Maria stood in her room, frowning at the gown in front of her. Frau Schmidt had delivered it a few minutes before for Maria to wear to the ball that night. Goerg had told the kindly older woman about the engagement though he had not yet mentioned it to the rest of the staff; he had explained to Maria that she had served the family for almost three decades and was essentially family. Maria had no objections since she, too, had always enjoyed the woman's company. Georg had suggested Maria work with Frau Schmidt to obtain her ball gown, but Maria had been so overwhelmed by the decision that Frau Schmidt eventually offered to ask a few questions and then make the choice for her. Maria eagerly accepted the offer, and Frau Schmidt had followed through admirably. The dress now hanging in Maria's room was the most beautiful one she had ever seen, much less had a chance to wear. The problem was that she did not even know how to begin dressing in it.

Deciding that she had been staring at it much too long, Maria stepped forward and examined the dress. It had a series of small clasps down the back, and she suspected if she opened those, she would be able to step into it easily enough. However, she was not sure how she would refasten the back once she was wearing the gown. Her first thought was asking Georg, but she blushed immediately at asking something so intimate of him. But Georg was not the only person in the villa.

With that thought in mind, Maria walked down the hall to the older girls' room, knocking on the door. "Come in!" Liesl called. Maria stepped through the door, and Liesl looked up from the book she was reading, canting her head slightly. "I thought you were getting ready for the ball."

"I find myself in need of some help with the clasps."

Liesl's eyes lit up with excitement, and she closed the book immediately, jumping from the bed. "I'd love to help!"

"You're welcome to come, too, Louisa," Maria told the other girl. Louisa snorted, not even looking up from the notebook in which she was writing.

"No thank you, Fraulein. I have never seen much point in getting dressed up for something as silly as a ball." Maria nodded in acceptance, having expected nothing less. She led Liesl to her room, and it was not long before the twelve-year-old had her fastened into the dress.

"What are you going to do with your hair?" Liesl asked.

Maria frowned. "I'm not sure. I've always kept it short so I don't have to worry much about it."

"You've grown it out longer since you came here," Liesl observed. Maria blushed slightly, turning away so Liesl could not see her reddened cheeks. In truth, Georg had made a comment even before they had confessed their feelings about how much he liked her longer hair which she had not had a chance to cut recently. After that, she had not prioritized cutting it. It was not even truly a conscious decision—Maria just did not try to find time to cut it after that.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Maria questioned.

Liesl considered for a moment. "Let me get a few things."

Twenty minutes later, Liesl had managed to style Maria's hair in an elegant half-bun, but she was still frowning as she considered it. "I don't know if I should-"

"It's beautiful," Maria assured her future daughter.

"Are you sure? Maybe-"

"I love it, and I am sure your father will, too."

Liesl gave a small chuckle. "I've seen the way Father looks at you, Fraulein. He would love you even if your hair was a dirty, tangled mess." Maria blushed at the observation but said nothing. "Well, in that case, I think you are ready to go and a whole fifteen minutes early. Father will be pleased."

"Your father does appreciate punctuality."

"With you looking like that, I think he would overlook a good deal of tardiness." Again, Maria blushed. They walked together out of the room.

"Since I have the time, I'm going to stop and say goodbye to your siblings," she told Liesl who nodded. They stopped first at the playroom where they found Friedrich, Marta, and Gretl playing under the watchful eye of Frau Schmidt who had agreed to help with the children that evening. Maria gave the little ones hugs and, after a moment, Friedrich wrapped his arms around her as well, albeit briefly.

"If we have to have a new mother, I'm glad it's you," he whispered to her. Maria gave him a small smile. While not a ringing endorsement, it was the first positive comment Friedrich had about the engagement since they had first announced it, and Maria appreciated that he was trying.

She found Kurt and Brigitta huddled over a book in the boys' room, arguing in low voices. They looked up when they heard her enter, and both of them eagerly embraced her to tell her goodbye. She thought about admonishing them to end their fighting but decided against it. They did not seem overly upset with one another, so it was likely best to let them work out their differences without her interference. In Liesl and Louisa's room, the younger girl did tell her goodbye though she only briefly looked up from her writing to do so. Maria sighed inwardly. Louisa was still the child who resented the idea of her father remarrying the most, and she had grown rather distant from Maria as a result. Maria knew she needed to talk with Georg to figure out what they could do for her, but with the ball looming over them, she had not had a chance. Resolving to rectify that the following day, she gently closed the door and gave Liesl a hug goodbye before descending the stairs.

