in triumph. She spun on the spot and clapped her hands together in glee. This is what she'd been waiting for since Georg had begun courting her a year earlier. "Georg, darling," she gushed. "I'm sure we're both going to be very happy!"

But Georg didn't share her joyful sentiment. "No Elsa," he hissed. "I will never be happy with you. I'm doing this for Maria, and for my children, not for you!"

"B-but…" Elsa stammered.

"Do you honestly think I'm happy that you put me in this position?" he spat. "That I'm happy that you sent the woman I love away? No, Elsa. I will not be happy with you." Georg got right up in her face. "Elsa, I despise you." He spun away from her disgusted, not able to look upon her once more. "And one more thing I'll tell you. I may agree to marry you, and I will let you live under my roof and I will provide for you. But I do not love you and you will never, ever come into my bed after the wedding. Never!"

"B-but…" Elsa stammered again.

"And don't even begin to think about asking anything more from me. I don't want to hear you making any more threats or trying blackmailing me further. Because if you do, I'll walk completely away." Elsa's eyes widened in disbelief as she listened to Georg's affirmation. "I will," Georg assured her firmly. "Do your worst, I don't care. I'll leave you, and you'll have nothing."

Elsa blinked several times, recovering from the shock of his statement. She narrowed her eyes. "Are you threatening me?" she snarled.

"No, Elsa," Georg sighed. "I don't play those sorts of games. These are the terms of our agreement. Take it or leave it." Georg didn't wait for Elsa to reply. Instead, he made his way to the doorway. "Goodnight Elsa," he called over his shoulder as he left the room, leaving Elsa looking stunned and shattered.

XxXxXxXx

Georg barely got any sleep that night. He had gone back to his suite only to see the master bed as disheveled as he'd left it earlier that night. Thoughts and images of making passionate love to Maria only hours before flooded his mind. He knew he couldn't sleep there again that night. Instead, he hurriedly made the bed as not to draw suspicion from the maids the following morning before going down to his study and dozing uncomfortably on the sofa.

Morning came around quickly and he returned to his suite to shower. As soon as he was shaved and dressed in a fresh suit, he went to the nursery to break the news of Maria's departure to the children. They were surprised and confused to say the least and he deliberately left before they could ask any further questions.

He hid away from everyone in his study for most of the morning. It somehow seemed easier to do that. It was only shortly before lunchtime that he heard the sounds of the children playing a game outside. He glanced out the window to see Elsa, of all people, playing some sort of ball game with the children. They were bouncing and throwing a ball to each other with each person assigned a number. It didn't really look like an interesting game and no one seemed to be enjoying themselves. But Georg had to chuckle to himself as several of the children began pelting the ball in Elsa's direction, with the last throw hitting her square in the stomach.

As Elsa excused herself and scurried off in Max's direction, Georg decided he'd seen enough and it was time to go and spend some time with his children and speak to them about his upcoming marriage to Elsa before she told them herself. He had no doubt that she'd spilled the news to Max as soon as she could – the two of them had always been as thick as thieves despite Max being Georg's friend. He knew Max had a vested interest in Elsa marrying Georg and so had been encouraging the match for some time now.

As Georg wandered out onto the terrace, he heard the sorrowful sounds of the children singing "The Sound of Music", Maria's favourite song. Unlike the previous time he'd heard them sing that song where their voices were so full of life and joy, they were sad. Each note seemed to linger and the children seemed to struggle even to get the words out. Even as he watched them, several of the children stopped singing and went to gaze aimlessly out over the lake. It was a depressing sight, but he knew exactly why they were sad. They missed Maria and he did too.

As Georg approached, Max muttered an excuse. "Uh, they just wanted to sing for me."

"It's lovely, lovely," Georg remarked unconvincingly and waved his hand for them to keep going. "Don't stop," he told them as he reluctantly made his way over to Elsa as she gave him the eye.

"Something long and cool Georg?" she asked him motioning to the disgusting looking pink drink on the table.

"No thank you, darling," he declined. Georg could sense seven pairs of eyes on him as he sat down at the table.

"Father?" Brigitta was the first the break the awkward silence.

"Yes, Brigitta."

"Is it true that Fraulein Maria isn't coming back?"

