Chapter 23: A Fine Romance – Part 2.

The rest of the day seemed to drag by but finally it was time to get ready for the evening ahead. Maria chose to wear a long-sleeved ivory knit dress that had bands of intricate crochet work criss-crossing from the neckline across the bodice. It fit her figure perfectly, flaring out at the waist and finishing just below the knee. Matched with elegant high heels, she looked dazzling.

Hannah had just finished the last touches on Maria's hairstyle when she stepped back to admire Maria's reflection in the mirror.

"You look so beautiful m'lady," the maid exclaimed.

"Indeed, she does," came a voice from behind them. Both women turned around to see Georg standing in the open doorway to the bedroom looking incredibly handsome dressed in a formal tuxedo. Maria gave him a shy smile and blushed. "Thank you Georg."

Hannah looked from Maria to Georg then back to Maria again as the couple gazed adoringly at each other across the room. Feeling out of place, the maid asked Maria, "Will that be all, m'lady?"

"Yes thank you Hannah," replied Maria. Hannah curtsied then left the room.

Maria stood as Georg approached her and looked her over once gain. Giving her a wicked smile, he cocked his head to the side. "Turn around," he commanded.

"What?" Maria asked, surprised.

"Turn," he asked again, making a circular motion with his hand. Maria immediately pivoted on the spot. When she stopped, he looked at her thoughtfully and pursed his lips. "Hmm… needs something I think."

Maria gave him a curious look. Georg opened his jacket and took out a small box. He opened it and inside was the diamond necklace he'd tried to give her only days before. "Will you accept this from me now?" he asked her.

Maria looked at the necklace sitting in the velvet box. It really was quite stunning, and although she had rejected Georg's attempt to buy back her affections a few days earlier, she knew just how genuinely hard he'd been trying to make amends with her since then. She grinned and nodded before turning around so that he could place it around her neck. He took his time placing the piece of jewellery on her, his fingertips lightly grazing across her soft skin. Each touch sent shivers down her spine. He bent his head down close to her neck as he concentrated on doing up the fiddly clasp. Maria could feel his warm breath against her neck and the smell of his aftershave flooded her senses. As he finished fastening the necklace, Georg placed his lips lightly on the back of her neck kissing her and causing Maria to quickly intake a gasp of breath.

His lips lingered on her neck for a moment and Maria relaxed against him, hoping he'd continue kissing her. But he didn't. A second later he had let her go. Missing his touch straight way, she turned back around. Despite his eyes burning with passionate desire for her, he didn't take her in his arms again. He just looked her over once again and smiled. "Much better," he stated. "Now, shall we?" He held out his arm for her to take. Maria draped her white fur stole around her shoulders as Georg escorted her out.

The car trip into town was very pleasant. They chatted together as Georg drove, his hand alternating from resting on the gear stick to holding Maria's hand. Soon enough they arrived in town and Georg led the way to the restaurant he'd booked. They were shown to a quite table in the corner of the room. Lit by candlelight, it was cosy, private and out of the way – perfect for a romantic night together.

The waiter handed them menus before leaving to allow them to make their choices. Maria's eyes widened in surprise as she glanced across the menu, before a broad smile came across her face. "Austrian food?" she gasped in delight. "How on earth did you find this place?" she asked Georg.

He chuckled. "I asked around. I thought you'd appreciate something that reminded you of being back home."

"Yes, thank you," Maria replied. "I mean the English food is alright I suppose, but it's fairly bland. I've missed eating Austrian food."

"Unfortunately though darling, I don't think they serve schnitzel with noodles. I think you must be the only person in all of Austria who eats it like that."

Maria giggled. "That's quite alright, there's so many choices, I'm sure I'll have no trouble finding something I like." Maria continued to skim the menu as the waiter returned. "Actually," Maria groaned. "There are so many choices I can't decide. Georg, you choose for me."

Georg ordered for them both then relaxed back in his chair and took Maria's hand in his, gently rubbing the pad of his thumb over her fingers. "Perhaps we'll have to try and comeback here before we leave next week."

"Leave?" Maria exclaimed in surprise. With everything that had been happening over the past few days, for a brief moment, she'd completely forgotten about their plans to leave the manor after Liesl's party. "Oh, right. Leave. Of course."

"Maria?" Georg questioned. "You still want to leave, don't you?"

"Yes I do," replied Maria quietly, not meeting his eyes.

Georg had the feeling there was something she wasn't telling him. "Maria?" he asked again, but this time he shifted his seat slightly towards her and titled her face towards his using his hand so he could look into her eyes. He didn't speak but the unspoken question in his eyes told Maria what he wanted to know.