Unsurprisingly, Georg was already waiting for her in the foyer. His eyes widened slightly when he saw her. He took her hand once she neared him, pressing a long kiss to the back of it. "You look lovely," he told her. Then, pulling her closer, he added in a whisper, "So lovely I find myself wondering if we should leave this house."

Maria's face reddened yet again, and she wondered if she would have a permanent blush by the end of the engagement. "Thank you. You look very handsome yourself." And indeed he did. He was in full evening attire, complete with tails and the Maria Theresa cross hanging around his neck. Without really thinking, Maria reached out and took the cross in her hand, fingering it gently. The sight of it reminded her that she was not just marrying Georg the man but also the heroic submarine captain and sophisticated aristocrat. It was thrilling to see.

Georg's hand suddenly closed over hers on the cross. She looked up to see that his eyes had darkened; without warning, he leaned forward, kissing her passionately. She gave a slight exclamation of surprise but quickly sank into the kiss, enjoying herself as he thoroughly plundered her mouth with his. When he finally pulled away, both were breathing heavily. "We should go before I change my mind," he said. Maria simply nodded, dropping the cross and taking the arm he offered her. With a start, she realized it was the arm with the hurt shoulder. He must have felt her stiffen, for he reached his other hand over and squeezed hers gently. "It has not been hurting too badly today, and I dosed up on painkillers just in case. I should be able to make it through tonight without anyone realizing I am hurt though I have thought up an excuse just in case."

"That's good," she said, hoping her voice did not sound as breathless as she felt. She was still recovering from the knee-weakening kiss. He led her to the waiting car, opening the passenger door for her and helping her inside before crossing to the driver's side. She looked at him, a bit surprised that he was driving, and he smiled at her.

"I prefer to be alone or only with someone I trust for such an event. Besides, if someone else were driving, I could not do this." He placed a hand on her thigh, grinning slyly at her.

"Oh." He started the car and shifted it into reverse before returning his hand to her thigh. As they drove, they kept the topics relatively light at first before he turned to the topic of the ball.

"I meant what I said before, Maria," he told her seriously. "This could be quite dangerous, so if I ask you to do something, I need you to do it right away."

"I will," she assured him.

"Even if you don't like it?"

"I promise, Georg." He glanced over at her before finally nodding. For the remainder of the trip, he gave her more details about some of the people they might meet and their affiliations. Maria listened attentively, committing as many details as possible to memory. When they finally arrived, she felt as she had her first few months of nursing school—as if she could not possibly fit more information into her head. However, she had managed then, and she was sure she would be able to do the same now.

"Are you ready?" Georg asked as they pulled up outside a large house. Maria nodded, and he stepped out of the car at the same time as a young man opened Maria's door. She accepted the hand with thanks as Georg came around the car, handing the man the key to the car before taking Maria's arm. He led her into a foyer which was even more ostentatious than his own villa, something Maria would not have believed possible when she first entered the von Trapp villa. A man immediately approached.

"Captain von Trapp, welcome. I must admit, I was a bit surprised when you accepted my invitation, especially with a plus one. It is not often that you attend such an event nor bring such a lovely companion." He gave Maria a look which caused her to shiver slightly before gripping Georg's arm more tightly. He seemed to sense her unease, for he pulled her hand against his body.

"Well, Herr Zeller, it was an invitation I simply could not refuse." Maria immediately noted the name and knew they were speaking to the party host. She also clearly remembered Georg's opinion of him, but she certainly was not going to say anything.

"And who is your companion?"

"Herr Zeller, Maria Ranier. Maria, this is Herr Zeller."

"Please, call me Josef." He held out a hand, and Maria had no choice but to extend her own hand for him to kiss. She thought perhaps he lingered a bit too long over her hand, but she also could have been reading too much into the situation. However, as he instructed them to enjoy the party and turned away, she looked to Georg to find his eyes blazing, so perhaps her read had been correct after all.

