Chapter Two

As Maria and Max stopped in from store to.store.seeking the perfect gift for Frau Schmidt, the air temperature was finally starting to drop. Max looked up at the sky. "It looks.like rain."

"Oh good," Maria said quickly. "It will bring on some cooler weather I hope. The children can barely concentrate on their studies with the warmth in the school room."

"I still don't know how you managed to convince Georg to let you continue the children's lessons at home. He has always been about formal education."

"There are reasons why, Herr Detweiler, the Captain asked me on his own, to teach the children at home," Maria replied. "Surely, you can understand why he might not wish for them to be exposed to certain ideas that are prevalent in Austria right now."

Max nodded. Georg was protecting them. He was keeping his children from hearing the Nazi propaganda and from perhaps having to defend his positions. Maria, it was turning out, was more of Georg's Savior than Max had believed Elsa to be.

"He was blessed when the Reverend Mother sent you, Maria," Max praised. "We all were."

After another hour, Maria had selected Frau Schmidt's gift and with Max's encouragement selected a new dress for herself. It was light green with a daring neckline by Maria's standards; a modified v-neck that left a lot to the imagination except if you were close by or very tall. "You need to buy that dress, if Georg doesn't pay you enough salary, I will charged it to Georg's account myself."

Maria laughed, "He is very generous, much more generous than he should be."

Maria completed the purchases and tucked the dress box under her arm. She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders to ward off the late afternoon chill. The wind kicked up causing Maria to shiver even enveloped in her shawl. Max immediately took off his jacket and wrapped it around Maria's shoulders. "Can't have you catching cold, Fraulein," Max said as he held the car door open for Maria to get inside.

When they arrived back at the villa, they were greeted by seven excited children and one very stern looking Captain. "Fraulein, I was concerned. The children were asking about you."

Maria blushed, "Im so sorry, Captain," Maria offered. "I went into town I understood it to be my day off."

"And you certainly appear to have enjoyed it," the Captain replied with a marked edge to his voice.

Maria didn't want to get defensive,so she let the Captain's comment slide.That evening at supper, Max regaled the family with tales of his trip to Vienna. Georg tried to act as though he were interested in the social flares of Viennese society,

however it was impossible for him to pretend he cared about any of it. What he cared about was the flirtation and attention that existed between Max and Maria,his best friend and his children's primary caregiver. Georg was not at all impressed by either of their behaviors. It surprised no one, though it did disappoint the youngest children that the Captain chose to retire to his study before family hour even ended.

The following day, Max chose to take his flirtation to the next level. When the children were occupied with Georg, Max pulled Maria to the side. Georg immediately turned to see what was going on. He saw Maria smile and laugh, tossing her head back exposing the hollow her throat that Georg longed to kiss and nuzzle.

Georg wanted to kick himself; he was such a coward. Why hadn't he gone to Maria the night Elsa left, told her how much he wanted, needed, and loved her? Fear, plain old fear. He never felt that way in his career but in his personal life, it ruled the roost.

The ball that the children were tossing hit Georg in the side. He startled and turned his head, snapping himself back into the land of the living. "I'm sorry, Father," Friedrich said. "I missed."

Georg laughed it off and continued the game. Maria soon joined them, enjoying the time with her charges and observing their time with their father.

When the Captain was engaged with his children he looked younger, happier, but when he would confine himself to the study and start drinking he looked older, darker, and in so much pain. That's why it hurt Maria to see it, it pained her soul to see him struggle.

Gretl ran up to Georg, "Papa?" she asked using the more relaxed and affectionate term for her father. "Can you please come and put us to sleep tonight and sing Edelweiss for us? We miss you."

Georg sighed. He avoided bedtime especially like the plague. Being that close to Maria in that intimate setting nearly shattered his resolve to quell his infatuation with her. She was too young, too innocent, too good for him. What could he give her in terms of a life? Twenty-years? Twenty-five? She deserved someone to grow old with. The idea of Max though didn't solve that issue in the slightest.

Still, looking into Gretl's bright eyes he could deny her nothing. Maria was poised to battle with him if he said no. She had tried to broach the subject of his drinking the previous night but he had locked himself away earlier than usual. If he dared to break little Gretl's heart, only he didn't. The Captain dropped down to Gretl's level and wrapped her in his arms. "Of course, I will, Darling. Do you have a kiss for Papa?"

Gretl gave the Captain a kiss on the cheek and giggled as he tickled her before letting her go.

Supper that evening was tense. Maria wore her new dress, they were only with the family after all. The Captain noticed immediately that Maria had taken more daring steps in her wardrobe. Max rose and complimented her immediately.

"My Dear, you look absolutely ravishing, doesn't she, Georg?" Max prompted.

