"I don't have doors and walls to protect you, but I hollowed out this space in my chest in case you ever need a home."
-Nitya Prakash
Max threw his legs over the side of his bed and stuffed his feet into his slippers. Still half asleep, he made his way to the window and pulled open the curtain, the light causing him to squint and turn away in disgust. All at once his head pounded and he remembered that he had made a pit stop at the liquor cabinet after bidding Georg good night in the drawing room. With a heavy head, he turned in the direction of his side table where he spotted the half-empty (surely it was half-full?) bottle of Courvoisier.
Rubbing his temples, he decided it was definitely half-empty.
Stretching like a cat, Max looked at his watch, rolled his eyes, and made his way towards the wardrobe in the corner of the room. He'd better get a move on if he was going to meet up with the Choir from St. Agathe's Church in Mehrnbach. They were in Salzburg for a couple of days to tour the Felsenreitschule and perform a few concerts at local churches. One Fraulein Schweiger was very keen on meeting with the infamous Max Detweiller to promote her choir and her own career. He had to move quickly as rumour had it, Sacha Petrie was circling.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed an envelope on the floor that had been shoved under his door during the overnight hours. Shuffling towards the document, he reached down to pick it up. As he bent over, he could feel his heart pounding in his head.
His name was scrawled on the front of the envelope in a familiar hand: Georg's? He turned the envelope over and pulled the paper from inside.
July 10, 1938
Maximillian,
In light of recent developments, I have reconsidered your request of the other day. Please proceed with the puppet acquisition from Anton. And yes, you can tell him we also want that monstrosity of a stage that you described. You can fly the absentee pennant [1] and negotiate on my behalf, if you haven't done so already. Arrange for everything to be delivered after lunch one day this week when the children and Fraulein Maria are out of the house. And no word of this to the children, it is to be a surprise. Maria is aware. Let me know if you run into any blockades.
With thanks,
Georg
"Well, of course she is aware, you nincompoop, she made it happen!" Max exclaimed out loud.
He re-read the letter over a few times to process this recent turn of events; what was going to happen next, and even more importantly, what was the significance of it all?
For someone who wasn't quite awake yet, he was struck by a number of emotions. First, elation! He was no better than a child! Max was ecstatic with the news that a handful of Anton Aicher's greatest creations would be in the Von Trapp family for generations and Georg would foot the bill! Better still, it would keep the children and their little Fraulein singing. He was on a secret mission to get them all singing in the Festival. If he was successful, Sacha Petrie wouldn't know what hit him this year!
The next thing he thought about was Elsa.
Oh God, she was right!
Just this past Friday, he and Elsa had placed a little wager on the ability of the little Fraulein to convince Georg to buy into (or just outright purchase) the marionettes and their stage! Max was quite certain Georg would not budge on this, even if it was Fraulein Maria asking the question.
Now he owed Elsa, tickets, dammit! But at the same time, this meant that the little Fraulein managed to convince him. This is good and bad, he supposed. The drunk Captain of 10 days ago appeared to be speaking something from his heart. It was still too early to know what it all meant. Further investigation would be required! At least Georg had not lost himself - he was choosing to show his affections through gifts for the children and was not doing anything foolish. So far!
"I wonder what she said to the old man to convince him?" Max wondered aloud.
Max rubbed his temples and sighed. His day was getting more complicated, and he had only woken up 5 minutes ago. He would need to make a call to Max Reinhardt before he left the villa this morning; that would be more expedient than a telegram despite the cost. After he met up with Fraulein Schweiger and her troubadours, he would stop by Max's flat, then head to the marionette theatre down the street on the Schwarzstrasse where he'd surely find Anton working away on his creations.
"Wait! Did Georg refer to the little Fraulein as Maria?" Max exclaimed.
Checking his watch again, he hurriedly threw on his clothes, ran a comb through his hair and made his way down to the kitchen to find a cup of coffee. And maybe an Aspirin.
ooOoo
"Brigitta!" Liesl called. "Who was that?"
"Just a telegram for father, I don't know where Franz went to," Brigitta replied.
Liesl asked pointedly: "I get that it's a telegram, but who delivered it"?
Brigitta rolled her eyes so hard they practically made a sound, and she covered her mouth to hold back a giggle.