She held onto Georg's arm as he led them around the room, introducing her to various acquaintances. She could see that many of them were curious about who exactly she was, but all were too well-bred to ask directly. Maria was grateful for that, for she did not particularly want to give a full explanation of her origins. When the music began, they waited for a few other couples to begin dancing before Georg extended a hand to Maria. She took it, allowing him to pull her into a traditional waltz pose. As he pushed off on the first note, she remembered their conversation a couple days before. Georg had asked about her dancing ability, and Maria had told him honestly that she had some experience but was likely rusty. He had considered for a moment before deciding that they had more important things to worry about. Now, however, Maria was wondering if perhaps they should have practiced at least a bit.

However, she need not have worried. It did not take long for her to realize that Georg was an excellent lead, his steps sure and practiced as he moved her across the floor. He moved with a catlike grace that she supposed she should have expected given his generally graceful movements. In addition, she knew him well enough that she was able to anticipate what he wanted her to do. As they moved together, she found the steps of the dance coming back to her quickly, and she looked up at him with a small smile. He smiled back, raising his arm to let her spin underneath it. As she moved back into his arms, he began to move them toward the edge of the dance floor. He had told her in advance that he planned to circle the outside of the floor for most of the night, hoping to catch some of the conversations that often occurred on the outskirts of the party. She had questioned if such actions would seem suspicious, but he had assured her that they would not be the only couple who stayed near the edges and, indeed, Maria had seen a number of other couples dancing the same path they were.

At first, Maria tried to catch snippets of the conversations as well, but most of them were too soft to hear many words. When she did catch a snippet of one and tried to listen closer, she stumbled a bit over her feet. Georg noticed immediately and steadied her, his eyes moving to hers, clearly asking if she was okay. She nodded, a bit embarrassed by the misstep. He swept her back into the basic steps of the dance then, and she watched his concentration move away from her. She knew he was listening to the conversations around them, and she marveled at his ability to focus. After about half an hour of dancing, Georg led her off the dance floor before squeezing and releasing her hand. "Give me five minutes to retrieve drinks for both of us and then meet me on the balcony," he instructed. She nodded, sinking back into the shadows as she waited.

He was already waiting for her on the balcony when she arrived. She noted with an unexpected thrill of anticipation that they were alone. He passed her a glass as she stepped toward him. "Water," he assured her, and she smiled at his consideration.

"Thank you." She took a sip and set it aside.

He leaned closer to her, dropping his voice to a whisper. "I am sorry that your first ball has not gone as you probably expected." She looked at him, confused, for she had been greatly enjoying herself. Recognizing her look of confusion, he clarified. "I am sure you would have rather danced with a partner fully focused on you and instead I've been distracted most of the night."

"Honestly, I was happy to dance with you at all. And you're still an excellent dancer, even distracted."

"I promise the next ball we go to, we will do things properly with as much undistracted dancing as you wish.."

Maria gave a small smile at that. "I have a feeling that even if you were not distracted, you are not the type of person to enjoy dancing at these sorts of events."

He returned the smile, glancing around quickly to ensure they were still alone before setting down his own drink and grabbing both of her hands in his. "Oh, I don't know. I think that I would definitely be amenable to dancing with you more often." He squeezed her hands before his smile slipped slightly. "Unfortunately, my work here is not over yet. I have not yet heard anything of interest which means I will need to take different measures in order to gain the information for which I'm seeking."

"Different measures?"

"A search of Zeller's study at least. We made contingency plans if I needed to do so." His frown deepened. "It will have to be before dinner, however. I will definitely be missed there, but I should be able to slip out before then. I should not need more than fifteen minutes but it's definitely more risky than simply eavesdropping."

"And you need my help," Maria guessed, noting how unhappy he was about the outcome of the night.

He considered for a moment. "It would certainly be helpful to have a lookout I can trust."

"Just tell me what to do." He stared at her a moment longer before nodding.

"I just need you to sit somewhere near the study where you will not be noticed readily and watch for any unwanted visitors. If you see any, alert me, perhaps by humming a song."

"Edelweiss?" Maria suggested, for it was a special song to the family. It had been one of the first ones the children sung to him, claiming it was one of his favorites.

His frown lessened slightly. "That sounds perfect." He cocked his head to the side then, noting the music. "Before we go, I probably have time for one undistracted dance if you' would oblige me." He held out a hand, and she took it immediately.

"I would be honored." She listened for a moment, realizing that it was not a traditional waltz.

"It's a Landler," Georg told her.

"I haven't danced this since I was a little girl."

"Do you think you still remember the steps?"

