Chapter 19 – Old Ways Won't Open Up New Doors

LONG CHAPTER ALERT. A week ago Saturday, I sat down with a sketch of where this chapter should go. This is the point where I have decided to switch gears and take a 'live action' approach vs. retrospective. I sat and pecked at my keyboard and after a couple of hours, I had a grand total of 1400 words and felt rather defeated. Changing the perspective was hard for my COVID-addled brain! Well, I must have slept well and activated the writing gene, because what follows just sort of came together rather effortlessly; pushing 10,000 words now! Again, apologies for my wordiness and maybe even apologies for side stories that don't really contribute to the overall story. I wrote them and then said 'nah', but then decided to keep them after all.

"Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open"

-John Barrymore

"Oh, Fraulein Maria!", Frau Schmidt called as Maria was bustling between the children's rooms, helping them to get ready for the day.

"The Captain wanted me to remind you of your meeting with him in his study at 10 - Sharp! After breakfast, you can get the children organized with their work and then I will be up to check on them to make sure they stay on task" she said with a wink.

"Thank you, Frau Schmidt", Maria replied. "I did speak to Liesl and Friedrich yesterday and they are going to help keep things under control as well. I don't expect I will be too long; I hope."

She paused to think a moment before continuing.

"Do you think that the Captain will be eager to undo some of the changes that I have made? Frau Schmidt, you have known him longer than any of us...and you know what he was like before she died. The children are so happy now! Surely, he can see that? I hope I can convince him that we have made good progress."

Frau Schmidt simply laughed. She had a laugh that started in her belly and continued through her whole body, hearty and jolly.

"Oh Fraulein Maria! What is this? Could it be that the young woman who gave the formidable Captain a piece of her mind not even 24 hours ago - and moved mountains in doing so - suddenly doubts her abilities?" she said with a grin.

Maria could not help but laugh in response. She had, indeed, let the Captain have it yesterday. Even now, she still could not believe she had done it. She never imagined that she, a mere girl from the mountains, could affect the Captain in that way. Yesterday she couldn't allow herself to believe that she had anything to do with his transformation.

Last night Maria had tossed and turned in her bed before finally giving up. She pushed her feet into her shoes and went for a walk outdoors onto the landing; to let the day's events seep through her pores with new eyes. As she stood there watching the moon set behind the Untersberg, she realized she had done something amazing, even if her role was an indirect one. She had taught the children to sing so beautifully, and she had worked with the children on their plan to welcome the Baroness. Something had snapped inside the Captain that afternoon, and she must have played some small role in that. After all, Frau Schmidt was quite convinced that Maria was a miracle worker.

After their beautiful reunion in the drawing room yesterday, Maria continued to see the impact of her words in the way the Captain interacted with the children. Oh, she wished she had had an opportunity to speak with the Captain yesterday, if only to apologize for her temper. They did share a poignant moment after the children had scattered to get ready for dinner – she saw him struggling internally with his emotions and had decided to speak to him.

After dinner, Maria was invited to join the family in the drawing room. Max, Maria and the Captain had a rather hearty conversation about Austrian Naval history while the children mulled about with quiet toys and books. The Baroness tried her best to look like she was interested in what was going on around her, but most of the time she was flipping through her fashion magazine, occasionally stopping to seek the opinions of the men on possible new outfits.

Coming back to the present, Maria replied to Frau Schmidt "Well, I suppose I can convince him we are on the right path. Besides, the children have made such progress in less than 2 weeks, even you must agree?"

Frau Schmidt smiled widely as she nodded. So many times she had been asked to stand-in and look after the children's studies while they waited for the Captain to return from Vienna to see to the hiring of a new governess. She had appreciated how much everything had changed for the better while the Captain was away: the children, their activities, even the staff seemed happier with Fraulein Maria in their midst. There hadn't been any pranks in over a week!

"Indeed, Fraulein Maria. Now listen here, don't you go and lose your confidence. You single-handedly taught the children to sing, you have helped them to enjoy their studies once more, you brought the Captain and the children back together...we definitely don't want things to go back to how they were before."

She patted Maria on the shoulder as she picked up the laundry basket from the hallway floor and proceeded to go down the stairs. As she walked away, she turned her head over her shoulder and winked again.

"Remember, Fraulein, you are a miracle worker. If you managed to convince the Captain to let the children back into his life, you can do anything!"

Maria leaned against the door to her room and smiled as she watched Frau Schmidt disappear down the stairs. Why was her confidence so fragile? Frau Schmidt was right – she did do all those things. However, those moments were spontaneous, not planned out. Just thinking about her meeting with the Captain later on that morning made her nauseous. Taking in a deep breath, she pulled out her pocket watch out and checked the time.

"Oh Goodness!" she exclaimed. "Children, it's time for breakfast. Spit-spot, let's go!"

ooOoo

Breakfast that morning was a lively affair. Even Max had managed to get out of bed on time and he looked about the dining room as if he was privy to one of the greatest shows on Earth.

All at once there was a convenient pause in the conversation at the breakfast table, and little Gretl quickly grabbed her moment in the sun.

"Father? Fraulein Maria is going to take us on a nature hike after lunch - after we've finished our studies for the day."

Georg rubbed his chin mischievously and cocked an eyebrow at Maria, doing his best to look unimpressed.

"But don't worry, we do learn stuff while we are outside." Marta piped up, sensing that her Father was not going to be happy with this news.

