Maria slept restlessly that night and was still quite tired when the Marta and Kurt tumbled into her room—early as she had expected. Breakfast was a rather somber affair, and it seemed the weather had decided to reflect their moods. The sky was dark and rain slanted against the windows. Without the normal distraction of the lake and with their worry growing, the children were more argumentative than usual. Desperate, Maria finally suggested a game of hide-and-seek, figuring that the extensive house would provide a number of excellent hiding places. Most of the children accepted the suggestion eagerly, and the two hold-outs joined after the first round.
Two hours into the game, Maria was crouched in the corner of the sitting room, mostly hidden by a settee. Liesl had taken Gretl and Louisa Marta, so she was alone for once. Suddenly, a low voice questioned, "Dare I ask what you're doing there?"
Maria jumped, turning her head to see Georg crouched near her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Captain! You scared me! What are you doing here?"
"Meeting you and the children as promised. And I thought we had already discussed the Captain thing."
A hundred questions warred in Maria's head, but she could not bring herself to ask the ones she truly wanted answered for fear of what the answers might be. Instead, she remarked, "How did you get in here without me seeing you? I've been watching the door closely."
"There's a second door," Georg said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. Maria peered around him to see a smaller entrance at the back of the room, likely for servants. Though the settee hid her well from the main door, it would not do so from the other door which was likely how he had spotted her so quickly. "Which brings me back to my original question—why exactly are you here and watching the door so closely?"
"Hide and seek."
"Of course. Who's it?"
"Kurt."
The gleam in his eyes increased in intensity. "How fortunate. That should give me plenty of time to greet you properly." With that, he leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. Immediately, all of the worries she had the previous day melted away. He was here now, alive and well, and that was what mattered. A small voice in the back of her mind pointed out that the fact he was alive and well made Emma's suggestion of what delayed him all the more likely, but she decided not to worry about that.
As he deepened the kiss, he pressed his body closer to hers, unbalancing her somewhat. She fell backwards against the wall, and he gave a small grunt as he followed, keeping his lips locked to hers. He reached out a hand to steady himself against the wall, moving his body closer so that they were pressed tightly together from chest to feet. Maria was sure he could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest as she enjoyed the heady sensations rushing through her body. Reaching up, she grabbed his hips to pull him closer, and he responded by pressing their bottom halves more firmly together.
An excited voice interrupted them just as one of Georg's hands began to move to the front of her body. "Papa! You're back!" Reluctantly, Georg pulled his lips from Maria's and turned to face his younger son who immediately threw his arms around his father. Maria frowned slightly when she saw Georg flinch, but Georg quickly hugged his son back, relieving some of her worries.
"It is good to see you, too, Kurt."
"What were you and Fraulein Maria doing?"
Maria turned beet red, but fortunately, Georg fielded that question. "I was just greeting Maria," he explained smoothly.
"That seems like a funny way to do it. Why were you laying on top of her to greet her?"
"Who's laying on top of whom?" a new voice asked as Liesl entered the room. Maria's embarrassment increased. Though Kurt was young enough that he likely did not know what was happening, Liesl would probably realize exactly what her younger brother had walked in on.
"Father's back! He and Fraulein Maria were laying on each other in the corner there." Liesl came around so she could see the small group, a frown on her face. Georg obviously understood Maria's embarrassment, for he quickly reached back to squeeze her hand before standing.
"It is good to see you, my dear. Who do we have left to find?"
Liesl seemed to want to question her father and governess more, but Kurt fortunately accepted the change in subject. "Just Louisa and Marta. Friedrich, Gretl, and Brigitta are upstairs in the girls' room waiting on us to start the next round."
"Well, in that case, I will go say hello to them and then help you find the last two."
"Why were you not here yesterday, Father?" Liesl asked as they started to walk out of the room.
"I was just held up on some business." Georg glanced back at Maria, and she was gratified to see the promise in his eyes. She hoped it meant she would learn more about his business later.
Friedrich, Gretl, and Brigitta were ecstatic to have their father back, and their enthusiastic shouts brought Louisa and Marta out of hiding as well. They immediately begged him to join their game, and he agreed easily. Maria could sense his guilt as he did so, and it made her wonder just what had kept him away for an extra day. The other children rushed out of the room as Louisa began counting, but Maria moved a bit slower, for she had Gretl in her arms, and she noted that Georg seemed to be moving a bit more slowly than usual as well. She supposed it was one more thing to ask him about later.