"It's just," Maria began. "Things have been so different over the past few day. The children, you… And even Lady Whitehead has been more tolerable. I was so unhappy before, and now…"

"You're happy again?" he finished off. Maria nodded. "I'm glad," Georg told her, rubbing his hand over hers affectionately.

She gave him a little smile. "Things are better, and that's because of you. And because things have been so much better, part of me wonders whether I was being too hasty or too demanding asking to leave…"

"Maria…"

"... but then I look at the children and…" she paused to lick her lips and take a deep breath. "We left Austria so quickly after our wedding that we never had the chance spend time as a new family together. Georg, we need that time now. I want to learn how to be a good mother to them and not just their governess. I want bring up our children with you; no nannies, no grandparents interfering…"

Georg nodded. "Maria, I agree. While it has been convenient being able to stay at the manor, I do know that Lady Whitehead, especially, does like to interfere in the way the children are brought up. She means well but it is very frustrating, I know. In fact, that's what always used to happen when Aga…" he stopped himself just as he was started to say Agathe's name. While he had made his peace with Agathe's memory that night in the music room, Georg knew he had still hadn't spoken to Maria about his late wife. Maria had been so upset the night they'd argued and Georg hadn't been able to explain about all the things he'd been feeling and experiencing about Agathe. It wasn't the time to bring up his late wife in conversation. The last thing Georg wanted was for his romantic night with Maria to be marred by another argument over Agathe. Nor did he want to hurt Maria – he'd done that enough over the past month.

"Georg?" Maria's voice cut through his thoughts. "You were in the middle of saying something?"

Georg's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Hmm?" he muttered. "I was?" He feigned ignorance. "I'm sorry, I think I just lost my train of thought for a moment."

Maria wasn't quite sure she believed him. She'd thought for a moment he'd just been about to talk about Agathe. Days earlier Lord Whitehead had revealed to her just how difficult Lady Whitehead used to be towards Agathe and how much she used to upset Agathe by interfering with the children. Maria wondered why Georg didn't want to talk about his late wife and thoughts of their argument from earlier in the week where Georg confessed to being overcome by memories of Agathe flashed through her mind. Maria really hoped he would open up to her about his late wife.

"Are you sure?" she tried to probe him further. "You were just saying something about…"

"Leaving? Yes. We haven't really spoken about where you wanted to go, have we?"

Resound to the fact that Georg didn't wish to speak about Agathe, Maria sighed and answered his question. "No, we haven't. What are the options?"

Before Georg could reply, the waiter returned with their meals and the bottle of wine Georg had ordered for them. After pouring the wine, the waiter left them and while they ate, Georg began telling Maria about several business ventures he had in mind for the future.

"Well, that first one sounds very interesting," commented Maria as she finished her meal.

"Yes, it does, but there's a catch," Georg paused. "It's in America."

"America?" Maria was surprised. "Oh Georg, that's so far away." She took a sip of her wine. "I supposed I had assumed we'd stay somewhere fairly local, I mean especially now Liesl has met Daniel. It would break her heart to move too far away."

Georg snorted. "That boy. I suspect she'll soon get over him if we moved to America."

"Georg…" Maria rolled her eyes. "You said you liked him."

Georg raised his hands in defeat and chuckled. "Well, alright. I did like him."

"Did you know Liesl's asked him to the music performance tomorrow?" Maria asked. "And that he's is going to be her escort at her party next week?"

Georg nodded. "Yes, Daniel mentioned it this morning when I showed him out. Liesl does seem very taken with him, doesn't she?" He paused for a moment as he thought. "I suppose I'll be taking the alternative business venture: the one that means we'll remain close to London."

Maria's face fell somewhat. "So we'll be staying at the manor then?"

"No," Georg reassured her, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "We'll get our own place, I promise."

With that promise made, the conversation quickly turned in a different direction as dessert was served. Maria ploughed through her dessert quickly before managing to steal several mouthfuls of Georg's dessert off his plate as he had been eating slower, trying to savour every mouthful. After several more glasses of wine, they decided to leave the restaurant. They took a slow stroll down by the river Thames. Georg wrapped his arm around Maria's waist protectively as they walked. The city lights reflected off the water: shining, glistening and making the whole riverside feel like a sort of magical wonderland. It was romantic and it reminded them both of that wonderful night they declared their love to each other in the gazebo those many months ago. Georg turned to Maria, took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. Maria then shivered in his arms; partly due to the cool night air, but mainly because of the sensations and emotions that Georg's kisses were stirring inside her. So when Georg suggested they return to the manor a few minutes later, Maria couldn't help but instantly agree.

They sat together in silence during the entire car trip back to the manor. The mood between them had changed. The night was reaching its conclusion but both didn't know exactly what that conclusion would be. With the exception of their passionate embrace earlier that morning, they had barely touched all week. Yet now, as Georg walked Maria quietly back to the suite, the sexual tension between them was almost unbearable.