The three oldest children looked at each other, wondering if this is when everything would fall off the rails. They knew that their father didn't like to be challenged, and Gretl had truly blindsided poor Fraulein Maria with her question.

Undeterred, Gretl continued. "Yes Father, and we were wondering if you wanted to come with us? Maybe you could teach us what you know about biology? But if you don't know anything, don't worry, Fraulein Maria will teach you."

At that moment, Max just about spit his coffee onto his breakfast plate. Elsa gave him the side eye in disgust for acting like one of the children. Elsa was still not used to all this commotion around the table. Perhaps from now on, breakfast could be taken on the upstairs terrace in peace and quiet. She realized that she could really use a cigarette right now.

Georg noticed the look of concern on Maria's face. It was obvious she wasn't aware that the children had wanted him to come, and it seemed to make her uncomfortable. He also noticed the discerning glances the older children were giving each other. He knew this was his first chance to show them that yesterday was not a one-off and that he wanted to be involved in their lives. Damn Elsa's social calendar! Mind you, three days ago when this outing had been planned, he had absolutely no intention of spending time with his children.

Max was still wiping the dribbles off his moustache and Elsa had grasped her teacup with two hands, her elbows on the table while she pretended to study the chandelier hanging above them. Both were waiting to see how Georg would handle this request for entirely different reasons.

"It so happens, Miss Gretl, that I have a lunch appointment with the Baroness today in town, so I am sorry I can't make it." Georg replied. The children groaned and slouched in their chairs, but Elsa straightened and set her teacup on its saucer, looking quite pleased to hear his words. Last night he had been so wrapped up in the children. This was so strange after months and months of avoiding them like the plague. Today in town, she would have to question him about that.

"However, I do hope your Fraulein will offer me a raincheck to join you on your hike another day?" He picked up his teacup, taking a sip and winking at Maria at the end of the table.

Maria was about to open her mouth, but no words came out. What was it about this man that turned her into a puddle when he looked at her like that?

"Father?" inquired Marta, "what is a rain check?".

Maria closed her mouth, realizing that she must look like a codfish. Brigitta piped up and explained to the younger ones what a rain check was, and they seemed quite please to know that although their father could not come with them today, he was promising to join them another day.

Casual conversation resumed around the table. Maria was certain there were at least four different discussions going on at the same time, none of which involved her. However, she was quite okay with this, she still was struggling with the after-effects of the Captain winking at her. Who was this man? Eleven days ago, he had paraded around her in the foyer like a drill sergeant – today, it seemed like the Captain from the scrapbook had taken his place.

The scrapbook! The colour drained from Maria's face. She still had those photos in her room! Thank goodness the Captain had not noticed. She made a mental note to put them back today while the Captain was in town.

Georg noticed that the little Fraulein's face changed from a general level of discomfort to fear. He searched out her eyes and when they met, he cocked his head as if to question her if she was okay. Maria tried to compose herself and nodded gently, smiling and grimacing at the same time.

The chatter around the table was broken by the sound of the grandfather clock in the library. Georg looked at his watch and cleared his throat.

"Children, it's 9AM and I think you are supposed to be upstairs working on your studies, isn't that right Fraulein?". He looked down the table at her. Gone was the wink and the smirk he had given her moments earlier. He had this amazing ability to smile without moving his lips – but right now, his face was scowling, and Maria got the sense he was not impressed with her right now. The man was a chameleon!

"Uh, yes, Captain...we shall be off, right children?" The children put down their cutlery and placed their linen napkins on the table. They all got up and scampered towards the foyer.

"Children" the Captain bellowed – "walking feet in the house please, we are not a pack of dogs. You are all esteemed sons and daughters of the Empire!". He tapped Kurt as he went by with his elbow and Kurt smiled widely and giggled. Maria exhaled deeply. "There he goes again!" she thought to herself.

Elsa pulled out a compact mirror and began to check her lipstick as Maria passed behind her, following the children out of the room. Maria bid a good morning to Max and the Baroness, but before she had a chance to address the Captain, he piped up. "Fraulein, I trust you will be in my study for our meeting to plan the children's schooling at 10am sharp.

"Of course, Captain" she replied demurely. "I will see you in an hour".

ooOoo

Thirty minutes later, Georg found himself behind the desk in his study. Shortly after the children and the little Fraulein had left the dining room, the remaining adults chatted about their plans for the day. Georg and Elsa were to leave the villa by 11:30 so that they could meet some friends in town for lunch. Max was on the hunt for another singing group and needed to place a telephone call or two, so he decided to stay behind. Elsa disappeared to her room to freshen up and grab a cigarette.

So, Georg was alone with his thoughts once again. He loved his study. It was the one place in the villa he could go to escape because there were few traces of Agathe here. Well, except for the print of Ulysses and the Sirens that she had given him. His eyes left the papers on his desk and immediately focused on the Siren with the copper hair. He pursed his lips and took a deep breath. He looked at his watch: 9:35. Why was the time passing so slowly?

Georg picked up his fountain pen and tapped the rounded end repeatedly against the desk. He felt so unsettled this morning, but he wasn't sure why. The children had started off at the breakfast table somewhat reserved. He understood that they were still adjusting to the new world order with Georg at home and present in their lives. Georg was also adjusting, himself; there were just so many emotions to process.

He was so lucky the children had accepted him. Mind you, the older children sometimes looked at him like he wasn't real – like someone would snap their fingers and he would return to his old ways. Perhaps going to lunch with Elsa was a bad idea, he really should be spending the day with the children to reassure them, if nothing else.