Georg felt his heart miss a beat. He knew he children would eventually start asking questions but he wasn't quite prepared for then onslaught to begin now. He tried not to glance in Elsa's direction, but even as he tried not to look at her, he could see how uncomfortable she looked.

"Fraulein Maria?" he tried to answer as casually as he could. "Yes I suppose it's true." He quickly tried to change the subject. "What have we got here?" He picked up a glass of the foul looking pink liquid.

"Pink lemonade," Elsa replied.

"Laced with, uh… lemonade," Max added with a grimace.

Brigitta, not put off by Georg's change of topic, persisted in her questioning about Maria. "I don't believe it, Father."

"Don't believe what?" he asked, pretending he didn't know what she was talking about.

"About Fraulein Maria," Brigitta spelt out. As if she really had to explain, thought Georg.

"Oh Fraulein Maria!" Georg pretended to catch on. Now it was time to tell the children what he and Maria had agreed upon. "Didn't I tell you what her note said?" He scratched his chin. "I'm sure I did. She said she missed her life at the Abbey too much, she had to leave us, and that's all there is to it." Georg tried not to look at the children directly; for he knew that they didn't believe a word he told them.

Quickly changing the subject, Georg looked at the jug of pink lemonade in front of him. "I think I'm brave enough to try some of that," he announced.

But Georg changing the subject once again still didn't put Brigitta off. "She didn't even say goodbye."

"She did in her note," replied Georg sharply.

"That isn't the same thing," Brigitta protested.

"Not too sweet, not too sour," Elsa began to explain as she poured Georg a glass of pink lemonade.

"Just too, uh… pink." Max finished off unenthusiastically, glancing at his own glass of lemonade.

"Father." This time it was Gretl who began asking questions. "Who is our new governess going to be?"

Georg glanced at Elsa uncomfortably. Unfortunately, he knew it was time to tell them the news. "Well," he began as he stood up. "You're not going to have a governess anymore."

"We're not?" asked Liesl in surprise.

"No." Georg stood behind Elsa and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You're going to have a new mother." Georg tried to give his best smile.

"A new mother?" Liesl repeated in disbelief.

"We talked about it last night," Georg explained. "It's all settled, and we're all going to be very happy." He wondered how convincing he sounded because he wasn't convinced at all himself. The children all stood and stared at him in shock.

In front of him, Elsa sat waiting in expectation, a sickly sweet smile on her face. Knowing the situation was about to get awkward, Georg frowned and eyed Liesl. He inclined his head toward Elsa indicating the children should come forward and offer congratulations. One by one the children slinked forward and kissed Elsa on the cheek with Max looking on in amusement. Finally Kurt was last and seemed to start to either whisper something in Elsa's ear or lick her face. Whatever he was doing, Georg quickly got him to stop and ushered him away. "All right, all right, run along and play."

Georg watched the children rapidly leave the terrace. But they paused down near the gates to the lake and huddled in a group, like they were having some sort of conference. Instantly he knew what they were up to. Giving his apologies to Elsa and Max, Georg quickly went to join them just as they were about to leave the lakefront to go for a walk in the gardens.

"Liesl," he called out to his eldest daughter. She gestured for the others to continue without her before turning around to face her father. "Liesl, I know where you're planning on going." Liesl opened her mouth to question him but Georg raised one hand. "I know you want to see your Fraulein, but please, don't go to the Abbey."

"Why not?" she asked him. "We need to see her, she didn't even say goodbye." Georg shook his head. "All we want to do is talk to her," the young woman continued to plead her case.

"No Liesl, please do as I ask. Fraulein Maria is back at the Abbey for good, and nothing you can say or do is going to change that."

"But…"

"Liesl," Georg said so sharply that Liesl was instantly quiet. "Please. I know this is hard on you children, but I ask you to respect her wishes, and my orders. You need to just forget her," he told her and, as he turned and returned to the house, he muttered under his breath, "all of us do."

A/N: Once again, thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. It is such an encouragement! I hope you're still enjoying this story and this is not the end! There is still so much more to come. Please leave me a review!

Oh, I've had a few questions about "As Long As We're Together." No, I haven't abandoned that story and I hope to get an update done in the next two weeks or so. Look out for it!