They took a short break for lunch after which Georg suggested the children may want to join him in the drawing room. Maria followed after them, smiling when she saw their eyes light up as they saw the stack of gifts waiting for them there. They sorted them, happily exclaiming over their gifts. As a couple of them hugged Georg tightly in thanks, Maria saw a grimace flash across his face, but he quickly relaxed his lips into a smile. Once the children had all opened their gifts, Georg picked up the last remaining box, a large, flat one that he brought over to Maria with a smile. "Georg?" she asked, unsure what he was doing.
"You did not think I would leave you empty-handed, did you?" When she continued to stare at it, he pushed it towards her again. "Open it." Carefully, she took it from him and pulled the top of the box to reveal something made of pale blue fabric. Setting aside the top, she removed the object from the box, and the fabric unfolded to reveal a gorgeous ball gown. She looked over at Georg who was smiling broadly. "Look in the box again," he instructed. Maria did as he asked, gasping as she saw two tickets to the Leeds Grand Theatre the following week. "You mentioned that you had never been to a professional opera before, and they are performing Arabella next week which I have been meaning to see. It seemed a perfect opportunity," he explained. Maria continued to stare at him in shock, and his brow furrowed in confusion. "If you do not wish to go, we do not have to," he told her.
"No, I want to go. I just didn't think. . . thank you seems inadequate."
"Mmm, perhaps I will have to think of something else later." His eyes blazed as he looked at her, and she swallowed hard, looking away as she blushed. The children were fortunately occupied with their new toys, so they did not notice the tension between the adults. Maria turned her attention to them, hoping to distract herself from Georg's burning gaze.
The items their father had brought them occupied the children until late afternoon at which point Maria suggested they take a walk before dinner. Everyone agreed easily, so Maria used her wrap to secure Gretl to her body and followed Kurt and Louisa who had appointed themselves the leaders. Georg walked beside her, reaching out and clasping her hand in his. She looked at him in surprise, and he merely winked at her, gripping her hand tighter. She found that she greatly enjoyed the feeling of his fingers entwined with hers and wondered if he would make the gesture more often once they had officially announced their engagement.
They put the children to bed together. Once they had finished, Maria lingered in the hallway. She was not ready to part from Georg yet, but they did not have his study to retreat to as they did at the von Trapp villa. She supposed they could go to one of the public rooms on the lower floor, but those felt too exposed. A servant could walk by at any point, and Maria did not really want any intruders on her time with Georg. She told herself it was because she still had not heard what delayed him, but in truth, she also hoped they might be able to initiate more physical contact. As if reading her mind, he took her hand, running his fingers over the knuckles as he remarked, "I have a suite of rooms just down the hall that includes a small sitting area outside the bedroom. I understand if it makes you uncomfortable, but it would give us a chance for some privacy."
Maria considered for a moment, her heart pounding. She knew the solution he proposed was the best option for them, but being so close to his bedroom seemed almost sinful even if they did not actually do anything. He waited patiently as she forced back her nerves, reminding herself that he was an honorable man who was going to be her husband. "Okay," she agreed. He gave her an encouraging smile, gesturing for her to proceed him down the hallway. Once they arrived at his suite, he opened the door for her, locking it behind them.
"I want to ensure we have privacy for this conversation," he explained. "Please, sit." She took a seat on the sofa, and he sat down beside her, slowly and deliberately. Maria watched him for a moment, once more sensing something was wrong. She became even more convinced when he let out a long breath, leaning his head against the back of the couch.
"What's wrong?"
He grimaced. "At least two broken ribs, possibly more, and a good deal of bruising. It's quite painful, but I will live."
Maria gasped. "I thought this was supposed to be an easy mission. What happened?"
"A change of plans. There have been a number of signs lately that Germany has somehow obtained military secrets from Great Britain, but no one had been able to figure out how. Since I am fluent in German and most in MI6 do not know my true affiliations, I was the obvious bait. Counterintelligence had just found a couple Germans who were in the market, so it was easy enough to slip me in in their place."
"That seems rather convenient," Maria remarked.
"Too convenient." Georg scowled. "I do not appreciate being deceived, and I let Allan know as much. However, he correctly pointed out that they really did not have anyone else who could fill the role, and it is an important one if we are to stop Germany from amassing enough military power to essentially do whatever they want."