"It was not that dumb telegram boy, Rolfe, if that is what you are getting at! It was Johannes Klosterneuburg, you know, Matilde's older brother? Don't be so disappointed, you're not missing much!" Brigitta laughed.
Liesl's posture deflated almost instantly. That was the fourth telegram to arrive this week, and not once had Rolfe delivered any of them. Surely, he must be missing her as much as she missed him?
Brigitta left Liesl to wallow in her own self-pity as she skipped towards her father's study. Knocking gently on the door, she waited for his voice to call her in.
"Good morning, again, Father!"
Georg looked up from his drawings.
"Ah, good morning, my love. How is my favourite daughter today?"
"Father, you said the same thing to Louisa yesterday!" Brigitta exclaimed in mock disgust.
"Yes, she was my favourite yesterday, but today it's you," he said with a smile. "What can I do for you? You're not studying with Fraulein Maria?"
"Well, I was, but she sent me downstairs to pick up a book and the doorbell rang. I had no idea where Franz is, so I answered the door." Brigitta said proudly.
"Ah,"Georg replied. "Franz drove the Baroness into town for breakfast with a friend who is visiting from Vienna. Thank you for getting the door. I know Frau Schmidt is busy with other things, so that is why she didn't hear the bell."
"Here you go, father, a telegram for you."
"Was it that boy Rolfe today?" he inquired.
"No father, it wasn't. Don't worry, I am quite sure that Liesl is very angry with him right now. He hasn't made an appearance since you returned from Vienna. If he actually came to the door, well, I would personally be afraid for his safety," Brigitta said with a laugh.
"Well, Father, I had better get back upstairs. The others will be waiting for me!"
She came alongside Georg's leather chair and leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek, and with that she skipped away in the direction of the door.
Georg immediately brought his hand to his face and placed his palm against the spot where Brigitta had kissed him. He shook his head in awe, it was incredible how quickly the children had forgiven him for his transgressions of the past four years.
Shaking his head back to the present, he unfolded the telegram.
Georg Von Trapp, Aigen -(STOP)-
Dearest Georg -(STOP)- Bertie and I are in Innsbruck for 10 days -(STOP)- Love to see you and the children before returning to Italy -(STOP)- Let us know by via Innsbruck if you can make it. -(STOP)- John and Bertie Whitehead -(STOP)-
So, Agathe's parents, hmmm?
If Georg had a schilling for every telegram that read like this one, he would be a rich man. Well, more rich than he was! Every previous telegram was written the same way. Georg was certain that John must have received a discount each time since the telegraph operator knew exactly what the telegram was to say. Curiously, and not so unexpectedly, Georg would reply to the telegram the same way every time:
Dearest John -(STOP)- I will send the children as I will be in Vienna. You can expect them to arrive with Franz -(STOP)- …
Georg had only been to Innsbruck a few times since Agathe passed, instead sending Franz to deliver the children and bring them home again. There were just too many memories for him to confront there. The children, for their part, always had a lovely time when they visited their grandparents at the chalet. Although it hurt him to look up on their faces in those days, he could never deny them the gift of Agathe's family.
Even though John and Bertie knew Georg would never come to Innsbruck with the children, they never neglected to invite him. Well, this time would be different. Since Maria had arrived at the villa, Georg had confronted so many of his demons. Taking this extra step – like the one he took last night – was a good way to push on in this new life that he was crafting. Didn't Maria say that the only way to make progress was to face your fears?
"Dammit! Elsa...Elsa...Elsa!"
This could all be an important piece of his great master plan to move forward with his life. Elsa could meet his in-laws; the children could come and experience the chalet with Maria. Maria could visit some mountains that had a little more oomph than the Untersberg...it was a perfect plan, really.
Georg didn't have time to go into town today to reply and Franz was out in the car with Elsa. He needed to finish work on these plans for John, even more importantly now that he would be off to visit them on the weekend. He picked up the phone and called the telegraph office, relaying the message that he wished delivered.
Dearest John and Bertie -(STOP)- We will arrive Friday. -(STOP)- Expect the children and their governess Fr. Maria. -(STOP)- I will come as well -(STOP)- May bring Max and another guest along for entertainment. -(STOP)- Best Regards, Georg -(STOP)-
"Well," Georg said to himself as he hung up the phone. "That is going to get a rise out of them, if nothing else".
ooOoo
The Choir of St. Agathe's Church was a lovely find. Max immediately asked them to return for the festival in the fall, but many of the choir members were farmers and expected to be busy with the harvest. Their first soloist, Fraulein Schweiger, however, was more than pleased to return. He had her sign a contract with a promise to arrive in Salzburg in early October and then they went their separate ways.