Georg found himself wishing he could stay home with them, and that thought alone was unsettling. He had not felt that way for years. However, he knew that he could not wriggle out of their lunch date – that had been planned for several days and it was too late to cancel it now. How could he have possibly known what would have transpired yesterday?

Georg had a sense that he needed to do more to put the children at ease, even though he had no time to do it. Without thinking it through any further, he pushed his desk chair back, straightened his suit jacket and headed up to the school room. After closing the door to his study, he took the stairs two at a time and rounded the corner. He paused as he heard her musical voice and the chatter of the children. They were muted and relatively quiet, but he could tell they were all working happily. What a change this young woman had wrought in so little time. And not just in the lives of the children.

He approached the door frame and peeked inside rather than announcing his arrival. His eyes darted around the room, and he noticed that the walls were covered with dozens of pieces of artwork, printing, penmanship...all colour and chaos! A week ago, this scene would have angered him to no end, but seeing this today made his heart sing. Fraulein Maria's methods were definitely unconventional, but it was obvious that they were effective.

The older children were sitting over their notebooks, their pencils moving furiously across the pages. Kurt appeared to be composing something. He would write a few things down, look at them curiously, chew the end of his pencil, and then erase things before continuing. The youngest girls were sitting at their table, crayons in hand, and Gretl's chubby face was beaming up at the little Fraulein. She redirected them to the work in front of them and reminded them that they had to complete their work or no hike.

While the children were working, Georg noticed that the little Fraulein was often lost in thought, her face drifting towards the window. Her eyes were so expressive – she was thinking about something important, that much he could tell. He studied the way she pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. She would stare out the window, but then intermittently, her eyes would move about as if she was mentally planning something. All at once, however, her thoughts were interrupted, and she lifted her eyes and she looked straight at him in the doorway.

An expression of shock came to her face, and she looked terribly worried. Georg quickly placed an index finger on his lips to hush her and offer reassurance; he didn't want the children to know he was there yet. Liesl, however, seemed to have a connection with the little Fraulein and noticed the way her body stiffened as she caught sight of him. Liesl looked up to see the source of Maria's angst in the doorway - she caught his eye and smiled broadly: "oh Father!" she gushed. She daintily pushed her chair back to rise and the youngest girls soon spotted him and scrambled to their feet and were at his side in an instant.

"Father! Father!" Gretl cried "You never come to the school room! Do you like what we have done since you were here last?" She proudly waved her hands at all the work pasted on the walls before running over to one in particular.

"Come here – see this one, Father?" she said, tugging at his arm in the direction she was pointing. "This is a picture of my favourite things! We drew these the morning you went to Vienna!"

Maria was mentally face-palming. Gretl was giving away more secrets today than she wished the Captain to know about. She hoped that he was willing to agree to her plans for the children's studies, but too many surprises would undermine her position.

As all the children animatedly flopped about the school room showing their father their work, Maria could not help but think about the moment she looked up and locked eyes with the Captain standing in the doorway. She had been planning out what she wanted to say to him at their meeting when she was overcome with a strange sense that she was being watched. As she lifted her eyes, her eyes met his. His blue eyes were laser focused, but he smiled and immediately placed a finger over his lips, imploring her to let him linger in the shadows a bit longer.

Admittedly, Maria was shocked to see him there. Her eyes had glanced to the clock on the wall. Thankfully she wasn't late – her initial thought was she was late for her meeting with the Captain and he had come to fetch her. Instead, he had come up to see the children and she was relieved. Not relieved to have Gretl giving away all their secrets, of course, but relieved that he had come to check in on them. The changes in this man were so dramatic, sometimes Maria could not believe it herself.

After mulling about the school room for a while, Georg spoke to everyone in the room.

"Well, children," the Captain bellowed. "I am going to borrow your Fraulein for a little while to get an update on all the changes that have been made in my absence." He tried his best to keep a serious face as the children looked sheepishly at each other and then to Fraulein Maria's face.

"You're not going to fire her again, are you Father?" Gretl piped up. "We love Fraulein Maria, so don't you dare do anything that we will not approve of!".

Georg couldn't help but laugh. His laughter indicated to the children that they were free to laugh, too. He hated that they had to stop and read him before deciding if it was safe to be happy and have fun. Hopefully that would change soon.

"Don't worry, Schatzi," he said while ruffling her hair. "Fraulein Maria is safe with me." He cleared his throat as his thoughts strayed yet again. "I promise, you will have her back in an hour. Besides, Baroness Schraeder will have me walking the plank if I am late for our lunch date. I will see you all before dinner". Georg went through the room, hugging them all. He hugged Marta last, whispering something in her ear. Maria watched her face as her emotions changed, finally she was beaming and nodding her head excitedly.

Georg approached the school room door and opened it the rest of the way, holding out his arm and imploring Maria to lead the way. She encouraged the children to keep busy and reminded them that Frau Schmidt would be up in a few minutes.

Maria walked down the hallway with the Captain following her. Why did she feel like she, herself, was about to walk the plank. Is this how Marie Antoinette felt that fateful day she marched to the guillotine? Somehow having him pulling up the rear didn't sit well with her, so when she reached the top of the stairs, she paused and waited for him to come up alongside before proceeding together silently down into the foyer.

ooOoo

Maria had not been in the Captain's study since the day she arrived. Well, there was one tiny exception – it was one day last week when Frau Schmidt had her hands full and asked Maria to leave the Captain's mail on the table by the window. That day she could not help herself and she gave into the pleasure of the moment to observe the room without the Captain in it.