"So what happened? Did they take the bait?"
"Yes, we uncovered the German's source—or at least one of them. Knowing the Germans, there are probably others but this person was likely one of their higher placed sources if not the highest."
"So how did you get injured?"
"Partially my own stupidity, I will admit. I failed to consider that a man such as the one I uncovered would certainly bring back up to a meeting with a potential contact, so I revealed my true affiliation too early. Fortunately, I still managed to capture the leak, but I obviously would have preferred to do it without injury." He shifted slightly, grimacing as he did so.
"Do you want me to check your injury? Just to make sure there is no internal damage?" Maria asked, suddenly wishing she had brought her old nursing texts on the trip. She had some memory of how to check for internal injuries but would have preferred to double check.
Georg shook his head quickly. "Allan did find a doctor to check already, and he assured me that though painful, I had no life-threatening injuries."
"Can I get you anything at all? Painkillers or maybe cushions to make you more comfortable?"
"No, your presence is all I need. I missed you," he admitted. "I wanted to call, but my contacts were insistent that I not, afraid it would put me in danger. They were probably correct, but still, I did not wish to worry you. Did I?"
Maria chewed her lip for a moment, knowing she could not lie, not to him. "A bit, but you're here now."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I'm just glad you're safe."
Turning slightly, he grabbed both her hands in his, squeezing gently. "Know this, Maria, that thoughts of you and the children keep me going when I'm away, keep me fighting for a better world for all of you. You are my strength, and that makes me a very hard man to kill. I cannot guarantee nothing will ever happen, and I understand you will still worry, but I just wanted you to know that I will do everything in my power to come back to you."
"I know." And she did. She suddenly felt like a fool for ever doubting him. Emma may have had far more experience with the upper classes than Maria did, but Emma had no experience with him. And if there was one thing Maria knew, it was the Georg von Trapp was in many ways a class of his own. He started to lean forward, but before their lips met, a single word fell from Maria's lips. "Why?" He paused, looking at her for clarification, and she wet her lips, trying to think of what to say. She had not even meant to voice her question aloud, but she supposed that she had been thinking about it enough that it was not overly surprising her subconscious voiced it. "I mean why me? I'm nothing special. I just-"
"Nothing special?" Georg sounded incredulous. "Maria, you are the most amazing person I've ever met. Your ability to see the good in everyone in everything, to take setbacks in stride and keep moving forward. Your love for my children. Your zest for life. Your-"
"But surely there are other people with those traits, too. Why will you work so hard to come back to me when all the rest of your peers take the first opportunity to leave their marriage bed?" There. Maria had finally voiced the worry that had plagued her since he had first proposed the trip.
He sat back on the couch, dropping one of her hands while simultaneously curling his fingers tighter around the other. "Ah. So that is what has been worrying you. I wondered about it but did not want to push too hard. All I can say is that I have never really understood that particular habit of the upper classes, and it is one that I have never practiced. I was never unfaithful in my first marriage, and I do not intend to change that with my second."
"But you seem perfectly fine that others practice it such as your friend."
Georg shrugged. "That is between Geoffrey and his wife. They are both perfectly aware of the other's activities and have no problems with them, so it is not my place to condemn."
"But it's a sin!"
"True. Though I think the real sin starts when people are forced into loveless marriages because of some outdated societal conventions. I have worked hard to ensure I do not fall into that trap." They were silent for a few moments before Maria worked up the courage to ask something else that had been on her mind for quite some time.
"I know you were never unfaithful to your first wife and I trust that you would not be with me, but what about before you were married? I have heard some of the talk, and I know you did not enter into your marriage completely inexperienced."
Georg's sigh was weary. "I was not."
"How many?"
"Does it matter? I'm not that boy anymore."
Maria supposed he was correct, but she could not help her curiosity. "You know I have no experience Georg. I just want to know how far behind I am."
"There is no behind. My relationship with you is different than my relationship with any of those women or even my first wife. There is no comparison."
"But what if I'm not good enough?"
"You certainly do not need to worry about that."
"How do you know?"