His next stop was Max Reinhardt's little apartment down the street from the marionette theatre. Luckily, he was not spending time at his grand rococo palace on the edge of town that was in the final throes of renovation. Almost 20 years had passed since he bought the dilapidated former home of Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg Count Leopold Anton Eleutherius von Firmian (ca. 1736). Since that time, thousands of schillings had been poured into the palace to return it to its former glory [2].
Despite his earlier impressions of the day when he first rose this morning, Max felt that today was working out better than expected; it was all rather convenient, really. Free tickets to the opera next weekend were the perfect solution to the mess he had managed to get himself into. Ah, but would he do it differently considering what intelligence he had been able to gather in the past few hours? Absolutely not! Max found himself waxing poetic about the goings-on between Georg and the little Fraulein, but realized he would have to find time for that later; he was on a mission right now.
Max the Reinhardt had been pleased to know that Max the Detweiller had signed another act for the Festival. They chatted briefly about the Choir of the Church of St. Agathe, and Max recommended that the other Max take in one of their concerts at St. Sebastian's before the weekend arrived. Reinhardt happily pressed opening night box tickets to Opern Salzburg's production of Die Zauberflöte at the Grosses Festspielhaus into Max's hands, and Max happily received them.
"Now, recall Maximillian, I will be there as well. I am looking forward to meeting this singing nun that you have told me so much about. Imagine the press she would receive if we signed her? People would flock from all over to see the woman who left the convent for a singing career! Almost as much talk one would generate if a nun had left the convent for the love of rich, older man!, eh?" Reinhardt said with a great, big belly laugh. Max laughed out loud with him, until he realized what exactly he was laughing about and then it didn't seem quite so funny anymore.
Walking down the street towards the theatre, Max stopped briefly on the sidewalk to have a look at the evidence of his lucky day. This bet had turned out to be a boon for him. Reinhardt had provided him with tickets for the entire box minus one – so seats for him to distribute as he wished. Oh, you bet he would have Fraulein Maria in the box if Georg would allow it... "...dressed in royal blue silk to match her eyes!" he mused. Georg would probably be a hot mess when the little nun showed up at the opera looking like a queen! If Georg would not let the children sing at the Festival, perhaps the little Fraulein was the solution to his problems. She had a voice that was heaven-sent and was worthy of an audience with the Queen! [3] She would absolutely be the talk of the Festival
Max was smiling with delight at all the possibilities! Could today get any better, he wondered to himself!
ooOoo
Max returned to the villa about mid-day to find the grounds relatively quiet. The children and their Fraulein must have been on an afternoon outing. Frau Schmidt bustled about rather secretly, like she had just been given the keys to Pandora's Box. Georg was apparently in his study doing some important business, and Franz had informed him that the Baroness was on the terrace having an apéritif and a cigarette.
Max made his way out the back door and found Elsa sitting cross-legged in her chair. She was staring out at the lake, seemingly mesmerized by the way the water rippled with the power of the wind that blew through the trees like a restless sea. He managed to sit down beside her and began to pour himself whatever that was in the pitcher before she realized he was even there.
"You, my dear, are far away," he said with a chuckle.
"Gute trauer! Max, you scared me!" Elsa wheezed as she took a long draw from her cigarette and pressed her curls into her head.
Max could only laugh. He took a swig from the glass he had just poured and was pleasantly surprised to taste a solid glug of gin amongst the fruity bubbles. He reached inside of his jacket pocket and dropped an envelope on the table in front of Elsa.
"Good Heavens, what's this?" she asked.
Max could only shrug. He was ready for the fireworks to begin, so he might as well sit back and enjoy.
Elsa prized open the envelope and pulled out two box seats for next Saturday's opening night at the Salzburg Opera House.
"He didn't!" she gasped.
Max shrugged and nodded rather nonchalantly.
"See, Max! I told you so! She is much too familiar! I knew this would happen!". Elsa got up from her chair so violently it fell over backwards, clanging and banging on the terrace.
"Look on the bright side, my dear." Max called out as he stood to right the toppled chair. "Look at these tickets," he said pointing at the table with a wicked grin. Trying to ease the tension, he pushed on.
