The children were ecstatic to have Maria and thier father back when they arrived late that morning. Maria had blushed profusely when Brigitta had innocently asked what they had been doing, but Georg quickly deflected by talking about the opera they had seen. They were going over some of the plot details when the butler arrived in the nursery. He said something to Georg who nodded, standing. "She works quickly," he remarked in German. "Liesl, please watch your siblings for a bit. Maria, I would appreciate it if you joined me." A bit confused, she followed him into the hall where he explained. "Lady Whitehead is on the phone. I am sure she is going to insist we visit, and I want you there to approve any visits. We are a family, and I want no secrets from you." Touched, Maria followed him into the drawing room where the phone sat off its cradle. He picked it up, speaking for a few minutes to whoever was on the other end. Maria, of course, could not follow any of the conversation though she did hear her name mentioned a couple times. Eventually, he pressed his hand to the mouthpiece and turned to Maria. "As expected, she wants us to come visit, preferably on the next train—3:15 this afternoon apparently. I can probably delay her a bit, but I do not believe I will be able to do so indefinitely since she is remarkably persistent. It might be better to just go along with it now so we do not have to worry about it any more."
"How did she find you?"
"Apparently after James—the man we met last night—told her about the opera, she called both hotels in the Leeds area. Upon finding that I was not at either of those, she deduced I must have the children with me and called here since Geoffrey has been a friend of mine for quite some time." At Maria's wide-eyed expression, he added, "Like I said, remarkably persistent. And diabolically clever as well."
"Can we even make a 3:15 train?"
Georg glanced at his watch. "A valid point. I will suggest the first train tomorrow morning then. That will give us the night to relax, pack, and prepare the children."
"Am I to come as well?"
"Of course. You are part of this family, and nothing that Elizabeth Whitehead can say will change that."
"Tomorrow morning then." Georg gave her a small smile before putting the phone back to his ear. He settled the details relatively quickly and hung up. Turning to Maria, he held out a hand.
"Ready to go disappoint the children?"
"Really, Georg, it can't be that bad." He simply raised his eyebrows before leading her back up to the children. They accosted their parents immediately.
"What did grandmother want?" Louisa questioned. For a moment, Maria was confused as to how they could have learned of their grandmother's call before remembering that the butler had announced it in English. Since Georg seemed unsure of how to break the news, Maria decided to help.
"She wanted to invite us all to stay with them for a few days. Isn't that wonderful?"
Six pairs of eyes snapped immediately to Georg; even Marta seemed to understand that her father would not be enthused with such a suggestion. "I thought you said we weren't going to see them on this trip," Friedrich remarked.
"Well, it seems we are after all."
"When?"
"We're going to leave tomorrow morning," Maria told them.
"But the lake!" Friedrich protested.
"And the horses!" Louisa added.
"And they hate us!" Liesl remarked.
"There's a lake on your grandparents' property and horses," Georg told them. "And they do not hate you."
Louisa snorted. "Could have fooled me."
"Is there a boat? You said we'd go sailing again," Friedrich reminded his father.
"I don't know about a boat, but I am sure your grandfather will know where to find one."
"And riding? Will you take me riding?" Louisa asked.
"Every morning if you want," Georg promised. The children were silent for a few moments.
"We really have to go?" Kurt finally clarified. Georg nodded. They all looked so gloomy that Maria felt she needed to do something. "Why don't you each think of something you would like to do with your grandparents?" she suggested. "That way, you have something to look forward to."
They all looked skeptical, even Marta. "Grandmother and Grandfather don't do anything with us," Friedrich complained. "We only see them about an hour a day for tea."
"Well, then, we will just have to help them see how much fun they can have spending time with you."
"Maria." Georg's tone was cautionary. Looking around, she saw that all of the children seemed to share his thoughts. "The Whiteheads are. . . not the type of people willing to change their traditions. In their world, children should be seen for a short period and then go their separate ways."