He stared at her a moment before leaning forward so that their lips were almost touching. "When I kiss you, what do you feel?" She blushed, dropping her gaze from his intense stare, but he would not let her off so easily. He lifted her chin with one hand, keeping their eyes locked. "Let me make a guess. You feel warmth all over your body but especially in your most intimate areas. Your heart is pounding and you're a bit dizzy. You want to press yourself against me and never let go. Do you know how I know?" Maria shook her head. "Because I feel the same way. And I know that the feeling is only going to intensify when I can love you properly as your husband. So that is why you never need to worry about being inadequate."
Maria leaned forward, closing the small gap between them, wanting to feel the sensations of which he spoke. He responded immediately, opening his mouth to her and dropping his hand from her chin to cup her hip. The kiss was not at all gentle, and for a moment, Maria worried about his injury, but when he stroked her tongue with his as he pushed her to lay back on the couch, all her worries disappeared. He supported himself with one arm as the other hand explored her body, smoothing over her stomach and hips. His lips continued to attack hers for a minute or two before he pulled them away, kissing her cheek and jawbone before bringing them to her neck. Without fully comprehending what she was doing, Maria slipped her own hands beneath his jacket, pushing it from his shoulders. He removed his hand from her body to shrug out of it, and when he returned them, his fingers were higher than before, brushing against the bottom of her breast. Maria gasped in pleasure, and he repeated the gesture, putting more pressure on the sensitive area. A sudden desire to feel more of him had Maria tugging at the bottom of his shirt to pull it out of his pants, and despite the heady sensations coursing through her, she managed to unbutton it in record time.
She gasped as she saw the mottled purple flesh of his chest, realizing that he had downplayed his injuries somewhat. He seemed to realize what she was thinking, and he tore his lips from her neck to whisper, "It looks worse than it is, truly."
Something compelled Maria to lift up her body so she could place a gentle kiss against one of the worst bruises. He gave a strangled cry, and she looked up at him, worried she had hurt him. "I'm sorry; I thought that you might-"
"I do. That was definitely not a cry of pain. I enjoyed it; just be gentle, please." Maria nodded, keeping her kisses gentle as she moved her lips over his chest. He gave another low moan, dropping his head beside hers as he let his hand continue to caress her body. "This is the best I have felt since the attack," he admitted after a couple minutes, and Maria's heart soared to think that she had made him feel that way. She let her lips move further downward, her hands dancing ahead. As her hands dropped to his groin, he gave a strangled cry, pressing his hips against hers. Maria automatically raised her own hips, seeking more contact. "Stop, stop," he told her, reaching down to grab her questing hands.
"Did I hurt you?"
He gave a dark chuckle. "You most certainly did not, but if you keep going, I do not know that I will be able to stop myself from carrying you back to the bed." Maria's eyes widened at the implication. He started to move away from her, but a primal urge surged through Maria, and she realized that she did not want him to leave. She wanted to experience the feelings he had talked about earlier, to figure out what he meant when he said that they would only increase in intensity. What she had already experienced with him was so intense, she found his statement hard to believe. With that thought in mind, she wrapped her legs around his calves, pulling him more firmly against her body. His hips thrust forward, once more pressing against the place where she wanted him most, this time without the barrier of her hands. "Maria, my love, I was not kidding. I do not know how much more self control I have."
"I never asked you to have more."
His eyes widened. "Maria, do you know what you are asking?"
She stared up at him, seeing the love and desire in his eyes, emotions she was sure were reflected in her own eyes as well. She loved him so much it hurt sometimes. In that moment, she was willing to give everything to him. "Make love to me, Georg," she told him. With a growl, he attacked her lips once more, now letting his full body press against hers. Maria returned the kiss with equal fervor, slipping her hands into his open shirt to run them over the smooth muscles of his back. His skin was warm and soft, and she did not want to ever stop touching it. She dropped one hand lower, slipping it under the waistband of his pants to press against the sensitive skin she found there.
He pulled away, breathing heavily. "Not like this," he said, swallowing hard. "I refuse to take your virtue in a quick fumble on a couch."
"You said there's a bed nearby."
He closed his eyes, and she felt his lower half press into hers again. "No," he finally said though the word seemed to pain him. "If we are going to do this—and I am not saying that we should or that it is even a good idea—I want it to be special. And that will take some time and planning. For one, I need to heal a bit, and I want to make sure you take the time to truly consider the implications and decide if this is what you really want."
"I don't need it to be special. I just need you," Maria told him honestly.