It was a beautiful sunny morning much like today and the light poured into the windows. The inside of the study was furnished with dark wood, rich fabrics, and many knick-knacks that spoke volumes about the personality of the man who spent so much time there. The study also had a grand view of the terrace and the landing, and Maria thought if she were to sit in the Captain's chair she could see the whole of the Untersberg. She didn't dare, of course.

On her way out the study door that day, she took a long pause to examine the painting of Ulysses and the Sirens that hung over the fireplace. It was a very appropriate choice for a naval captain. Maria was familiar with the stories of sailors being lured to their deaths by the beautiful voices of the Sirens. For some reason, Ulysses reminded her of the Captain. They were both naval men, obviously, but they were also both so strong and devilishly handsome.

The Captain opened the door to his study and allowed Maria to enter first. She took tentative steps inside and made her way over to the chair, standing behind it and gripping the back of the chair with her fingernails. While the Captain took his place, she turned her head slightly to observe the painting once more. There was something about it that attracted her beyond the handsome, chiseled man on the ship, but she could not put her finger on it. Mentally, she crossed herself. What was a novice doing with these thoughts about handsome men? She shrugged, took a deep breath, and sat down facing the Captain, straightening and smoothing out her skirts as she sat. The Captain moved to be seated behind his desk, but he first adjusted the curtains to let in more light now that the sun was higher overhead.

Georg plopped himself gracefully into his chair, crossing his left leg over his right, and he leaned back into the plush leather that lined the high back chair.

"So, Fraulein. Talk! You seem awfully quiet today for someone who had so much to say yesterday", he said with a smile.

Maria took a deep breath and began to speak the words she had been preparing since last night while she stood on the landing.

"Captain, about yesterday..."

Georg raised an eyebrow at her and gave her a wicked half grin.

"Well, what I mean that...what I am trying to say is..." she took a breath before continuing. "I am sorry for my behaviour yesterday. It was not very becoming of me, particularly in the company of an esteemed naval captain. I honestly don't know what came over me. I pondered it for hours last night!"

Georg nodded with some level of satisfaction. "So that's what she was thinking about last night", he thought to himself.

Maria's explanation continued and it jarred him, thankfully, from his wayward thoughts.

"..except that I do know, Captain, even though I don't, really. Ugh! I think I'm just simply far too outspoken, it is one of my worst faults – everything I think and feel - the words are out of my mouth before I realize I have spoken them. I can't tell you how many times I have been in trouble with Sister Berthe for my running mouth. But nonetheless, I should have controlled my temper. I failed miserably, and for that I wish to apologize."

Georg laced his fingers together and placed them on his lap. Maria could tell the wheels were turning in that handsome head of his. Oh brother, she caught herself doing it again!

"Fraulein. Are we going to spend our time arguing today about who was at fault yesterday? I, too, behaved badly. That was no way to interact with a lady and I should know better. Things just didn't go the way I had planned yesterday and I over-reacted. I apologize", he replied.

Maria found herself caught on his words momentarily – did he just call her a lady?

"But, Captain, I should not have lost my temper like that!" Maria interjected.

"Fraulein. Do you not see? What you did yesterday was very brave - without your words, where would I and the children be today? Simple: the same place we have been for the last four years. Call it God's Will if you like, but I do think the Reverend Mother was onto something when she sent you here. If your one job was to say what you said yesterday...ultimately reuniting an old sailor with his children, then you have done God's work and He will be very pleased. Now, can we stop arguing about who was the bigger fool yesterday, because I think that matter has been settled."

Maria's eyes met his and he gave her a genuine smile. Before she had the chance to reply, Georg continued.

"So, let's see here...Ah yes, new business! To begin our discussion, I do have a few notes about some of the changes around the villa I have noted that I would like to review them with you."

Georg picked up the piece of paper that was on his desk. Maria could see there was a rather long list accompanied by some good old-fashioned doodles in the margin. He tapped his pen against the desk, took a deep breath which he held a little longer than normal, and then he began.

"Fraulein, I've been home less than 24 hours, and based on my keen skills of observation, it seems you have broken more rules in ten days than the previous eleven governesses combined. If you were in the Navy, you would be court martialed, you know." His eyes met hers momentarily before he scanned the list, and he began to read.

"Let's see, so far I have noted the following: flowers in vases throughout the villa, singing, tree climbing, picnics, artwork pinned on the walls, swimming in the lake, mountain climbing and Edelweiss hunting - unless you bought the Edelweiss in town, of course…"

Maria's heart was sinking. Here she was thinking that the Captain had changed from the martinet she met in the foyer 11 days ago, and now he was criticizing some of the changes she had made in his absence. He had obviously picked some these things up from his conversations with the children yesterday. She prayed that he didn't know about all of the rules she had broken.

Unwavering, Georg continued with a mischievous gleam in his eye:

"Ah yes, where was I? …biking, boating, fishing, replacing study time with play time, it's quite obvious that you did not learn how to use your bosun whistle, play clothes made from old drapes...and I'd hazard to guess that you've ridden my horse. Bareback, no less."

And with that he clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on the surface of his desk, watching the play of the little Fraulein's features as her eyes widened and the colour drained from her face.

This man really did know everything. "Captain, I can explain!" Maria bleated.