"But that's. . . it's. . ."
"It's the way they are," Liesl told her. "Mother used to say she hated it, especially because her two older brothers did not particularly like to play with her."
Maria glanced around, finally sighing in defeat at the looks on everyone's faces. "I am not going to win this one, am I?"
"I do appreciate the effort though," Georg told her.
The children were glum as they packed that night, and their mood was beginning to affect Maria as well. She wondered just what their grandparents were like that they would dread visiting them so much. She had tried to ask Georg, but he had simply told her, "You will see soon enough," and refused to speak further on the subject. It was therefore with some trepidation that she packed her bags that night after putting the children to bed. Once she had completed that task, she walked down the hallway to Georg's room, knocking lightly on the door. He opened it, smiling when he saw her. "I was hoping it would be you."
"I just finished packing."
His smile dimmed slightly. "Good. I am done as well. I have also informed the staff of our departure plans." He stepped back, gesturing for her to enter. She sat on the sofa as he locked the door before joining her, sitting so close their hips were pressed together. His proximity was having a definite effect on Maria; she felt her heart racing as her body flushed. With a start, she realized it would likely be the last time she would be truly alone with him until the wedding—she was sure his in-laws would never allow them in a room unchaperoned, and he had mentioned that she would return to the Abbey once the engagement was announced to try and dispel the nastier rumors. She wanted to make the most of the night they had together, but she was unsure how to ask for what she wanted.
She turned and saw he was watching her carefully, his gaze dark. A gleam appeared suddenly in his eyes, and he leaned forward, capturing her lips with his in a demanding kiss. She moaned appreciatively as she returned the kiss with equal fervor. The intensity of the sensations it evoked gave her the courage to ask him for what she wanted. Pulling back, she took a moment to catch her breath. "What you did last night. . . I want to do it for you," Maria admitted.
"Which part?" His voice was low, almost a growl.
"The massage and. . ."
"And?"
"And what came after," Maria whispered. He groaned, and she saw him shift uncomfortably on the sofa.
"You're sure?" he asked. She nodded. He closed his eyes briefly before meeting her gaze, desire plainly written on his face. "In that case, perhaps we should move this to the bedroom." He stood, reaching down a hand to help her as well. As he pulled her to her feet, he kissed her hard, pressing his hips into hers. "What you do to me," he muttered. She swallowed hard, feeling her own body respond to the desire that was now palpable in the room. They walked together to the bedroom, and Georg sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her between his legs so that he could kiss her again. Their current position changed the angle of the kiss significantly since he was now almost a head lower than her, and Maria found she rather liked the difference. It gave her a bit more control.
When he pulled away, he lay back on the bed, his hands starting to work on the buttons of his shirt. Maria helped, and they had soon pushed it off his shoulders. "Can you lie on your stomach?" she asked.
"Whatever you like," he purred, turning so that he was on his stomach. Maria spent a moment admiring the smooth lines of his back and the taut muscles she saw straining beneath the skin. He was truly the most handsome man she had ever met. Tentatively at first, but quickly gaining confidence, she placed her hands on his back and began to knead the muscles she found. He groaned loudly, biting his lip when he remembered that the children slept two doors down. "Right there," he muttered as she found a particularly tight muscle. She focused on it for a moment, pressing on it until she felt it loosen under her fingers. Though she had never given a massage before, she was a quick learner, and it seemed easy enough to simply rub the muscles until they relaxed.
Eventually, she had managed to release most of the tension in his back, and she took a moment to skim her hands down his legs over the slacks he still wore. "Would you like me to take them off?"
"Please." He lifted his hips, reaching down to undo the belt buckle and push the pants down to his mid-thigh. She helped him push them the rest of the way off, leaving him in just his undershorts. Remembering what he had done the previous night, she started at his calves, working her way up his legs as she kneaded the taut muscles she found. She found that desire was starting to coil in her stomach as well, and she felt a slight thrill of delight as she considered how the night might end.