"In her defense," Max sighed, "Georg presented it to me entirely as something he felt he must do for the children. You know, four Christmases and no surprises; seven birthdays-times almost four years. He considered it for a few days and changed his mind. Simple as that!"
Of course, he was lying. Well, maybe not lying. He just had taken creative liberties with his interpretation of the note Georg left him overnight. As far as Elsa knew, he was just recounting a conversation - that they didn't have! But oh, who wants to get wrapped up in the teensy-weensy, intimate, disgusting details anyway?
Elsa returned to her chair and plunked herself down in a rather unlady-like manner.
"Well, even if she didn't change his mind, I still need to speak to Georg about her. She's too familiar. She sashays through this villa like she owns the place! The children are too wild under her care! Oh Max, you know damn well she had a role in this!" Elsa sighed exasperatedly. "You did ask her to talk to him, didn't you? That was part of our little agreement?"
"Indeed, I did. But that was some time ago now. I think Fraulein Maria was afraid to ask him. She only happened to come upon him in a vulnerable moment and knew when to pounce, I guess?" Max replied.
"Afraid of Georg? Georg vulnerable? Bah! Max, what part of the Governess' behaviour have you seen that would indicate she is afraid of Georg. I have to give her some credit, though, she's gutsy. If I had yelled at him the way she did, I imagine I would have long since returned to Vienna. Alone."
Looking down at the tickets on the table, she scowled at Max.
"Say, didn't we make a bet for Opern Wien tickets? These are for Salzburg, dahling".
"Yes, my dear, but you're not in Vienna right now. I thought you would like to dress up pretty and show Salzburg what a real woman looks like, hmm?"
Elsa's smile grew even more wide and radiant.
"Max, you're brilliant! This way I might meet some of Georg's friends, get into the inner circle he seems to want to shield me from. I can get them talking. This could work out very well for me!" With that she rose from her chair and moved alongside Max, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Max looked up at her sheepishly, how had he managed to come up with that so quickly? He was amazed at himself and his ability to weave words into delicious scenarios that worked out in his favour. Elsa tilted her head as she smiled upon Max. Realizing she had left lipstick on his face, and she used the heel of her palm to buff it out.
"I know just thing thing! I will get Georg to take me to Vienna at the end of this week! A little dress shopping, dinner out at a real restaurant, leave the country life behind for a while...We can also leave the children and the damn governess here, even better. It might be just what the doctor ordered."
ooOoo
With the children working away on their studies, Maria ran back to her room to change into more sensible shoes. Her feet were swollen this morning after the humidity had lingered last night. As she turned to returned to the school room, she saw a note on her dresser in unfamiliar hand.
Turning over the envelope, she slid her nail under the seal and opened it. Pulling out the neatly folded paper, her eyes skipped the body of the message and spotted the person who had sent it: Max.
Dearest Fraulein,
This morning the Captain ordered me to fly the absentee pennant and negotiate with Anton Aicher. I saw the man and his marionettes this morning, and we have agreed to terms. I was instructed by Georg to let you know when things were going to happen. I think that's what he said, anyway. As it turns out, the puppets will be delivered the day after tomorrow after lunch.
Georg wishes to surprise the children, which I am sure you already know, so if you can make yourself scarce...
I am sure the old man will discuss details with you further. Just decided to take some credit where I could for making this all happen and to thank you for wielding your influence to make this work out in both of our favours. The finest examples of Austrian craftsmanship will soon have a new home. You will work your magic with them and the children, won't you?
Cheers to you!
Max
Maria clasped her hands together in excitement! She knew that the Captain had agreed last night, but now it felt much more real. Max certainly didn't waste any time getting things done. No wonder the Captain had learned to lean on him so much over the years. She was so excited for the children. It would be yet another tangible piece of evidence that the Captain had changed and was trying to make up for lost time.
ooOoo
Georg locked the submarine plans into his desk drawer. They were all done and ready to be delivered to John on the weekend. Hand-delivered this time, no intermediaries necessary.
He got up from his desk and made his way to the door, locking the study door behind him. Frau Schmidt was in the hallway and waved to him, calling him over in shushed tones.
"Captain. We have been working on Operation Mozart today and it's almost ready. Would you like to see?" she asked.