But as she stumbled through the beginning of an explanation, he put his hand up to stop her. Maria scowled and tried to continue with her story, but Georg tutted her and so she exasperatedly stopped talking and slouched back in the chair, exhaling so hard across her bottom lip that her bangs blew about.

"Fraulein. This is an impressive list. Is it to be every day, or merely when the spirit moves you, that you intend to break every single one of my rules? Tell me. Did you even read the documents that I gave you?" Georg grinned at her like the Cheshire Cat.

Maria could handle the stubborn, martinet of a captain and his moodiness. However, this 'new' Captain was an even greater riddle. He could be stern, down-right-grumpy, and oozing sarcasm at one moment, and then next he could be soft, gentle, and sometimes teasing. This softer side of him threw her off and made her insides feel like she was standing on the Reutte suspension bridge. Thinking back to what Frau Schmidt had said earlier, and speaking with more confidence than she possessed, Maria sat up straight, pursed her lips and replied:

"In all due respect, Captain, your rules were outdated, unnecessarily restrictive, counter-productive, and in some cases, downright ridiculous." There she said it.

The Captain leaned back in his chair, his fingers still knitted together.

"Ridiculous, Fraulein? Did I just hear you right?"

Maria knew she had to sink or swim, so she dog paddled with all her might.

"Yes, ridiculous. Silly, even! For example, marching about the grounds breathing deeply? You have seven children, Sir, not a batch of naval cadets nor a group of novices in the Abbey. Personalized whistle calls and matching uniforms are others. I learned the children's names, I called them by their names. I trust this laid the foundation of respect that we share today".

Georg cocked an eyebrow in her direction. "Fraulein, don't you wear matching habits in the Abbey – and you certainly must attend services and sing in the choir together?"

Maria rolled her eyes, silently admitting he had a point. But it wasn't the same thing! Bravely, she continued.

"Yes, sir, that is correct, and I know we discussed uniforms yesterday. It was quite clear where you stood on the issue. But they are children! Friedrich Froebel's work, for example, demonstrates the power of play and being out in nature – both are key for cultivation of knowledge and development of learning skills. Marching about in formal uniforms may be appropriate for the Queen's Guard, but not for children".

Georg was impressed her handle on pedagogy but played along a little while longer. He could admit to himself that he actually enjoyed watching the little Fraulein get lathered up about something she was passionate about. When she first sat down in her chair, she looked like she could be blown over with the slightest gust of wind. Now, she was ready for battle. He had not known her long, but when she was feeling defiant, she stood a little taller and lifted her nose slightly above the horizon.

"So, tell me, Fraulein, wasn't it Froebel who invented kindergarten? Do I need to remind you that my eldest daughter is sixteen?"

"...going on 17, Captain. And since you brought it up..." Maria interrupted. "With all due respect, you need to start treating her like a young lady. She should not have to follow the same rules as her five-year old sister. But I digress. I was talking about Froebel. His work can be applied to children of all ages. It has been shown that being outdoors or doing hands-on activities foster a love of math and science and provides practical and valuable learning experiences. I assure you, the Von Trapp children did not simply galivant about Salzburg for 10 days. They were learning the whole time, even if they didn't know it for themselves."

Pausing to take a deep breath, she continued.

"As a matter of fact, Reverend Captain, they all designed their own play clothes using their math and measurement skills. They cut out the pieces, they pinned and basted, and I might add, they were all very proud of their work when they were done. The moment they donned their new play clothes they all smiled from ear-to-ear. You will notice, Captain, that the play clothes do match, sort of like their uniforms. The children, themselves, felt that they could enjoy the outdoors more without worrying about spoiling their uniforms. We all thought it was a decent compromise to what was noted the '101 ways to fail at governess-ing rule book'"

Chuckling under his breath, Georg knew he had lost this battle. He had lost it yesterday, come to think of it. Today was just a reminder of what a formidable adversary Fraulein Maria was.

"Well, Fraulein Maria. There is absolutely nothing about uniforms in the book, so you are best to stop digging your hole deeper and then falling into it. However, I dare say I am impressed with your knowledge and how you have applied it – it has worked wonders with the children, that much I can tell. I promise to not be too judgmental, but can you tell me about what their typical day has looked like while I was away."

Maria proceeded to recap their initial days together, how they spent time getting to know each other. She explained that every morning they continued with their lessons as was the wish of the Captain, but each afternoon they learned in different ways – and for them, it didn't seem like work. They worked on their play clothes, they went on outings, they learned some practical skills like shopping in the market, baking bread, and hunting for water creatures along the lakeshore. And, yes, they did apply their knowledge from their botany lesson to identify the correct location where the Edelweiss could be found, but Maria admitted it was she who did the gathering of that beautiful, small, and white flower to ensure everyone's safety.

Georg was very interested in the story behind the Edelweiss. After all, that little bouquet and the song the children had prepared for Elsa were all she talked about yesterday afternoon. Elsa had gushed about how enchanting they all were, and admittedly, she did have her doubts given the way they first were introduced to each other, all dripping wet and messy. He was even more interested in Fraulein Maria's link to the mountain. Apparently, his hunch was spot on – she did have a strong connection to it.

"So, Fraulein. Tell me about the Edelweiss. How did you learn to where to find it, let alone how to harvest it?"

Maria smiled widely. Her knowledge of the mountains was something she was very proud of. It was her place of quiet and respite.