When she reached the undershorts, she squeezed his butt, and he gave a gasp of surprise as his hips thrust forward, pressing into the bed. Pleased, she did it again and received the same reaction. "Are you ready for me to turn over now?" he asked, his words a bit breathless.
"Yes." It did not take long after that for Maria to take him to the same heights she had reached the previous night.
They kissed languidly for a bit after that, but desire soon took over again, and it was not long before they were joined once more, both acutely aware that it could be the last time for awhile. After both had reached the height of their passion, Georg spent a minute hovering over her, catching his breath. When he had finally recovered somewhat, he looked up, frowning slightly at the mess he had made. As he had done the previous night, he retrieved the wash cloth to clean her up. "I am sorry about that," he apologized as he wiped all evidence of his release from her body. "I should not have used your body so shamelessly, but I simply could not wait to retrieve a prophylactic. You truly do test my self control."
"I don't mind. But you did not have to do that. I thought we agreed to leave future children in God's hands."
"After we're married."
"You said we would be married in the next two to three months."
He sighed, returning to the bathroom to deposit the washcloth before sliding into bed next to her. "That means that we do not have to worry in two to three months, but right now, I intend to do everything I can to prevent a pregnancy. I have learned from my mistakes." At her confused look, he clarified. "Agathe and I were married in August. Liesl was born the following March."
Maria did the math quickly. "Oh."
"Not one of my prouder moments, I will admit, but I did not bear most of the consequences. People seem to expect such things of men. Agathe, however, was the subject of quite a bit of nasty gossip for some time—so much so that she ended up in tears more than once. And she was from that society and therefore accustomed to such things. I refuse to allow the same thing to happen to you." His wrapped his arms around her, squeezing slightly as if able to protect her from gossip with his embrace alone. She lay there for a moment, digesting his words. She supposed she should have been frightened by his story of what had happened to Agathe, and in some ways, she was. However, it did not cause her to regret any of her actions, and if the opportunity presented itself to make love to him again, she doubted she would avoid it for fear of pregnancy.
"Thank you," she finally said. He relaxed his hold slightly.
"Trust me, love, it's my pleasure." With that, they fell into a peaceful sleep.
Fortunately, Georg naturally rose quite early, and he woke Maria so she could return to her room before anyone else was awake. Once there, she quickly prepared for the day, packing the last of her things before bringing her bags to the foyer. She heard the sounds of the children on her way down, so she returned to their rooms to help them with their preparations as well. Once all the bags were stacked in the foyer, they had a quick breakfast before the butler drove them to the train station. Unlike the last ride on the train, the children were relatively quiet and spent most of the ride watching the passing scenery. Friedrich finally broke the silence that had settled over the group. "Father?"
"Hmm?"
"Grandfather worked with boats like you, right?"
"He did."
"Do you think he would like to go sailing with us?"
Maria saw the negative answer on Georg's face almost immediately, and he opened his mouth, presumably to give it to his son, but something stopped him. He glanced at Friedrich before turning his gaze to Maria. Their eyes locked as he said, "Why don't we ask, son?" That seemed to please Friedrich who sat back in his seat, a small smile on his face.
A chauffeur met them at the station, quickly loading their luggage in the boot before driving Maria, Georg, and seven rather subdued children to a large estate not far from the station. A butler met them at the door. "Her ladyship is in the drawing room," he remarked upon seeing them.