"I want it to be special," he said with such finality that Maria knew it would be useless to fight him. He gave her a chaste kiss after that, remarking that it would probably be best for her to return to her own room. Though she did not necessarily agree, she knew he was acting out of respect for her, so she did not protest. Instead, she stopped by the door to give him one last reassurance.
"I am not going to change my mind, Georg."
The children insisted on showing their father the lake the next morning, and he agreed easily. They all set out after breakfast, but Maria realized after about an hour that she had not brought enough dry towels. When she went back to retrieve more, she found Emma restocking the linen closet. "Oh, Maria!" Emma exclaimed, seeming suddenly nervous. Maria's brow furrowed at the change in the other woman, but she suddenly remembered she had not visited Emma the previous night.
"Oh, Emma, I am so sorry about last night! I needed to talk to the Captain about the children, and I am afraid we lost track of time."
"Talking about the children? That is not what it sounded like."
"What it sounded like?"
Emma sighed. "When you didn't come down, I went up to find you to see if something was wrong. I didn't see you in your room, and I was about to leave again when I heard something from your employer's room—something that definitely was not 'talking about the children.' I assumed you had found a better offer for the night, so I left."
Maria blushed furiously. "It's not what you think."
"Oh? I suppose you never did tell me if you were sleeping with him."
"We're not. . he's not. . . we're going to get married!"
Emma sighed again, seeming almost world-weary despite the fact that Maria suspected she was actually the younger of the two. "That's what they all say. I for one do not see a ring."
Maria forced herself to think of the promises Georg had made the previous night, the love and desire blazing in his eyes as he had told her he would do anything he could to return to her. He could not have faked that. "I am sure there will be one in due time," Maria remarked assuredly. "We agreed to keep our relationship known only to the family for a little while until we all grew accustomed to it, so I am guessing he is waiting until we are more public before asking me to wear his ring."
"Well, it certainly is not between family anymore."
"Please, Emma, we would really appreciate if you could keep this to yourself for just a bit longer."
"It's not me you have to worry about. I brought one of the other maids, Harriet, along last night because I thought you two would enjoy talking. She heard the same things I did, and I am sure she reached the same conclusions."
"Could you ask her to keep those details to herself? Please?" Emma stared at Maria for a few seconds before finally shruggin.
"I will ask, but I am not sure how successful I will be."
Maria told Georg about what Emma had heard when they talked that night in his sitting room. She noticed but did not comment on the fact that he sat across the room from her instead of next to her this time. Once she finished, he considered for a moment before finally asking, "Does it bother you?"
Maria thought for a moment before shaking her head. "We may not have done the things Emma is assuming, but I did offer myself to you, so I imagine her assumptions will be true soon enough."
"Only if you still want them to be."
"Oh I do," Maria assured him quickly. A slow smile spread across his face. "I am sorry that others know about our relationship though. I know you wanted to keep it secret for a bit longer."
He waved her concerns away. "I knew the secret would not last past this trip, especially if I take you out to the opera, but I don't care anymore. I should have a break from work after this for awhile which means that we should be able to get a wedding planned for November or December at the latest, so we will not need to be apart too long."
"Oh. That soon?"
"Longer would help to dispel other rumors, but I am not sure I want to wait any longer to make you my wife. That is, assuming you still want to marry me and did not just agree to it in order to get into my bed." The absurdity of the statement drew a laugh from her, and he smirked. "I assume that is what your new friend tried to tell you this morning."
"I know you would not do that."
"Good."
"Besides, you are the one keeping me out of your bed right now."
"Oh, I will not be able to keep you out much longer if you continue to be as persistent as you have been," he told her, holding her gaze with his eyes full of promise. After a few seconds, Maria dropped her eyes under the intensity of his stare. Doing so let her realize something else.
"You're not wearing your wedding ring anymore."
"I needed to take it off for the mission, and afterwards. . . well, it seemed like it was time to take it off."
"You did not have to, you know."
"I know. I wanted to. I cannot live in the past, Maria, especially when the future looks so bright."
"Still, I want to keep her memory alive. I know you loved her, and she helped shape you into the man you are today, the man I love. And she gave you those seven wonderful children that I love. I want you all to be able to remember."
"We will. I already put aside the ring for Friedrich or Kurt should they want it." He smiled at her, standing to move over to the settee with her. "Have I told you yet today how much I love you?" He sat beside her and was just leaning in for a kiss when a frantic knocking at the door interrupted them.