"I think I can manage with you leading." They listened for a moment before stepping off, and Maria soon fell into the steps of the dance though it had been quite some time since she had last danced it. She found herself enjoying it more than she remembered though she supposed that could be partially due to Georg's influence. As the dance continued, they spun around each other, and she found herself moving closer and closer to him. After a couple minutes, they linked their arms and began to spin. They were close enough that Maria could feel his breath ghosting over her lips. Her eyes met his, noting that they were so dark they looked almost black. As one, they leaned in, their steps slowing and then stopping when their lips met. Georg almost immediately deepened the kiss, and Maria dropped his hands to wrap her arms around him. For a few moments, they lost track of where they were, simply enjoying each other. Eventually, Georg pulled back, resting his forehead on hers.

"As much as I'm enjoying myself, I do need to go and check that study."

"Of course."

"You remember what you need to do?"

"I do."

"In that case, you go in first and find some place to set up. I will give you two minutes and then follow." Maria nodded, stepping away from him and slipping inside. No one paid her much attention as she walked through the ballroom along the edges and stepped out into the foyer. She looked around for a bit before spotting a hallway across from the ballroom. Moving over to it, she saw that there was an alcove just a meter down the hallway with a chair tucked inside. It would be difficult to see unless someone were walking down the hallway and even if someone did see her there, she could simply claim to have needed some air outside the stuffy ballroom.

Not long after she took a seat, she saw Georg's familiar form exit the ballroom, his stride as confident as ever. He did not even look around before heading toward the hallway, letting Maria knew he was obviously familiar with the layout of the house. He glanced to the side as he walked down the hallway, briefly meeting Maria's eye before continuing. He slipped through a doorway about halfway down the hallway and disappeared from sight.

Maria waited for about five minutes and was just beginning to hope that her job would be uneventful when she heard voices coming into the foyer. She sank further back into the shadows, listening carefully to see if she needed to worry about the owners of the voices. The first one she heard made her heart sink. It was Herr Zeller's voice. Though she had only met him briefly, she easily recognized the slightly nasally tone. She thought about calling out immediately, but something stopped her. Instead, she listened closely, wondering what they were discussing. Their voices were low, but by straining her ears, she was able to catch snatches of the conversation.

"That is what I heard," Zeller remarked.

"But why move up the date? I already felt they were moving much too fast by planning for next Wednesday, and now they want to do Monday?"

"Herr Tomason mentioned that they felt the attack would be more effective on Monday. Something about travel and the likelihood that more people will be present at the beginning of the week."

"Still, if our side is not prepared, it will not matter how many people are present."

"That is why we need to be prepared."

The words so shocked Maria that she forgot for a moment that she was supposed to be warning Georg. By the time she remembered, Zeller and his companion had already passed her hiding spot. Quickly, she stood and walked to the end of the hall, humming Edelweiss loudly. The two men turned, but Maria had already stepped back into the foyer. They started walking toward her, and Maria sent up a silent prayer that they would simply assume she had just walked out of the ballroom. "What are you doing here?" Zeller asked, his eyes narrowed as he approached Maria.

"I just needed some air," Maria told him, trying to keep her voice steady. He peered at her for a moment, and she saw recognition light up his eyes.

"You came with Captain von Trapp."

"I did."

"Where is he anyway? I have not seen him in awhile."

"He was just going to get us drinks while I stepped out for some air. I am not quite used to so much dancing." Belatedly, Maria realized that perhaps she had revealed too much, but after a moment, Zeller gave a short nod and backed away.

"A word of warning—you would do well to be more cautious with your friendships."

Maria simply could not ignore the obvious slight of Georg. "I believe I am a good judge of character."

"Perhaps you should not be so confident." With that, he turned on his heel and strode down the hallway. Maria hoped that Georg had enough time to exit the study though she wondered how he would manage as she had not seen him emerge from the door. However, she knew she could not simply stand out in the foyer for the remainder of the ball, so she decided to re-enter the ballroom. She found a spot near one of the walls where she hoped she would not be noticed and simply watched. Perhaps by watching others dance, she could grow more comfortable in her own dancing. She had never needed her rudimentary ballroom dancing skills before, but she imagined she would be using them much more in the future.

Maria had focused so much on the dancers that she did not hear Georg approach until he spoke right beside her, causing her to startle. "I brought you a drink," he remarked, passing her a glass of something. "Non-alcoholic," he clarified softly at her look. She smiled.