"Well, as you know Captain, it's been used as a traditional medicine for digestive and respiratory problems for centuries. As a young girl I learned how to find it and harvest it safely. As you probably know, Edelweiss likes to live in rocky limestone outcrops at about 1,800m altitude, and well, there were frequent opportunities to find it outside of my home near Innsbruck. I had lots of practice, let's put it that way."

Georg's ears perked up. Agathe's parents typically spent a good deal of the year at their chalet in Innsbruck. He had not been in years, for obvious reasons. He probably should give John and Agathe a call one of these days...but he pushed his focus back on the conversation they were having, wishing to see what else he could learn about the little Fraulein.

"Indeed, Fraulein, you are a mountain girl at heart, then?".

"Yes, Captain, my whole life has been spent in the mountains, except the past few years in the Abbey, of course. I moved to Salzburg from Innsbruck - well, Aldrans actually - when I was Marta's age. Do you know of it?" Georg nodded as she continued. "My grandfather had a farm on the Untersberg which was passed down to my uncle. I lived there after I moved from Aldrans."

Trying to avoid a discussion about her parents, she quickly moved on to the Captain's question about the Edelweiss.

"There's a relatively less-travelled place that I know off the Salzburger Hochthron, and that's where we gathered it. Of course, it's still early for Edelweiss, so we were lucky to find what we did – there will be more in a few weeks' time. I thought it would be an appropriate welcome gift for the Baroness – not too much Edelweiss in Vienna since it's so flat. But don't worry, Captain. The children were never in danger. I made sure they stayed at lower altitudes, and the older children kept the younger ones safe while I picked them. You know, brave and strong men have fallen to their deaths trying to gather it? I didn't dare risk it."

"Yes, Fraulein," Georg continued. "I am afraid that Emperor Franz Josef started quite the trend when he plucked it for his Empress. Ladies of Austria go ga-ga for it as you know. Baroness Schraeder was most impressed with Gretl's presentation. She said no one had ever picked Edelweiss for her before."

Maria smiled widely, gladly accepting the news that the Baroness had been impressed with her choice before another question entered her mind.

"Captain?" asked Maria. "The Alpen-Edelweiss [1]? Do you have one?"

Georg shook his head. "No, all of my duty was maritime. I never served in the mountains. My brother, Werner, had one. I believe my sister, Hede, is in possession of it now. He loved the mountains; you and Werner would have that in common. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing like a good Austrian summit, but the water is where I thrive. I have twice circumnavigated the globe – once in the Saida II, a wooden beast of a thing, and later on the torpedo cruiser, the Zenta. That is where I met Herr Detweiller. "

As was the case 11 days ago and last evening, the little Fraulein seemed mesmerized with the history of the Austro-Hungarian forces.

"You're a bit of a history buff, aren't you Fraulein?" he inquired.

"Yes, Captain. My grandfather was a Gebirgsjäger, but I never met him. I remember my mother telling me stories about his exploits in the mountains. So, my interest in Austrian military history started with a family connection but growing up I devoured as much information as I could from books and newspapers."

Georg was impressed. The little Fraulein seemed to bleed red and white as well.

She met his eyes once more, confused by the softness she saw in them at that moment, but she carried on.

"I read about you, you know," she said bashfully, "but never once did I see your picture."

Georg rubbed his chin in interest and nodded. "Ah...is this why you said I didn't look anything like a sea captain?".

"That's partially correct." Maria replied. "I had read about you, and I followed the exploits of the Navy. However, the only picture I ever saw of a real sea captain was that of a grizzled, old sea captain - Tegetthoff, actually – in the painting of the Battle of Lissa by Romako [2]. That image has stuck with me my whole life."

Georg laughed out loud as the image of Tegetthoff entered his mind. "Well, Fraulein, it would appear that my expectations of what a governess should look like were equally wrong. Furthermore, I was also mistaken in my beliefs that a nun-to-be-turned-governess would be quiet and soft-spoken" he said with a smirk and a deep chuckle.

Maria nodded and smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed. What was it about this man's eyes that had the ability to turn her insides upside down?

Georg placed his hands on the edge of his desk and drummed his fingers along the edge. Maria studied his face – he appeared to be pondering something. Eventually he pushed his desk chair back, stood and took a few steps away from his desk. Unlocking a cupboard door which held a safe, he whirled the lock until he had the right combination and the door opened.

The Captain set a wooden box in his desk and sat himself down in his chair once more. "Since you like history..." he said fumbling with the box. All the while, his eyes were locked on Maria's, watching the expressions play across her face as she tried to figure out what he was up to.

He opened the box and removed a blue velour bag. Loosening the drawstring, he reached into the bag and pulled out an object. Maria still wasn't sure what it was.

Laying the blue bag on his desk, he gingerly laid his Maria Theresa medal on top of it. Maria's eyes widened. She bit her bottom lip in fascination as she studied it; Georg suddenly saw nothing else but her delicious expression and was relieved when she broke his train of thoughts by speaking once more.

"Is that what I think it is?", she asked in awe?

He nodded proudly.

She lifted her right hand as if to touch it, but then quickly snatched it away as if it had been burned. Holding her hand in the other, she found his eyes.

"May I touch it?" She asked. Georg simply smiled.

Maria ran her fingers along the beautiful red and white silk ribbon; it was the most luxurious thing she had ever touched. She traced the outline of the cross and gently wedged her fingers under it so she could hold it in her palm. It was beautiful. It was so lovingly crafted, it represented Austria and all that was good about her. The Emperor, himself, had presented it to the Captain. The Emperor had touched this medal.