Georg paused for a moment. He hadn't anticipated his housekeeper to work this fast, but apparently there were staff other than Maria who were excited by the recent developments. They exchanged conspiratorial glances with a smile before Georg nodded.
The two on them had decided earlier to refer to the opening of the ballroom in code, lest someone figure out what was going on too soon. For Georg, this type of talk was second nature; Frau Schmidt found the whole thing to be highly amusing, although she took her role in it very seriously. Both checked around the foyer to make sure no one was nearby, and they made their way to the double doors and let themselves in, quickly closing the doors behind them.
Georg squinted into the brightness of the room. The dust was gone, the terrace door windows had been cleaned, and the walls and chandeliers sparkled. The piano shone in the light from the window and the chairs had been placed around the room. It was as beautiful as he remembered. The curious part was how very little pain there was when he stood here.
He turned to look upon Frau Schmidt's face and found her smiling proudly at him. One might have thought it was as a result of her top-notch work in this room, transforming it back to its original beauty, but he knew better. She was proud of him for being here, for re-opening this room.
"We worked as quietly as possible – only myself and Andrea know about it. News travels in these parts. We didn't dare tell Franz! It would be known all across Salzburg within hours. Fortunately, he has been in town all day."
"Thank you, Frau Schmidt!" Georg replied. "For your hard work, and for keeping this to yourself. I would like to keep it a secret until we return from Innsbruck. You have both transformed it to its former glory. It's absolutely beautiful..."
His voice trailed off as he tried to regain his composure and Frau Schmidt came alongside and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Captain, you must be kind to yourself. It's not going to be easy, but you have done the hard part already. The rest will sort itself out. The children will be beside themselves – the younger ones will have no memory. You can make new memories, it will be all worthwhile, I promise. And sir, going to Innsbruck with the children will be wonderful for you all. I am so happy for you." Frau Schmidt said rather motherly.
Georg choked back the tears that were threatening to fall, his eyes welling up. This time, however, he was not sad from the pain of losing Agathe, he was sad because of the time he had lost with the children. He was also so thankful for Clara's unwavering support over the years. She had many an opportunity to tell him what she really thought about him and his behaviour (and then promptly submitting her resignation!). He still kicked himself for his terrible behaviour, shutting them out of his life had been wrong. But Maria reminded him regularly not to dwell on the past, and so he would not.
"You're right. Thank you again." He took a deep breath, puffing out his chest, and then releasing it. He straightened the buttons on his jacket and reached out and grasped her hands in his for a moment and he nodded.
"We best get out of here before we are discovered," Georg said with a wink.
"Of course! Oh, and Captain. Herr Detweiller informs me the puppets will be delivered the day after tomorrow, sometime after lunch. He doesn't know about Operation Mozart," Frau Schmidt said with a wide grin. "He asked repeatedly where we should put everything. Also, he told me to tell you that Fraulein Maria has been informed. You can discuss details with her re: when you want the children to go out and then when it is safe to return again".
Georg and Frau Schmidt had been safely out of the ballroom for a minute or two and were standing in the foyer when Elsa breezed in from the terrace with Max following along. Elsa ignored Frau Schmidt's presence as was typical for her, and clasped on to Georg's arm, slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow.
"Ah, Geooooowrg, just the man I was hoping to find! Max has just told me about a most lovely surprise!"
Georg scowled at Max. Had he told her about the puppet show?
Max shrugged, but also nodded his head 'no'; kind of a "yes, but no" response. To the untrained observer, no information had passed between the two men, but after spending years together, Georg knew that this surprise had nothing to do with the puppets.
Turning his attention to Elsa, she began steering him in the direction of the sitting room.
"Well, dahling. Max has found us tickets to opening night at Opera Salzburg next Saturday. Box seats! He really has outdone himself. Now listen, before you start worrying about the details, I have a plan. We can drive to Vienna in a day or so and spend some time there. You know, a weekend getaway? Of course, I will have to buy a new dress for the opera. I can't wear anything I have brought with me, it's all just too used. Shoes, too, dahling. Think of the lovely time we can have! A break from the children may be just what the doctor ordered," she said with a mischievous wink.
Georg's eyes widened and he returned his annoyed gaze to Max, wondering what nonsense he had put in her head. Max, of course, shrugged again, silently saying he had nothing to do with the plan. Georg paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully.
"I am afraid that's going to be quite impossible. You see, all of us, the entire family, will be off to Innsbruck for the weekend."