"Thank you."

"On the contrary, love, it is I who should be thanking you." He gave her a significant look, and she knew he was referring to her timely warning. She took a moment to look at him, noting that his jacket was slightly more ruffled than the last time she had seen him though not enough that anyone else would likely notice. Peering closer, she saw something on the collar. Without thinking, she reached up and grabbed it. He gave her a half smile as she fingered what turned out to be a small leaf. Embarrassed, she stared at it a moment before he grabbed it and slipped it into a pocket. "I appreciate your diligence in ensuring that I am presentable," he told her with a slight twinkle in his eye. Fortunately, the butler announced dinner at that point, saving Maria from responding.

Luckily, Maria and Georg were not seated anywhere near Zeller nor the man Maria with whom he had been speaking. Their companions obviously knew Georg, and there was a bit of discussion that went over Maria's head about boats, but they quickly realized they were losing Maria's attention and changed the subject. Two of the men did tease Georg a bit about who Maria was and where he had found "such a beautiful young woman willing to take on a houseful of children and a tired old sea dog," but he deflected the query easily, and they fortunately did not press for details of Maria's history, content with Georg's simple introduction.

As dinner came to a close, Georg leaned closer and whispered to Maria, "Make an excuse and meet me out on the balcony where we talked before in five minutes." She nodded as he slipped away, quickly finishing her dessert before softly remarking that she needed to use the restroom. The others at their table were all focused on their own meals, so no one noticed as she slipped out onto the balcony. Immediately, two warm hands pulled her away from the large glass doors. Maria recognized Georg's scent and relaxed into his arms, half-expecting him to pull her into his embrace. However, while he did pull her closer, he did not immediately place his lips on hers. "Unfortunately, I am going to need to ask you to help keep watch again," he muttered, his breath washing over her lips because of his nearness. "I was not able to find what I needed due to my precipitate departure."

"I actually overheard something while I was waiting," Maria told him. He arched his eyebrows, looking at her curiously. "They were talking about moving up the date, something about next Monday. Whoever Zeller was talking to said he didn't think they would be ready, but Zeller said someone. . ." Maria paused a moment as she struggled to remember the name. "Herr Tomason, that's it, felt the attack would be more effective since more people would be around."

Georg's eyes had widened in surprise. "You didn't happen to get a location, did you?" he questioned.

"No, I alerted you before I heard anything about that. I'm sorry, maybe I should have-"

He cut her off by kissing her fiercely. "You have nothing to be sorry for," he told her when he pulled away. "You just managed to get more information from that single conversation than anyone else has been able to ascertain in the last week. We have our suspicions about location, and the name you gave me helps narrow it down and answers some unasked questions." At Maria's curious look, he shook his head. "Better you do not know. Just know that you have been immensely helpful." He started to lean forward again but stopped suddenly, frowning at something over her shoulder. Maria turned her head as well to see a couple standing in the grass below them, apparently arguing. The clouds shifted suddenly, and a shaft of moonlight illuminated the man. Maria gave a small gasp of recognition.

"That's the man who was talking to Herr Zeller."

"Schweissiger," Georg muttered. "Not surprising; he's a known Nazi supporter."

"Do you know the woman with him?" Maria whispered.

Georg's expression noticeably darkened. "Josephine."

The name pricked at Maria's memory, but it took her a moment to place it. "The woman who was supposed to come with you?"

Georg gave a nod. "I don't know if they sent her here as well or if she's here of her own accord. I will have to make some calls and find out, but I don't think-" Maria did not have a chance to hear what he did not think, for he suddenly leaned forward, kissing her hard. She stumbled a bit, and he steadied her without letting up on the pressure, pushing them both back into the shadows. Glancing down again, Maria noted that Josephine had looked up towards them. She frowned but seemed to dismiss the two of them, turning back to her conversation. It lasted only a few moments longer before both she and Schweissinger disappeared. Only then did Georg release Maria's lips. "I must say, that is much more pleasant than dropping from a second story window," he remarked. Maria could not stop a small giggle, and he gave her a half smile before grabbing her hand. "Let us finish up with a bit more nondistracted dancing to allay suspicions and then I will take you home."

Maria's heart fluttered at the word home. It had been a long time since she had any place she could truly refer to as such, but she could definitely grow used to it.