"Thank you, Robert." Georg led the way to a large room off the foyer where an older woman sat doing needlework. She looked up when she heard them, saying something to Georg who responded in English. She set aside her needlework, approaching the group. She greeted all the children, and Maria noted that though not overly effusive, she did seem genuinely pleased to see them. For their part, the children all smiled and returned the greeting and Marta even tried to hug her. She pulled away from the hug before the little girl could touch her, and Georg quickly swept Marta in his arms to distract her. The Countess' eyes turned next to Maria, and they narrowed, the first sign of displeasure Maria had seen. She spoke to Georg sharply in English, and he responded in kind. Listening carefully, Maria caught her name and a word she was pretty sure meant "marry." Her heart beat a bit faster as she watched the Countess to see how she would respond. However, the older woman never even acknowledged her, instead waving them away with rapid-fire English commands. Georg said something, and Maria could hear the undercurrent of anger in his tone. Automatically, she placed a hand on his upper arm to soothe him, and he looked over, gracing her with a small smile. With a final look at his mother-in-law, he tucked her hand more firmly into his arm before leading her and the children out of the room.
The butler met them at the top of the stairs, speaking with Georg as he pointed down two of the corridors. Georg shook his head firmly and said something else which caused the butler to look nervous. Maria glanced over at Louisa as they began to argue. "What's going on?" she whispered in German.
Louisa's frown reminded Maria forcibly of her father. "He says you are supposed to sleep in the room next to the nursery, the one that is typically reserved for a nanny. Father gets one of the nicer guest rooms in the other wing."
Maria sighed. She knew that Lady Whitehead had set up the sleeping arrangements as an insult to her, but she honestly did not mind them. In many ways, it would make it easier since she would be closer to the children. She squeezed Georg's arm to get his attention. He glanced down at her, and she shook her head. "I don't mind being near the children. Please don't argue on my behalf."
"Maria, it's not just about the room."
"I know. But I learned a long time ago to pick my battles, and I do not believe this one is worth fighting."
He stared at her for a moment longer before sighing and turning back to the butler. The older man looked relieved as they followed his instructions to their assigned rooms. As far as Maria was concerned, there were no problems with the room in which she was staying—it was perhaps not quite as nice as her room at the von Trapp villa, but it was still far nicer than any room she had stayed in before that. She was sure that she would be most comfortable in the room—or at least as comfortable as she could be in the house of her fiance's late wife's parents who seemed to greatly dislike her for reasons unknown.
The side door opened as she began unpacking, and Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl tumbled in. "Fraulein Maria, you're next to us!" Marta exclaimed, causing Maria to smile.
"I am, my dear."
"Could we have a slumber party in here?" Brigitta asked, her eyes wide and pleading.
"We'll have to see, but I think it can be arranged." Marta and Brigitta both cheered and Gretl, after seeing her sisters' enthusiasm, began to yell happily as well. The three began dancing around the room, and Maria, never one to miss an opportunity, began to hum a tune, spinning with them. As she moved towards the door, she stopped suddenly upon seeing Georg leaning against the frame, smiling at them.
"Have I ever told you how lovely you look when playing with the children?" he questioned, pushing himself to standing and approaching, grabbing her hands.
"Oh, I am sure my hair must be a sight," Maria said, trying to smooth it down. He shook his head, reaching up to still her hand.
"Beautiful," he promised. He squeezed her hands once, his eyes shining with love, and she gave him a smile in return. Just as she was wondering if it would be appropriate to kiss him, Louisa and Liesl appeared in the doorway. "One of the maids told us that lunch would be in twenty minutes," Liesl informed the group. Georg nodded, dropping Maria's hands.
"I should finish unpacking then. I will meet you all down there."
Lunch was fortunately not as uncomfortable as Maria expected, for Lady Whitehead sat at one end of the table and spent most of her time talking with Liesl while Maria sat at the other end surrounded by the youngest three children. She still had not seen the Earl, and she wondered where he might be. After lunch, Maria settled Gretl for her nap and Marta for her afternoon rest period before going in search of the other children. She found them in the older girls' room, sitting cross-legged in a circle on the floor, talking in low voices. They turned when she knocked on the open door, guilty looks crossing their faces. "And what is this?" Maria asked, raising her eyebrows. They exchanged looks before Louisa finally spoke.
"A council of war," she said firmly.