Georg studied her face, completely enthralled with her focus. It reminded him of the last time they sat together in his study - the day before he went to Vienna. That day it was his crystal paper weight that held her attention.

"You know what this is, then?" He asked.

"Of course, Captain. The boys have talked about it every day since I came to the villa. The Maria Theresa Medal - the Knight's Cross. It's more beautiful than I ever imagined". She tapped her index finger against her lips, her eyes seeking the corner of the room while she appeared deep in thought. Georg watched closely, melting inside as she nibbled on the edge of her fingernail before speaking:

"The highest honour for a soldier in the Austrian armed services. 'Awarded for successful military acts of essential impact to a campaign that were undertaken on the officer's own initiative and might have been omitted by an honorable officer without reproach'."

Georg nodded. He was impressed.

Maria caught the gleam in his eye. "Kurt has told me this at least twice a day since I arrived. He is so very proud. If any of your boys are to join the Navy when they get older, it will be him". She locked eyes with the Captain again and smiled widely. Georg felt his heart skip a beat. The children had continued to love him even though he had pushed them away for so long. The little Fraulein's words gave him confidence that everything was going to be alright.

Maria looked back down to the medal, still enraptured with the design and everything it represented. She looked up at Georg again, her eyes imploring him to explain why he was showing this to her now. Georg chuckled before speaking.

"Well, Fraulein, while I do know the value of rules - they have saved the lives of thousands of men in my time – I do appreciate that some rules are not appropriate in specific circumstances. One should not ignore rules willy-nilly; you must be precise, calculated, and certain when you take a risk and go against the grain."

Georg picked up his medal and held it in his hands. He ran his long, aristocratic fingers along it as he turned it gently in his hand. Maria studied the way he moved his fingers. For such an imposing man, he had such a gentle touch.

"As you know, Fraulein, this medal commends the officer who took calculated and well-thought-out risks. The decision I made – well, I am certain that my superior officers would have certainly overruled my choice. The Emperor thought so, too. obviously" he chuckled. "When you are underwater in command of your own domain, you don't have the ability to check-in. You do your best with the information you have. I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't acknowledge this. You, Fraulein are obviously a smart woman with keen decision-making skills."

Maria's eyes widened with this statement, and she sat a little bit taller. Did he just call her a woman?

"You've succeeded where 11 previous governesses have failed miserably." Georg continued. "And did you know, at least one of them had a doctorate in child psychology? They all followed the rules I had set down in my absence, and look where it got them? My children rebelled against them, and one after the other, the governesses fled, or were fired in some cases. You Fraulein, well, you managed to sort them out before I had even left for Vienna."

Georg gave her a soft smile and Maria forgot how to breathe in that moment. She was speechless.

"Now, I would not agree that 100% of your success with my children is based on your remarkable ability to break rules. You possess smarts that can't be taught. You have an ability see the real problem and you work efficiently within your environment, even if it's the hardest way. Even if it means disobeying orders. You seem to know which rules to break and which ones to keep. That's a highly commendable quality in a senior naval officer. Even more valuable, and dare I say, rare in a governess."

Maria went to open her mouth, but still nothing came out. It was for the best, however, because Georg wasn't quite done with his soliloquy yet. He straightened in his chair and clasped his hands together once more.

"You, Fraulein, are now an honorary member of the Maria Theresa order - had you followed the rules as set out in the documentation I gave you, things would not be as they are today. We would not be on the road to becoming a family again. I don't know what I have done to deserve their forgiveness...I also know that we can't undo all the damage I have inflicted over the past four years, but I really want to try. You and I share some qualities of leadership, and I think we could work well together."

Georg paused to give Maria a chance to speak, but she was so dumbfounded by his words, she could not form sentences. Initially, she thought he was joking, but as she stared blankly at his face, she realized he was quite serious.

"What I am saying, Fraulein, is that I ask that you to please help me with this. I might need to you to help me break some rules to get my life back in order. It's quite obvious that you know more about my children than I do. If you agree to help me with this, let's say we meet daily for an hour. You can let me know what you're doing and how the children are responding. I'll be my best Korvettenkapitän and critique your work. If you can defend it, I'll go along with you. If not, you agree to try some of my ideas, and we will see how that pans out? I think between the two of us we can make progress with the children. God only knows they have fallen behind the past few years, and not only in their education."

Georg reached across his desk with an upturned palm, almost as if he was imploring her to take it. He thought the better of it as his eyes glanced up at his painting of the Siren. Instead, he balled his fingers into a tight fist.

"Help me to reach them? I have to admit that I'm rusty, and I don't want to make the same mistakes twice."

Georg sat back in his chair and knitted his fingers together behind his head. Maria had the sense that now was a good time to offer him some encouragement.

"Captain, the previous eleven governesses failed because the children acted out. Not just because of your rules, although they were certainly part of it. They wanted you in their lives, not some renowned education expert. They had lost their mother, and in a way, they lost you as well."

Maria had to take a deep breath so that she could continue. This was getting a little close to her own circumstances.

"You see, even if you were angry at them and had to return to hire a new governess, you were here with them. Any attention from you was good attention. I feel that I was able to reach the children because I showed them that they could trust me and that I would care for them as individuals. I do not possess the super-powers you seem to suggest I have. But, that being said, it would be my honour to help you. However, I think you know more about them than you give yourself credit for."

"Fraulein, Fraulein, Fraulein...even when we agree, we disagree, isn't that right?" Georg laughed out loud. "And neither one of us is good at accepting praise, hmm?". His smile was genuine, and it reached his eyes, his cheeks dimpling as he did so.

