Chapter 29: Afterwards
1 week later…
Maria stood at the ship's railing looking back at the mainland as the ship pulled out of the dock at Southampton on its way across the Atlantic to America. She had recovered completely after being drugged the night of Liesl's party and had even put some weight back on her thin frame. She had cut her hair short again and Maria loved the feeling of her golden locks flowing freely once more and the sensation of the blowing wind ticking the skin at the back of her neck.
Maria still felt sick to her stomach every time she thought back over the past two months they'd spent at the Whitehead manor and how it had all ended in that fateful showdown between Georg and Lady Whitehead the morning after the party. After Lady Whitehead attacked her and Georg pinned her down, Maria had fainted. She didn't remember much after that except waking in Georg's arms sometime later.
The doctor had come to attend to Lady Whitehead but it was too late. By the time he'd arrived, she was dead.
With the entire household in shock over Lady Whitehead's sudden death, Georg thought it was best to delay their departure from the manor until after the funeral. Considering everything they had gone through since their arrival in England, both Maria and Georg agreed that it would be better for Georg to accept the business proposal located in America, rather than the one based out of London. They needed time and space away from everything that had happened to forge a way forward for their family. A new beginning.
Just as all these thoughts were swirling around Maria's her, she felt a warm, strong hand on her shoulder. She turned her face slightly to see Georg behind her and smiled as he wrapped both arms around her waist, pulling her close to stand in front of him. "Are you all right?" he asked, nuzzling his face over her shoulder and into the crook of her neck.
She rested her head back on his shoulder. "I was just thinking about everything that happened," she murmured.
"I know," replied Georg kissing the top of her head. "I can't get it all out of my mind either. It was awful. I mean, not only finding out what Elizabeth did you both you and Liesl, but learning for the first time of her long-term conspiracy against me and how it stemmed from her belief that all men must be evil and unfaithful to their wives – it was crazy!" He shook his head, still in disbelief.
"Even a week later, memories of that horrible morning just keep going round and round in my head…" Maria pressed both palms to her throbbing forehead. "… I just want to forget it all happened and move on."
"So do I," agreed Georg. "At least making this fresh start together in America should help. I think staying here would've been too hard."
"I agree, although I know James will miss us."
"He understands why we need to go but he's just as shattered by what happened as we are, probably even more so since Elizabeth was his wife," Georg explained. "The revelation of her evil and despicable actions towards all of us was a great shock to him. He never knew that Elizabeth had discovered his one act of infidelity that happened only a few years into their marriage. After that, she never really believed anyone could find true love within a marriage and so she became wary and cynical of any relationship that showed true love and devotion. Elizabeth's inability to forgive James for his indiscretion turned her into a very bitter and twisted woman, merciless and full of resentment." Georg released Maria from his arms and stood next to her. He leant down and rested his elbows on the railing and he stared aimlessly out to sea.
Maria placed her hand on his and gave it a squeeze encouraging him to continue. "Elizabeth never truly accepted that Agathe's marriage to me could be one of love and faithfulness. She was so blinded by her own tragic past that she twisted every act of love between Agathe and I into something deceptive and vile. She didn't trust me or Agathe's belief in my undying faithfulness to her and that was very wrong indeed. But all those years of trying to trap me and manipulating Camilla like that…" Georg pursed his lips and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. "I do feel sorry for Camilla in a way. Of course she does carry part of the blame for her never ending flirting, but Elizabeth used Camilla's weakness, which was her unrequited love for me, to continually encourage her to go after me. While Camilla had been unlucky in love in the past, Elizabeth's manipulations also prevented Camilla from finding her own true love because Camilla always held out hope that I would change my mind and fall in love with her."
"But you didn't and you were always faithful," said Maria.
"Always," Georg replied, giving her a half smile. "Faithful to Agathe and faithful to you."
"You're a fine and honourable man, Georg," Maria told him, knowing that she now fully trusted Georg and would never doubt his faithfulness to her again.
But then Georg's half-smile faded and a shadow came across his face. "There was only one time that I feel like I didn't behave in the most honourable way though."
Maria opened her mouth to question him but he pre-empted her question by answering with one word. "Elsa."
"Oh…"
"Maria, I never expected to fall in love with you, especially when Elsa and I had been courting for so long. And somehow we landed ourselves in an awful love triangle and I handled it badly – I broke your heart when you learnt that I'd proposed to Elsa and, while I doubt Elsa would ever admit it, I know I broke her heart as well when I ended the engagement. But Maria, I want to tell you that you never were the other woman and it was unfair of me to imply that you were. I apologise."
"Thank you for telling me that Georg. I know I wasn't, but I can see now how it all looked on the outside. Even Lady Whitehead called me the other woman."