Maria sighed, seating herself within the circle as Friedrich and Brigitta scooted over to make room for her. "I thought we agreed to give your grandparents a chance."
"You didn't hear the things she was saying about you!" Louisa protested. Maria suppressed a small smile at the girls' recent change in attitude. She had gone from the last child opposed the marriage to Maria's biggest supporter.
"It is a big change for your grandmother and somewhat of a surprise, I am sure. It has taken you all some time to get accustomed to the idea of your father remarrying; we should give your grandparents the same courtesy." The children did look a bit chagrined at that.
"What about just one frog?" Kurt suggested.
Maria shook her head firmly. "No frogs, snakes, spiders, or any other animals. Deal?" They all nodded somewhat reluctantly. Clapping her hands, Maria stood. "Come on. It's a beautiful day outside, and I for one would love to explore the grounds here." The children stood up, following her out of the house. They spent the rest of the afternoon outside, coming inside only briefly to have a quick snack and retrieve Marta and Gretl. When they finally tumbled back inside that evening, red-faced and smiling, Georg met them just inside the door, happily swinging Marta into his arms when she threw herself at him. He kissed her cheek before turning to the rest of the children.
"It is almost dinner time. You should go clean up and dress."
Maria frowned, glancing at the clock above her. "So early?" she asked.
"Children eat first at Grandmother and Grandfather's house," Liesl explained.
"Oh. In that case, I will help you all prepare." Georg gave a smile of thanks as he set Marta on the ground and Maria ushered all the children upstairs. Fortunately, she had enough experience that it did not take her long to help them all change and clean up for dinner. She led them downstairs to the dining room where the table was already set. As she settled Marta and Gretl into their seats, Maria realized with a start that there was an eighth place setting. She glanced around the room, but there were no other children, just a footman looking at her expectantly. With a start, she realized the seat was for her. She glanced down at herself. She had not anticipated eating with the children, so she had not yet changed or cleaned up from their time outdoors, but she did not want to make the children wait while she did so. Instead, she settled herself into the chair, smoothing her skirts under her. The footman began serving immediately, but Maria was gratified to see the children did not start eating right away, instead looking to her. Quickly, she bowed her head and said grace at which point they all began eating. It did not take long for the children to begin talking, and Maria quickly forgot about her initial discomfort as she eagerly discussed the day with them and plans for future days. She did miss Georg's presence, but she told herself she could handle a few days worth of dinners without him—after all, it would not be the first time and she doubted it would be the last.
A few minutes into dinner, the door opened, and Georg stepped in. The children greeted him enthusiastically, and he smiled briefly at them before turning to Maria with a frown. "I thought you understood that children and adults ate separately."
Maria shrugged. "It was quite clear that I was supposed to eat with them."
Georg pressed his lips into a tight line. "I see."
"Really, Georg, I don't mind. I am enjoying eating with the children."
"I mind, Maria. I am willing to overlook the room assignments, especially since having us separated by a greater distance makes sense for other reasons, but I refuse to allow Elizabeth to continue to demean you. You are going to be my wife, and she needs to accept that." Maria did not know much about Lady Whitehead, but she did know that it was unlikely she would do so. However, she was not sure how to say so to Georg tactfully. "Come, Maria. You can dress for dinner while I handle arrangements."
"Georg, I don't-"
"I am not changing my mind about this, Maria." His tone was firm, and Maria decided it best not to argue him and risk further inflaming his temper. Instead, she nodded and stood, turning toward the staircase. "And Maria?" Maria turned at Georg's voice. "It's formal dress for dinner." Maria nodded to show she understood before returning for her room to dress.