They reached the door of the suite and Maria turned the knob and the door swung open just a few inches. She turned to him, willing herself to stop shaking in anticipation of what she hoped would come next. "I had a wonderful time tonight Georg. Everything was perfect – the food, the conversation, the walk... Thank you."

"It was my pleasure," he replied, his voice low, yet rich and warm. Georg leant towards her to place a chaste kiss on her cheek, as he had done every night since their fight. But as his lips were just about to make contact with her skin, she turned her face so that he kissed her on her lips instead.

Georg pulled back slightly unsure, but one look from Maria gave him the permission he needed to kiss her again. As his lips met hers again, he wrapped his arms around her waist, enveloping her in his embrace. Maria draped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her as they kissed again. She let out a gasp of delight as their kisses deepened: lips moving together, tongues dancing slowly and sensually. Eventually they pulled apart just enough for Maria to nuzzle her head into Georg shoulder. She rested her ear on his chest and listened to the pounding of his heart.

Maria raised her head up and looked into his eyes. "W-would you… like to come in?" she asked. Without a moment's hesitation, Georg nodded and pushed the door wide open.

As soon as they were both in the room and the door was closed behind them, they were in each other's arms again: kissing, touching, fondling. It was like all the pent up emotion of the past week had finally been released - they couldn't get enough of each other. They stumbled firstly towards one of the sofas where tumbled down onto the seat still kissing. Georg's jacket and Maria's fur stole were discarded before Georg's bowtie was removed and thrown somewhere, and the buttons on the back of Maria's dress were undone. Georg pushed the woollen knit material down far enough to mouth kisses down her neck then over the top of her breasts. Pressing her back on the sofa, Georg's hands travelled lower, caressing her body through her dress.

"Oh my love," he moaned into her ear in between kisses. "You don't know how much I've dreamt of being with you like this since last time we were together."

All of a sudden Maria stiffened and her eyes shot open. Dreams… Last time… Then she remembered and it hit her. Georg had been dreaming about Agathe, and not her, the last time they had made love.

Almost instantly Georg knew something was wrong. He stopped kissing Maria and lifted his head to look into her eyes: they were filled with distress and apprehension. "Maria?"

"Last time…." she whispered. Georg closed his eyes and groaned, remembering too what had happened last time. Before he had a chance to say anything to her, she was pushing him off her, wrestling with him to allow her up off the sofa.

"Maria, wait…"

But Maria wouldn't wait. As she got up, she stomped rapidly away from him, furiously pulling her dress back up over her shoulders. "I can't believe I was about to let you back into my bed when all the while you have been fantasizing about another woman," Maria ranted at him.

"Maria, no. I…"

"Do you deny it?" she asked him hotly spinning around. Georg cringed inwardly. No, he couldn't deny what happened last time but this time was different.

He was about to try and explain it to her but his delay in responding made Maria's anger rise. "This was a mistake," she cried.

"A mistake? Maria please hear me out," he begged. Georg held her squarely by the shoulders. She said nothing, almost like she was permitting him to speak, but yet she refused to look at him. "Last time… what happened, please believe me I didn't know what I was doing. I'm so sorry for what I did, I mean for what I said, er… called out. Please believe me, I never meant to do that and I never meant to hurt you."

He was met with silence. Maria still refused to look at him, instead just stared at the floor biting her lip, her brow furrowed. He tried pleading with her. "Hasn't everything I've done over the past few days shown you, proved to you just how much I love you, cherish you, and want you?"

Georg waited for a response but the longer she took, the less hopeful he felt. Finally he let go of her shoulders. He let out a defeated sigh. "I hoped that would have been enough for you, that I would have been enough for you. But obviously I was wrong." He paused, still hoping she'd say something to him, or even just look at him, but she didn't. He knew it was useless. He shook his head, feeling utterly beaten and rejected. "Maria, perhaps you were right. This was a mistake."

Georg turned on his heel, picked up his discarded jacket and began to make his way towards the door. Realising Georg was actually leaving, Maria panicked. She knew she couldn't let him go just like that. She squeezed her eyes shut and blinked away several tears before running after him. She reached the door at the same time as he did.

"Please don't go," she whimpered. "I'm sorry, I really am. I didn't mean… All those things you've done for me this week were so wonderful, loving and romantic - you did make me feel so special and cherished. And you Georg, you are everything I could want, everything I do want, but…" her voice trailed off.

"But?"

She swallowed against the angry lump that had formed in her throat. "B-but," she stammered. "But you're holding parts of yourself back from me." Georg knew he shouldn't have felt surprised by what Maria had just said but for some reason he did. He didn't know what to say therefore he just stood before her looking bewildered.