"But she was wrong!" Georg exclaimed. "Elizabeth wanted to find a reason to dislike you from the start. She could have said that your background as a postulant didn't make you good enough to marry into the aristocracy. But what really made her hate you was her belief that you were the other woman that came between Elsa and myself like the other woman that came between her and James, not to mention how she felt like you had replaced Agathe in my heart."
"But you know I never want you to forget Agathe, don't you?" Maria said.
Georg smiled. "Of course I know that, love. If it wasn't for you, I may have kept her memory locked away forever, from myself and the children. You brought so much back to me: music, laughter, love… I am eternally grateful to you, more than you know." Georg raised Maria's hand to his lips and lightly kissed her fingertips.
"I love you so much Maria. I have been twice blessed – firstly by falling in love with Agathe and now with you." Georg pulled Maria into his arms and kissed her lightly. "Sharing a deep and all-consuming love with another person must be one of the greatest things in the world. I'm just sorry that Elizabeth never got to experience that kind of love and everything she did to us was based upon a misconception that true love could never exist. She was a very bitter, jaded and twisted person and her acts against you and Liesl were absolutely horrifying. But then her sudden death…" his voice trailed off.
Georg pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingertips briefly then rubbed his eyes like he felt suddenly very weary. "I feel responsible. I pinned her to the ground… But I was trying to stop her from hurting you…"
Maria wriggled out of his embrace and stepped back so she could look him directly in the eye. "Georg, you heard what the doctor said – Lady Whitehead had had a heart condition for quite sometime that only James knew about. The doctor also wasn't sure what caused the seizure – it could have been a combination of factors, he thought. But the doctor did tell you that her death wasn't your fault, didn't he?"
Georg nodded faintly. "He did. But even still, it was so unexpected and not what I would have wanted for her, even after all the dreadful things she had done."
"I know Georg, and your compassion towards her, even in death, speaks volumes about your integrity and your depth of character. I was very proud of you standing up in front of everyone at the funeral yesterday and speaking so highly of her, despite everything."
"It was difficult," Georg admitted. "To be honest though, I would have liked nothing better than to reveal to everyone just how malicious Elizabeth was. But I remembered Agathe, and I know she wouldn't have wanted me to publicly discredit her mother like that. No, it is best that all her lies and evil ways are buried now with her."
Maria was silent for a few moments. "And the children? She was their grandmother."
"They're upset at her death, of course, but I'm glad you agreed with me to not tell them what happened on that morning, with the exception of Liesl, of course. After what Liesl went through with Daniel, she had a right to know why her grandmother put her through all of that. The younger children, however, don't need to know about what their grandmother did to you and Liesl or her insane reasons behind it. They should remember her as she was to them," Georg paused before adding quietly, "at least that's what I hoped Agathe would have wanted me to do."
Maria squeezed his hand. "You're a good father."
Georg sighed. "I hope I am, but I know I haven't been in the past. I do want that to change, though. I want them to be happy."
"They are," Maria reassured Georg. He glanced over his shoulder as they were interrupted by the sounds of their children behind them. Friedrich, Louisa and Marta were playing a game of tip, while Brigitta sat on a nearby bench reading a book.
Looking further down the deck, Maria spied Gretl and Kurt sitting side by side on matching deckchairs, little Gretl's legs barely reaching the end of the chair. A waiter in a white dinner jacket was serving them ice-cream sundaes. "Well those two have certainly made themselves at home on the ship," Maria let out a hearty laugh. "All we need now is for someone to take them and show them how to play ping-pong or ten pin bowling and they'll be set!"
Georg chuckled as he slid one arm around Maria's waist and they began to walk around the large promenade deck. "But what about Liesl?" Maria asked Georg as they past the young woman standing by herself looking sorrowfully out to sea. Over the past week Liesl had barely said a word, preferring to keep to herself rather than be around the others. "The first two men she ever fell in love with both betrayed her and broke her heart. I don't want her turning into Lady Whitehead: bitter, twisted and mistrusting of all men."
"She won't," Georg reassured Maria. "And you know how I know that?" Maria shook her head. "It's because of you," Georg stated.
Maria stopped in her tracks. "Me?" she asked surprised, raising her eyebrows slightly.
"Yes," Georg confirmed. "You see," he began as he took her hand, entwining her fingers in his own as they began to walk along the deck again. "Liesl has a wonderful mother in you to show her what love can be and how love should be. I have no doubt that given enough time, Liesl will come to meet another young man for me to detest…" Maria giggled upon hearing the mock disgust in Georg's voice. "… but until then, just give her time. What was it you once told her? You cry a little and…"
"Wait for the sun to come out," Maria finished for him, smiling. "It always does, you know," she let out a low laugh. She stopped walking and turned to him. "But you really do give me far too much credit. You're right, Liesl will be fine but not just because of me, but because she has you as a father. Seeing you as a role model and the way you loved her mother faithfully until the end, and even now how you love me… She will know that not all men are like Rolf or like Daniel and hopefully she'll find a wonderful man to give her everything she needs."