When she entered the dining room again an hour later, she found Georg, Lady Whitehead, and two men she had not yet met standing behind chairs. Lady Whitehead said something to her, and Maria looked to Georg who had narrowed his eyes at his mother-in-law. When he looked toward Maria, she shook her head, telling him not to pursue whatever had upset him. He pursed his lips but did not respond to Lady Whitehead, instead nodding to the chair beside him. Maria knew enough about formal dinners to understand his anger; typically, the most important guests were seated to the right of the host and hostess. Georg was sitting next to the older man, who Maria assumed was the Earl, but by seating Maria beside Georg, Lady Whitehead was diminishing her importance. "It's fine, Georg," Maria whispered as she stood beside him. "I prefer to sit beside you anyway."
He turned, giving her a small smile. "You are a constant ray of sunshine, my love," he remarked in a low voice before turning his attention back to the door where a second middle-aged man now stood. The man cocked his head to the side in confusion when he saw Maria, a wide grin forming on his face. Lady Whitehead spoke to him sharply, and he gave a quick response before moving to his seat. Once they were all at the table, the Earl nodded, indicating that they should sit. Georg pulled Maria's chair out for her before taking his own seat. Lady Whitehead said something in English, and Georg translated for Maria in a low voice. "She's introducing everyone. Lord Whitehead is beside me, and Agathe's older brothers are across from us—Nicholas is the older and Henry the younger. They're not much for titles."
"How do I tell them it's nice to meet them?" Georg told her the phrase in English, and Maria repeated it louder to the three men. She knew she was butchering the pronunciation, but though Lady Whitehead frowned, her husband and sons smiled at Maria. Henry began the conversation, addressing a question to Georg who responded before translating.
"He wants to know how we met. I told him it was through the children." Henry seemed a confused by the answer, and there was a bit of back and forth before Georg was able to translate again. "He wanted to know what I meant, so I had to give a bit more background." Maria wondered what he meant, but before she could ask for clarification, Henry said something else that brought Georg's attention back to him. Georg responded sharply and, somewhat to Maria's surprise, so did Lady Whitehead.
"What is going on?"
Georg shook his head. "It was not an appropriate comment."
"Georg, please."
He sighed. "He just made a comment about your status as a postulant."
A new conversation began between Georg and Lady Whitehead, but before Georg had a chance to translate, the older woman looked to Maria with an expression of distaste. "If she really speaks no English, we can converse in German. We are able to speak that language," she said in slightly broken, but perfectly understandable, German.
"Oh, that would be wonderful, but I do not want you to go to any trouble on my account!"
"It is no trouble to speak so a beautiful woman can understand you," Henry said. Georg scowled at him, and Maria blushed slightly, looking down at her plate. Fortunately, the arrival of the footman and butler with food saved her from responding. The conversation after that was mostly in German with only an occasional comment in English, but Maria still had some difficulty following it. Though she knew all of the words, the people and situations were unfamiliar, and she did not have much to add. Therefore, she was somewhat surprised when Lady Whitehead addressed her directly.
"You are not eating much, Maria. Is the food not to your liking?"
It was not exactly what she would have preferred, but Maria would never say such a thing. Instead, she exclaimed, "Oh no, Lady Whitehead, I am just not particularly hungry."
The older woman examined Maria critically before looking to Georg. "Really? I remember Agathe would often lose her appetite when-"
"Don't, Elizabeth," Georg said sharply.
"It would certainly explain a good deal."
"Only if it was true." The two formidable people stared at each other for a moment before Henry broke the silence.
"I must say, I have missed you, Georg, if only for the entertainment value." His brother snorted with laughter beside him, and Georg rolled his eyes but did turn his attention to his food.
At long last, the dinner was over and Maria breathed an inward sigh of relief. She started to turn toward the stairs, but Lady Whitehead stopped her. "Where are you going?"
"It is past the children's bedtime," Maria tried to explain, but the Countess shook her head.
"Mary is perfectly capable of handling that," she said, referring to the maid who Georg had found to look after the children while Maria was at dinner. "And the nanny should start tomorrow."
"Oh, we don't need a nanny! I do not mind looking after the children while we're here."