"Father, I need your help. Louisa's sick, and I can't find Fraulein Maria in her room."
Georg frowned, crossing to the door and unlocking it immediately. "Sick?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. Liesl nodded.
"She threw up once already, and she's shaking, says she's freezing and can't get warm."
"I'll go, Georg," Maria said, already moving toward the door. Liesl seemed a bit shocked to see her governess in the room but quickly recovered, following Maria down the hall to the room the girls shared. Maria found Louisa huddled on one side of the bed, a puddle of vomit near her head. She was sobbing softly. Brigitta stood nearby, patting her arm gently but seeming unsure what else to do. Across the room, Gretl and Marta watched, wide-eyed. "Oh, my Darling Girl," Maria said, crouching beside the young girl immediately. She pressed a hand to her forehead, her training as a nurse allowing her to ignore the mess in favor of helping her patient. "You're a bit warm but nothing too bad yet. Do you still feel sick to your stomach or has it settled?"
Louisa wet her lips and managed to croak. "Still sick."
"Okay. Liesl, please get me the wash basin." Maria turned to give the instruction, noting that Liesl was not the only one who hovered in the doorway—Georg stood behind his eldest daughter, also looking anxious. "Georg, why don't you get us a glass of water?" Maria suggested, and he nodded, disappearing to do as she asked. Maria turned back to Louisa just as the girl coughed, sending a wave of vomit onto the sheets and the front of Maria's clothes. Liesl pressed the basin into Maria's hands, and Maria managed to get it under Louisa's mouth as the heaving continued. Speaking soothing words, Maria swept Louisa's hair back between the thumb and forefinger of one hand as her other three fingers rubbed small circles on the girls' back, once more appreciative of the skills she had gained as a nurse.
Eventually, the heaving subsided, and Louisa sank back into bed. "Sorry 'bout the mess," she said weakly.
"No harm done," Maria assured her. "Are you feeling any better now?" Louisa considered for a moment before nodding slightly. "Good. As awful as it may feel at the time, being sick does often help you feel better. Do you think you're well enough to go clean up a bit?" Another small nod. "Okay." Maria glanced back, grateful to see Georg had returned. "Georg, can you help me get her to the bathroom? I'd like to get us both cleaned up. Liesl, if you could bring us each a change of clothes, that would be wonderful." Though Maria intended to help walk Louisa to the bathroom, Georg seemed to have other ideas. He slid one arm behind her back and one under her legs before lifting her gently into his arms. Maria followed him with the wash basin just in case. Once in the bathroom, he held his daughter as Maria ran a warm bath, only leaving when the time came for Maria to strip Louisa's clothes.
"Anything else I can do?" he asked.
"There should be clean sheets in the closet three doors down from the girls' room." Georg nodded, shutting the door behind him as he left. Maria bathed Louisa, dressing her in the clean pajamas Liesl had brought for her, before helping her back to bed. Georg and Liesl had already changed the sheets, and he was working on settling the younger three girls when they returned. "If you could stay with her while I clean up, then I will stay the rest of the night," Maria told him.
"I can-" he began, but she cut him off.
"It's likely a stomach bug which means that it's highly contagious. No point in both of us getting sick. In fact. . ." She trailed off, frowning at the other four girls in the room.
"I'll take them into my room," Georg offered.
"No, I can just take Louisa to mine." Georg and Maria looked down to where Louisa was almost asleep before glancing back at the other girls who were all still wide-awake.
"No, I insist. The others will likely need someone to stay with them tonight anyway, and this way, we don't disturb her again." Maria nodded in agreement. He leaned forward, kissing her quickly. "Thank you," he whispered against her lips before straightening and crossing to lift his youngest two daughters into his arms. He motioned for the other two to follow, and they soon left the room, Liesl shutting the door behind them.
Maria kept vigil in a chair near Louisa's bed, dozing occasionally. She had one more episode of vomiting, but Maria fortunately managed to catch it in the basin so they did not need to change the sheets again. Her fever did rise slightly, but it had broken by morning, leaving Louisa sleeping peacefully. Before Maria could celebrate too much, however, the door opened, revealing Georg cradling a sobbing Marta. One look at his soiled pants told Maria she had a second patient, and she took the small girl from his arms, cuddling her close. "I've got her," she assured the worried father.
"Are you sure you can take care of them both?"