"Innsbruck, Georg? Whatever for?", Elsa replied aghast. She had a sense of where this was going, but she hoped with all her might that she was wrong.
"I just received a telegram from John. He and Bertie are going to be in Innsbruck this weekend and they invited us to the villa. I already replied to say we would all be there."
"All of us?" Elsa queried. "But Georg, you always send the children with Franz. Surely you can do the same this time? You don't want to go and waste time with your in-laws, this isn't like you!".
Georg was feeling saddened and slightly angered by her observations. Yes, that was how he used to feel, but things were different now. He wasn't sure he liked that she wanted to control his future by using his past as a weapon.
"That was before, Elsa. I don't want to live that way anymore.".
Max realized he was in the midst of an argument and so decided to back away slowly and he silently disappeared into the foyer. There would be nothing of significance that needed a chaperone for the foreseeable future.
Elsa was mentally kicking herself with Georg's revelations. She had encountered Gobertina Whitehead on several occasions in Vienna. She was known as "Bertie" to her closest friends, and Elsa knew very well that she would never fall into that category. Bertie was a force to be reckoned with, and she had made it quite clear on more than one occasion that she did not approve of Elsa as potential step-mother material. For instance, just over six months ago she ran into Bertie – much the way a snorting bull runs towards a matador with a red cape in Sevilla - at the Musikverein. That evening, Elsa was at Vienna's esteemed concert hall with some friends (while Georg was back in Salzburg attending to the hiring of another governess) when she encountered her. It got a rather ugly rather quickly, and once John finally stepped between them, the two women agreed to disagree and went their separate ways. Elsa was relieved that Georg had not been present, who knows what would have happened. Thankfully not a word was spoken about the encounter to Georg by his in-laws; as far as Georg was concerned, Elsa had never met Agathe's parents before.
Ultimately, Bertie would become her family when she married Georg, but it wasn't like Bertie was Georg's mother and she had to see her. Certainly, Elsa could send the children off to boarding school and they could visit their grandparents without her being an intimate part of the arrangement. Yes, she could manage this very well if she was careful.
This coming weekend, however, there was no way Elsa would endure the wrath of that woman without some insurance - like the insurance that accompanies a marriage proposal. Certainly, she was here in Salzburg on approval – Georg's via the children's approval. She did not need to deal with this nonsense until there was a ring on her finger. Thank goodness she had an excuse to go to Vienna on the weekend.
Georg was studying her features in the silence that hung between them. It was clear that she didn't want any part of his in-laws at this point. For a moment he felt like making a big deal out of this – how could she avoid her future family forever? If they got married, John and Bertie would become her family, too. But then he paused before opening his mouth when a thought struck him. Perhaps this was not the sort of thing he should be saying, because he was worried about what it would suggest. It could promise much too much before he was ready. Why go through all the trouble of introducing Elsa to his in-laws now, especially since Elsa was not interacting with the children the way he had hoped.
If he went to Innsbruck alone, well, with Maria and the children, there would be the added bonus of meeting with John personally. Elsa had no knowledge of the plans he had been working on, and there would be a direct benefit to the work of the allies if they were able to sit down and discuss what he found. Yes, this would be much more expedient than relying on secret code in telegrams to get the information across. Perhaps it would be better if Elsa did not join them this time.
Grasping her hand in his, Georg continued carefully.
"Listen, Elsa, I can see you are obviously uncomfortable with this, and I understand. Why don't you take Max to Vienna for a few days, unless he'd rather come with us. Get your dress and your shoes, get your dose of the city. We will all be back on Monday, and you can return then as well? Unfortunately, I need the car, so you will have to take the train if you don't wish to stay here at the villa."
Elsa was relieved. She had gotten out this way too easily. Normally she would have pouted her way into a ride with Georg all the way to Vienna, much like she had when she first arrived. Not today, however; she would not push her luck this time. Had he insisted on her coming along, she was certain that she was going to have to recount her bumpy history with Gobertina before she was ready, and then there would be a lot of explaining to do.
"Dahling, thank you for understanding. I will see if Max wishes to join me," she said as she looked around trying to spot Max. "If not, I am a big girl and I will return on my own to Vienna for a few days. I should check on my affairs while I am there anyway. Will you book me a first-class train compartment for tomorrow morning? I will go and give Martine a call right now and let her know that we can have a girls' weekend, hmm."