Maria's voice grew in strength as she was finally able to voice every worry and anxiety she'd been feeling for days. "That night, that horrible night. You told me things that have been haunting you. Memories. But yet ever since then, you've said nothing to me about what you're thinking or what you're feeling. There are so things you've never confided in me about, things you've never told me, things… things about her…"

Maria couldn't bring herself to say Georg's late wife's name, but Georg said it quietly for her instead. "Agathe. Her name was Agathe."

There was a silence in the room at the mere mention of her name, like a spell had been cast over both of them. But a moment later, the spell was broken as Maria let out a sob. "You won't speak about her to children, or to me. Even tonight at dinner, I know you were about to talk about her but you didn't. Why, Georg, why?"

All Georg could do was shake his head. Finally he spoke. "I didn't want to hurt you again. I know I've kept things from you but that's because I was trying to protect you…"

"Protect me? But can't you see by shutting me out you're hurt me more?"

"I know, and I'm sorry," he apologised. "I never anticipated the effect that being back here at the manor would have upon me. Memories of Agathe, being back with her family, in her house and her room," Georg told Maria as honestly as he could. "But no matter how bad it was for me; I just couldn't imagine how it felt for you being here with me. I thought that if I spoke about Agathe to you, or shared with you how difficult I was finding it, that it would make it even more obvious than it already is that I had a life before I met you and a love for another woman. I didn't want to make you feel resentful or even jealous."

"Jealous?" Maria didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Oh Georg, I could never be jealous of her! You shared such a deep and wonderful love with her, a love that gave you those seven wonderful children, and a love that made you the man you are today. No, Georg. I could never be resentful of that." She hesitated before continuing. "But do you think it's fair to the children that you never speak of their mother?" Georg shook his head slowly. "They all want desperately to know more about her. The older children like Liesl and Friedrich remember her, but Marta and little Gretl have no memories of her. You should be telling them as much as you can about her and I-I... want to know about her too," Maria confessed quietly. "I want you to tell me about her. I want you to share that part of your life with me, confide in me. Please."

Georg knew she was right. By shutting out Agathe he was not only doing himself a terrible disservice, but he was robbing his children of their precious memories of their mother. It was time to make a change. "Maria," he croaked. "You're right. I should be talking about Agathe to the children and to you, and I will, I promise. For so long I tried so hard to block her out, to rid myself of anything that reminded me of her that as soon as I was back here, everything came flooding back – all the memories. I felt like I was drowning in grief and sorrow. It was like she had died all over again."

"And now?"

Maria's simple question brought him face-to-face with everything he'd been battling over the past month or so.

"And now… I've made my peace. With Agathe's death, with her memories, everything." Georg paused as he slipped his arms around Maria's waist and pulled her close to him. "She's gone and she's been gone for a long time now. My life has moved on and my life is with you now. You are my wife Maria and I love you very much. All I want is you, now and forever."

Maria let out a little whimper as Georg brushed his lips over her own. She melted into him as he kissed her with all the love and affection he could. Finally he had opened up to her and Maria now trusted him again completely.

As they parted, Georg asked. "Will you let me show you how much I love you and how much I want you?" Maria gave him a shy smile and nodded. With a big grin on his face, Georg kissed her once more before sweeping her into his arms and carrying her off to the bedroom.

XxXxXxXx

The following morning, Lady Whitehead was preparing to leave her room to go downstairs for breakfast when a knock came at the door.

"Come," she commanded. The door opened and Hannah, Maria's lady's maid entered.

"Excuse me, m'lady," the maid curtsied.

"What is it Hannah?" Lady Whitehead asked, a little irritated at the interruption

"You asked me to inform you if the Baroness ever does anything er… different."

"Yes?" Lady Whitehead was suddenly very interested. The previous time Hannah had reported to her was to tell her that Maria had slept alone and that Georg had spent the night in the guest wing.

"Well this morning when I went to attend to the Baroness, she told me she didn't need me this morning. Then she requested two trays of breakfast to be sent up to the suite."

Lady Whitehead's eyes widened. "Is that all?"

"No, m'lady. The Baroness also asked not to be disturbed."

"And the Captain?" she asked quickly.

"He didn't sleep in his room in the guest wing last night, m'lady," Hannah told her.

Lady Whitehead took a moment to process these pieces of information. "Thank you Hannah, that will be all." As she was dismissed, Hannah curtsied again then left the room.

As the door closed, Lady Whitehead began to pace the room in agitation. It was obvious that Georg and Maria had somehow reconciled, despite her plan to break-up their marriage. She didn't know what she was going to do next exactly, but she knew if it were the last thing she would do, she would make sure that Georg and Maria were kept apart forever.

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has kept reading this story. I've loved all the reviews - they are such a great encouragement. Reviews are awesome! Please review!