"Hmmm," was his only reply. She looked beautiful, alluring even, and it wasn't for him, but for his best friend.

Maria sat down and immediately Max started to engage her in flirtatious flattery. It irked the Captain. All through family hour Max kept up his flirtation with Maria and she, flattered at the attention, flirted back.

Max moved closer and closer to Maria causing her to blush and focus her mind on him. The Captain could take no more of it and stood up to leave the room. "Captain, you will remember your promise, won't you?" Maria prompted.

"Yes," Georg replied. "I will see to bedtime tonight alone."

Georg disappeared into his study, leaving Maria fuming in the corridor. She took a deep breath and followed him. "Captain, I need to have a word with you.'

"Fraulein, I am busy. The children are fine, I was just with them. I will handle bedtime, I'm sure you have something to discuss with Max." Georg lowered his head as if to dismiss her as he poured himself a drink.

"Captain, I beg you to please remember how much I…that

Is how much I know the children need you," Maria flushed. "Marta and Gretl ask every night for you to come and cuddle them to sleep."

"I said I'll be there,Fraulein," the Captain replied. "Now, don't you have baths to give and prayers to hear before I sing rhe little ones to sleep or am I expected to do that as well?"

Maria simply left. He infuriated her with his flippant manner. Why wouldn't he just tell her what hurt him so? They had talked about the death of his wife and the loss of his Navy. They talked about the tense politics and dangerous game he might have to play. What was so bad he wouldn't even speak of it? What germ permiated his mind so that he had to douse it with alcohol to kill it?

Gretl and Marta would not go to bed without hugs and kisses from Maria as well as Georg. He had kept his promise and snuggled his two littlest in his arms as he sang to them. Maria sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes shining as he sang. She joined him for the ending as Liesl had done when he first serenaded his children a few months back.

This is how it could always be. This is how it should always be but it wasn't and it wouldn't ever, not with the added obstacle of Max. While Georg had always been the better looking of the pair, Max had a way about him. He was charming, jovial, kind, all things that outlasted and transcended physical beauty. Maria was already gone from him in her heart, in body, well it was just a matter of time.

Georg retired to his study as soon as the little girls were sleeping. The new bottle of 12 year old Scotch was calling to him and he was more than happy to oblige.

The Captain missed breakfast the next morning, sending the excuse that he was engaged in a business call. When he did appear, shortly before lunch, his eyes were bloodshot and his face haggard. Still, when Maria and the children returned from a picnic on the mountain shortly before dinner, he actively engaged with the children during their nature study, even going over the biology of several animals including the horses they kept on the property.

While the Captain was engaging the children, Maria took the opportunity to take a short walk and get some air. She had to gather her thoughts if she wanted to be able to definitively reach out and help the Captain.

Maria wasn't expecting for Max to join her on the stroll, but he appeared soon after she departed from the family. "Herr Detweiler," Maria began. "I cannot help but notice that you seem to be fond of spending time with me lately. Could that be because there is another musical competition coming up?"

Max laughed, "No, Fraulein, no. I know Georg too well and even you cannot influence him in this."

Maria scoffed, "Herr Detweiler, I don't seem to be able to influence the Captain in anything anymore. Not in the last month or so at any rate. Did he always struggle with the bottle?"

Max was shocked by Maria's candor though he shouldn't have been. "No, no," Max said quickly. "Not like that. As I said, he goes through phases. Right now, it is the Scotch. It was isolation, working, cigarettes, he does all those things but what his excess is fluctuates. He gets out of control but he finds himself quickly enough. Let him work through whatever it is and he will be his old self again in no time."

Max knew it was more than that. He knew Georg was drunk nearly daily now and from what he remembered of Navy days, he was not the most pleasant person to be around after a swim in the bottle. Still, his friends world had imploded on him, again, and a.man could only take so much.

Maria and Max headed back toward the villa ad the sun beginning to dip. The Captain had concluded the lesson about twenty minutes before and was engaging in his first drink as the sun moved just to the south of the proverbial yardarm. Liesl was corraling the children. Gretl was hanging on her older sister's leg, upset about a toy she left on the mountain. Liesl quickly counted kids and noticed one missing, but before she could alert any of the adults to the situation, they heard the scream.

A/N: Wow, what a response to the first chapter! Thank you all so much..I suppose it is good and bad news that I have nearly finished the story already. I will post again tomorrow night.

Anyone that enjoys my stories, please add me to your follows because my next short piece, hopefully only one chapter but with me who can tell…will be rated M. If you are observing and do not have your rating filter off you probably won't see if unless you have me on your alert list, so please go and click the heart. Thanks. Enjoy!