Georg smiled. "You give me everything I need Maria," he crooned as he leant in close towards her and placed a gentle, yet lingering kiss on Maria's lips.
But as he pulled away from their kiss, Maria looked away. Something about what he'd just said struck a nerve with her and she remembered what Lady Whitehead had sneered aggressively at her on that morning after the party.
"...What on earth do you think you can give my grandchildren? Or Georg for that matter? You can't even give him a child! My daughter gave him seven children!"
"Maria gives me everything I need," Georg defended at once. "More than you know."
But had she been able to give Georg everything he needed? Maria wondered. It was true that Agathe had given Georg seven children while she had given him none yet. When the doctor examined Maria after she'd fainted, he told her that she wasn't pregnant. Maria had hoped after her reconciliation with Georg that perhaps she might have been carrying his child, but all those hopes had now been dashed. Then with everything that had happened after Lady Whitehead's death, there hadn't been a quiet moment to tell Georg of her deep desire to have a child with him.
Georg noticed the serious and pensive look on Maria's face. "Maria?" he asked. "What is it? You look upset."
Blinking away the few tears that had begun to well up in her eyes, Maria walked away from Georg and stood at the ships' railing looking out to sea. A moment later she sensed Georg coming to stand next to her. She deliberately avoided looking at him. Georg said nothing but just waited for Maria to speak.
Maria took a deep breath before every thought in her head came rambling out of her mouth. "Georg, there's something I need to tell you… and I've been wanting to tell you but there hasn't been the right time… But by telling you this I don't want you to think I don't love the children because I do so very much, they are so wonderful and I love being a mother to them but…"
"You want a child of your own?" he finished for her.
Maria turned at once to look at him, her mouth wide open. She was surprised that he'd guessed what had been on her mind. Before she could ask how he knew, he continued. "Maria, the doctor spoke to me after he'd examined you and told me that you weren't pregnant. He also told me how disappointed you were at that news."
"But…" Maria began to interrupt but Georg put one hand up signalling to her that he wanted to finish.
"I know it must have seemed like the idea of a baby was the furthest from my mind but I was disappointed as well to hear that you weren't pregnant because…" his voice seemed to choke up in his throat a little. "… Because I would very much like to have a child with you too."
"You do?" Maria exclaimed.
"Of course!" Georg chuckled. "But remember Maria, these things can and do take time but," he lowered his voice somewhat. "I'm certainly looking forward to trying with you." Maria felt her cheek flush red at the thought of her and Georg making love more times than she could possibly count.
Georg glanced back over his shoulder to where the children were down the other end of the deck. "In fact, our seven children seem to be occupied at the moment. It could be a good time for us to, uh… slip away?" He raised his eyebrows in suggestion and slowly dragged his index finger up and down the back of her hand seductively.
Maria gulped knowing exactly what he was implying at that moment. But she laughed him off. "Georg von Trapp, you should know by now that seven children do not stay occupied for very long. We'll get caught!"
But Georg would have none of it. He inclined his head in the direction of their cabin. "Oh I think I'm up for the challenge of ravaging you and not getting caught by our children," he growled as he swept Maria into his arms and kissed her passionately. Within seconds, wolf-whistles could be heard coming from down the other end of the deck. As Georg released Maria, they turned to see Friedrich and Kurt continuing to whistle at them. The other children soon joined in cheering them on, even Liesl who, for the first time in days, had a broad smile on her face.
Maria gave Georg a pointed look that said see? Georg shrugged in defeat. "All right. Tonight, and that's a promise."
"I'll look forward to it Captain," Maria replied sweetly, turning her face upwards towards his where Georg planted a quick kiss on her lips.
"There is something else I want to promise you Maria," Georg told her seriously. "No matter how long it takes, we'll keep trying for this baby. Weeks, months, years. We won't give up. We've been though so much over these last few months we owed some happiness in this new life we'll make for our family together in America. But as long as we're together, I'll be happy."
"As long as we're together," Maria repeated with a broad smile on her face. The first few months of their marriage had been tough: firstly with the Anschluss and escaping from Austria through the mountains to Switzerland, but secondly, the trials they had been put through in England were enough for a lifetime. However through those trials, Maria and Georg had learnt so much about love, trust and honesty and their marriage was so much stronger because of it.
And Maria knew that as long as they were together, that everything would be all right.