"Louisa's doing much better," Maria told him. He glanced down at the bed, smiling slightly as he smoothed Louisa's sweaty hair from her forehead. He looked back at Maria then, cupping her chin gently.
"What would I do without you?" he asked.
"With seven children, you probably would need a live-in nurse and governess!" He laughed, pressing an open-mouthed kiss to her mouth.
"Let me know if you need someone to relieve you," he told her. She nodded, and he left the room while Maria turned her attention to her new patient.
By the end of the day, Kurt and Liesl had also succumbed to the stomach bug though Louisa was definitely on the road to recovery, even managing to take dinner on the lower level with her father, Friedrich, Brigitta, and Gretl, none of whom had yet displayed symptoms. At Georg's insistence, Maria did take a short break that afternoon for a quick nap, but she insisted on once more taking the night shift, promising Georg she would sleep when the children did. By that point, the virus had mostly run its course, so she actually did manage to get a few hours of sleep.
All of the kids were up and about the next morning, if a bit subdued, and Maria thanked God that the sickness had not been worse. They decided to picnic outside for lunch, figuring the fresh air would help with the children's recovery. Indeed, Louisa perked up enough to kick a ball around with Friedrich and Kurt ate three sandwiches. As they walked back inside, Maria felt a sudden wave of dizziness wash over her, and she reached out, grabbing Georg's arm to steady herself. "Maria?" he questioned.
"I'm fine," she assured him, but her tongue felt thick in her mouth, and it was hard to form the words. She suddenly realized she was going to be sick, and she lurched away from him, turning in just enough time to empty her stomach into the bushes beside the door.
"Maria!" Maria felt Georg's hands on her hips, keeping her steady as she swayed. She tried to tell him she was fine, but another wave of nausea swept over her. "Liesl, take everyone else inside and up to your rooms. I will take care of Maria." Maria did not hear Liesl's response, but it must have been in the affirmative, for Georg's attention returned fully to her. "Highly contagious indeed," he remarked as she continued heaving. Dizziness washed over her, and the next thing she knew, everything went black.
When Maria next became aware of her surroundings, she felt herself moving. Surprisingly, the movement did not seem to unsettle her stomach, and she relaxed, resting her head against something warm. It took a few moments for her muddled mind to put the pieces together. "Georg?" she asked, hating how weak her voice sounded.
"Right here, my love," he assured her. "I'm just getting you somewhere more comfortable."
"You can just help me to my room. If this follows the same pattern as it did with the children, I should be recovered soon."
"If you think I will actually do that, you obviously do not know me well at all." He paused, and Maria heard a door opening. He carried her a bit further before she felt herself lying on something soft. Dimly, she noted that it seemed to smell like him, but she supposed that was probably just an after-effect of being in his arms. He bent over, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Rest," he told her. "I'll be right here." Rest did sound good. With that, Maria fell asleep.
Maria awoke with a start, a burning at the back of her throat. She rolled to her side automatically, dimly registering the warm fingers that swept her hair out of her face as a basin appeared under her mouth. She heaved violently for a few minutes, bringing up everything in her stomach before finally collapsing back on the bed, cold and sweaty. A hand pressed against her forehead and a familiar voice muttered, "You're much too warm."
"That just means the fever should break soon," Maria croaked.
"This seems worse than it did for the children."
"Every person is affected differently."
"Should I call a doctor?"
"Nothing he could do." Maria felt her consciousness drifting again. She did not even catch Georg's reply before she was asleep again.
Maria floated in and out of consciousness after that, often retching as she woke though she had little left in her stomach. She was only dimly aware of what was happening around her though she somehow knew each time she woke that Georg was there. That realization comforted her, allowing her to fall back into a restless sleep. When she finally woke fully and opened her eyes, she caught sight of him immediately, slouched in a chair near her bed. Gone was the starched aristocrat; instead, she saw a man with bloodshot eyes, wild hair, a wrinkled shirt and slacks, and no coat and tie. "How long have I been asleep?" she questioned, her voice barely above a whisper.
He sat up immediately, leaning forward to look at her. "Oh thank the Lord!" he muttered.
"Georg?"
"Here, drink this, slowly." He held a glass up to her lips, and she obligingly took a sip. It helped a bit with the sandpaper feel of her mouth. She waited a moment after the first sip to see if her stomach would rebel, but it remained quiet, so she took another, larger sip before gently pushing the glass away. "What happened?" He set the glass aside, taking one of her hands between both of his own and raising it to his lips to press a kiss to the back of it.