"But there is one thing, Fraulein, I am afraid we won't ever agree on. Play clothes. I cannot have my children running around Salzburg dressed up in old drapes."

Inside he was dying. It wasn't so much the drapes themselves, but where the drapes had come from. Every time he thought of those curtains, his thoughts went somewhere they shouldn't. Even now, his eyes trained on her lips before meeting her eyes. Clearing his throat, he continued.

"We will go this week with the children to see Frau Heineman and get the children properly fitted for play clothes. And I know what you're thinking - you could make them."

Maria nodded.

"But you see, Fraulein, I don't pay you to sew. I'd rather you invest your time in helping me make amends with the children. Help them to get to know Elsa. That sort of thing. And you deserve your rest days as much as the rest of us."

As he finished speaking, he began to wrap up his medal in the blue bag and he tucked it back into his box.

"Now Fraulein. I am afraid I have to get ready and take the Baroness into town for lunch. I trust that you will have a good hike this afternoon. Watch out for Max as he will be loitering about the villa, and I dare say he blends in rather easily with the children. Perhaps we can talk about how the day went after dinner? Elsa normally retreats for a cigarette after dinner, and I prefer to stay away - gave up that habit years ago. Later on, we can plan a day when I'll come along for the ride, too, if that's what the young ones want."

Georg stood up and turned to put the medal back in the safe. He whirled the lock and closed the door. He paused for a moment and took a deep breath.

"Oh, it has also come to my attention that you're down an outfit after yesterday's events. I know wool has a tendency to shrink when it's tossed about in the Weiher. And I hope to God that you managed to get rid of that nasty grey thing you were wearing the day you arrived" he said with a wink.

"So, in a last ditch effort to get you to accept my apology and gain your support, I want to give you something as a token of my appreciation, and you know...also as a symbolic gesture in honour of your 'Knighthood'."

He opened another cupboard behind his desk and bent down. Running his fingers along the soft fabric that was wrapped tightly around the bolt, he picked it up and turned to her with a silly smile on his face. He walked over to stand beside the chair where Maria was sitting, and he held it out for her to take.

Scrambling to her feet, her eyes as wide as saucers, Maria slowly reached out – her motions were hesitant, almost as though she was afraid that she would reach out and find it wasn't real.

"For me?" She looked up into his eyes and he nodded, smiling. "Captain, this is the most beautiful fabric I have ever seen! Wherever..." looking back up at him again, she felt her legs start to turn to gelatin. The look in his eyes was so intense she could hardly breathe.

"Long story, Fraulein, but let's just say I was killing time in Vienna and I spotted this in a dress maker's shop. That day there were a lot of things going through my head – you know, I was a damn fool and completely missed Marta's birthday...feeling sorry for myself, that sort of thing. I came upon it and was drawn to it for reasons I don't completely understand."

He lied.

"Maybe it reminded me of the waters in the Straights of Otranto, I don't know.'

He lied again.

"But, regardless, I know everything I had sent out to the villa the day you arrived were rather bland and traditional governess' colours. You know. Tweed, brown, dull...the kind of thing the previous eleven had worn. You are not like them. I thought this might balance things out".

He smiled at her, holding the fabric out so she would take it. "See, another reason why we need to take the children into town for play clothes – I trust you will be working on this in your spare time, no?"

"Of course, Captain. I will have to think about this for a while – I have to do it justice. I have never owned anything quite so beautiful." Maria hugged the fabric to her chest and wrapped her arms around it. "Thank you again, so very much."

"Now, Fraulein, I had better tidy up here so I am not late for lunch. I trust you'll be on time for dinner tonight? And, uh, please, no drapes at the dinner table, hmmm?"

Maria clicked her heels together and saluted the Captain with a wide grin: "Yes, Sir! And, thank you again Captain for your generous gift and for your kindness. I've never been an honourary anything, let alone a secret member of the Maria Theresa Order. Usually, I'm running from trouble in the Abbey. Come to think of it, I am usually headed towards it. I do look forward to working with you and I know the children will be so glad as well."

She turned and made her way to the door, as she reached the door handle, she paused when the Captain cleared his throat.

"Uh, Fraulein, you did ride Adelaide bareback, didn't you? Initially that was totally a joke on my part - I had absolutely no idea that you would have even considered such a thing, but your expression totally gave you away." he laughed heartily as he watched her posture sink slightly. Maria didn't speak – she was too wrapped up in hearing the Captain laugh like that – yesterday was the first time she had heard the man laugh. Today, however, this laugh came straight from his soul.

Making her get-away, Maria winked at him over her shoulder and proceeded through the open door. Georg sat at his desk with a huge grin on his face as he listened to the patter of her footsteps across the foyer and up the stairs.

[1] Wikipedia says the Alpen-Edelweiss was assigned as an emblem by Emperor Franz Joseph to troops of the Austro-Hungarian Army who ran missions in the mountains. Apparently, he liked the parallels between the "defiant, frugal and resilient alpine plant" and the "perseverance and agility" of the alpine corps.

[2] In the Battle of Lissa - the Third War of Independence (Italy) in 1886 – the Austrian fleet was commanded by Konteradmiral Wilhelm von Tegetthof. Austrian painter Anton Romako painted the Admiral at the Battle of Lissa in Battle 1878-1880. I have always thought that Maria had the Admiral in mind when she envisaged what Captain Von Trapp would look like.