"You can only have it one way, Maria. Either you are here to look after the children or you are here as Georg's intended." Maria looked to Georg, confused, for she felt the roles were one and the same. He shook his head, clearly telling her that this was one of the things she should not argue.
"In that case, thank you for your help finding a nanny." Maria said graciously. Georg pressed a hand to her lower back then, guiding her further into the room. She found herself in conversation with Georg and Henry. "I must say, Georg, when Mother said you were coming, I was a bit surprised." Henry's German was even better than his mother's, and he rarely fumbled over words.
"I was as well," Georg remarked wryly. Henry laughed.
"And you," Henry said, turning to Maria. "I was certainly not expecting to see a beautiful young woman at Georg's side. Are you sure you want to marry this old seaman?"
"Henry," Georg cautioned.
"Oh, you know I am just teasing Georg."
"What have you been doing these days, Henry?"
"Oh, you know, a little of this, a little of that. A little of. . ." He said something in English that Maria did not understand but which caused Georg to give him a dark look. He simply laughed. "So tell me, Maria, how do you manage my nieces and nephews?" he questioned, switching back to German.
"I enjoy spending time with them," Maria told him eagerly. "They truly are marvelous children."
"And I am the King of England. You do not need to lie to me. I remember some of their previous visits here. What was it they put in the last nanny's bed, Georg? A frog?" Georg took a sip of the drink the butler had just pressed into his hand and frowned.
"They are under strict orders not to do anything of the sort on this visit," Maria told Henry.
"That never seems to have helped before." Henry looked to Georg. A faint smile played on Georg's lips.
"Oh, I think you might find Maria's orders much more effective than mine." They talked for a bit longer until Maria heard a commotion near the door. She looked over to see Lady Whitehead speaking to a maid, frowning severely. After a few moments, she looked up, her eyes narrowing as they focused on Maria.
"Maria, it seems that your presence is needed upstairs," she remarked in German, loud enough for everyone to hear. Maria's forehead furrowed in confusion as she walked over to Lady Whitehead. She felt the comforting weight of Georg's hand at her back as he followed.
"What is going on?" Georg questioned when they were next to his mother-in-law.
"Apparently your children refuse to go to bed without the presence of their. . . Maria." The maid said something else, and Lady Whitehead's scowl deepened. She opened her mouth, but Georg cut her off before she could speak.
"I heard. As much as I enjoyed our evening, we must say goodnight now. I am sure you understand."
Lady Whitehead looked as if she wanted to object, but she pressed her lips tightly together and nodded instead. "As I am sure you remember, Georg, we typically have guests at dinner. We did not tonight since it was your first night here, but we cannot continue that indefinitely. I expect you to dress and act appropriately. And of course, we can not offend our guests by speaking a language they cannot understand." Georg opened his mouth, likely to make a scathing remark, but Maria intervened.
"Of course, Lady Whitehead. You have been most accommodating tonight, and I appreciate it." Georg's fingers drummed on her lower back, a sure sign of his agitation, but he did not contradict her statement.
"And I expect you will impress upon the children the importance of accepting others' help tomorrow night," Lady Whitehead called after them as they left. "After all, they cannot expect you to see them every night. That would be. . . unseemly." Georg gave a short bark of laughter but did not respond. Instead, he led Maria silently up the stairs to the children's rooms, dismissing the maid with a quick English command. As they stopped outside the door of the nursery, Maria turned, surprised to see the mirth dancing in his eyes.
"What?" she questioned.
"It's just. . . after so many years of dancing around Lady Whitehead, I am happy to have finally turned the tables on her. It is truly refreshing to see her unable to change a situation to her liking."
"She cannot truly object to us looking after the children, can she?"
The mirth died in his eyes. "She can and she will," he told her before shaking his head slightly. "But tonight, it does not matter. Let us focus on the children." With that, he leaned forward, pressing a short kiss to her lips before leading her into the children's rooms.