"Dehydration, according to the doctor."
"You called a doctor?"
"When you were not fully conscious after 24 hours, I felt I had no choice. He agreed with you that this was a stomach bug, but it seems you were already slightly dehydrated before succumbing and the vomiting only made that worse." He frowned.
"I suppose with taking care of the children, I did not think to drink as much as I should."
His frown deepened. "You need to take care of yourself first," he admonished.
"I know, I just. . . I'm sorry." He took a deep breath, pressing another kiss to her forehead.
"It doesn't matter at the moment. Right now, I just want you to concentrate on getting well."
"How are the children?"
"They are fine. Your friend Emma recruited a couple maids to help watch them, and she has been helping me take care of you so I can see them as well."
"How long have I been asleep? You mentioned more than 24 hours."
"Around 30 hours. The doctor just left a couple hours ago."
"How much have you slept?"
"I'm fine." She raised an eyebrow, and he gave her a small smile. "Now that I know you are well, I will sleep. I promise. But first, do you think you could eat something? I could have someone bring up some broth." Maria swallowed, considering.
"I think I could handle some broth."
"Excellent. I will be back shortly." True to his word, he did return before proceeding to feed most of the bowl to her. She tried to protest but found, much to her chagrin, that she was too weak to take it from his hands. "Just let me take care of you," he told her gently. "Please." Maria acquiesced at that point, and once he finished, he set the bowl aside, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "Get some sleep."
"Haven't I been doing that?"
He chuckled. "One more night and we will see how you feel in the morning." With that, he kissed her on the cheek and then longer on the forehead before turning to leave the room. "I will be back to check on you shortly," he promised before stepping out the door. Maria closed her eyes once he left, not expecting to fall asleep, but it was not long before she drifted off.
When she next awoke, she found Emma sitting in the seat Georg had previously occupied. She smiled at her friend as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Glancing over, she saw a glass of water on the side table and reached for it. "How are you feeling?" Emma asked as she helped Maria take a sip.
"Much better, thank you," Maria said once she swallowed. "And thank you for all your help these last two days while I have been ill."
"It was nothing," Emma assured her.
"How are Georg and the children?"
"It's Georg now, huh?" Maria blushed, and Emma chuckled. "If you two were trying to be discreet, you probably should not have convalesced in his suite. I am fairly certain the entire household knows about your relationship now." Maria glanced around, noticing for the first time that the furnishings in the room where she was lying were much different than the one where she had been staying.
"I didn't choose the room," she said.
"Oh, I am sure you did not. Not that it matters anyway. With the way that your Captain has been worrying over you, everyone in the household would have known soon enough anyway."
Maria's blush deepened. "He's not my Captain."
"I beg to differ. I have watched him these past couple days, and he is undoubtedly yours. I must also admit that I was wrong before—ring or no ring, that man plans to marry you, likely sooner rather than later." Maria simply shrugged, unsure how to respond. Emma smiled at her. "Speaking of the Captain, I believe I hear him now, so I will make myself scarce. You're a lucky woman, Maria."
"I know." As Emma left, Georg came in, smiling broadly when he saw Maria sitting up in bed.
"It is good to see you feeling better," he remarked.
"It is good to be feeling better."
"Well enough for some visitors? The children have been most anxious. It would only be for a short time."
"Of course." As soon as she agreed, he stepped back, allowing the seven anxious children behind him to rush into the room.
"Easy, children," he cautioned, and they obediently slowed down. With a bit of direction from Georg and Liesl, they came up to her one by one to hug her and say how happy they were that she was recovering. Louisa surprised Maria the most by throwing her arms around her future stepmother as soon as she reached her bedside, holding her as close as she could.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I'm sorry I have been so difficult."
"It has been a difficult time for you my dear. I understand what you were feeling."
"Still, I should not have been so nasty."
"All is forgiven."
"I'm glad you're going to be my mother."
"I am as well."
After all the children finished hugging her, she looked at them gathered around her and smiled. As a little girl living with only her uncle who never treated her kindly, she had always dreamed of a large, loving family. When she grew older, however, she realized that her dream was unlikely to become a reality and joined the Abbey, hoping the nuns would become a sort of family for her. Now, however, she was realizing that perhaps she just needed to be patient to find God's answer to her prayers.