She kissed Georg on the cheek and made her way to the library to use the phone.
Why did Georg feel relieved with how this had all worked out? Almost like a weight had been lifted off his chest.
ooOoo
The Captain had been ignoring Maria for three straight days, but one would never know it today. He chatted with her and the children at the dinner table, and he had lively conversation with Max and Elsa. It was as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Was it the piano? The ballroom? The puppets? Maria could not be certain.
After the main course dishes had been removed and dessert was served, the Captain clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.
"Children, Gromi and Pappi sent us a telegram from Innsbruck today..." he said matter-of-factly.
All at once the children buzzed with excitement. Except Liesl. She looked sadly into her folded hands on her lap; she was still upset with Rolfe. Maria glared at Kurt and Marta who were talking amongst themselves, imploring them to be quiet. Maria studied the faces of the older children around the table and saw them smiling widely. They obviously held their grandparents in high regard.
The Baroness appeared disinterested, while Max seemed to share the enthusiasm of the children. Maria shushed them so that the Captain could continue.
"Pappi has asked us to come and visit them at the villa in Innsbruck this weekend, and so we will all be going to visit on Friday."
With this news, even Liesl perked up and displayed a wide smile.
"All of us, Father?" Kurt questioned?
"Even YOU, father?" Louisa asked.
"As a matter of fact, yes Louisa." the Captain replied.
All of the children began chatting animatedly together about their luck. The older children would recall that their father had not taken then to Innsbruck since Gretl was still in diapers. Maria felt a little pang of sadness at the idea that the Baroness, the children and the Captain would be leaving for a few days. However, she was relieved that the children would see their grandparents, and even better, that their father would be taking them. Maria thought of all the things she could do in her spare time; she could continue to work on her dress and perhaps get acquainted with the puppets before the children returned.
ooOoo
After dinner, everyone gathered in the drawing room and there was plentiful music and laughter. Uncle Max sang some silly sea shanties with the children, and Maria could not help but notice the Captain glaring at him during certain parts of the song. Maria had a pretty good idea why for Max had just sung this same song the other day without changing the words. The Captain had been mortified. Maria wasn't sure if it was the uncensored version of the song that had troubled him, or if it was the way Maria had giggled at the lyrics...
A priest in Austria thought one day.
Ho ho ho,
He'd go to France without delay.
Halla-ralla-ray, halla-ralla-rah.
He'd go to France without delay.
Halla-ralla-ray ho ho!
And when the father came to France
Ho ho etc.
'Twas seven sick nuns he found by chance.
Halla-ralla-ray...[4]
The Baroness did not make her way to the drawing room after dinner. Word had it that she was not going to Innsbruck, and instead would be travelling with Max to Vienna tomorrow morning on the 10am train. She had plans to visit some friends and shop for a dress to wear to the Opera next weekend. Consequently, she had to pack her little bags before morning.
"Ahhhh, the opera..." Maria sighed to herself. She would give her left leg to see the Magic Flute again before taking her vows. She had listened to the Captain's recording, had seen the Aicher puppet version of the opera, and helped to stage a version that was put on by students in teacher's college, but never had she been to a real opera.
Oh well, hopefully the Captain would tell her all about it after their opening night next weekend.
As Maria rounded up the children for bed, the Captain called to her as she made her way through the doorway into the foyer.
"Fraulein, would you mind if I helped with the children tonight?"
"Not at all Captain, I know they'd be delighted," she replied.
ooOoo
When the Captain and Maria had finally made it to Gretl and Marta's room, Marta reached up and hugged her father tightly around the neck.
"Oh, Father, I am so excited to see Gromi again!" she exclaimed.
Not to be outdone, Gretl piped up: "and Father, I can't wait for Gromi to meet Fraulein Maria. Gromi and Pappi are going to love her, but never, ever as much as we do!"
"Oh but Gretl, you will be going to visit your grandparents with your father, you won't need me," Maria exclaimed.
"Nonsense, Fraulein," the Captain piped up. "I didn't say anything about you coming with us at the dinner table because I thought it was obvious that you would be coming. Elsa will be heading to Vienna for a few days, and Max is going to be joining her - he has a meeting with the Philharmoniker's Konzertmeister about this year's Salzburg festival."
Maria nodded uncomfortably but didn't say anything further. Innsbruck was the last place she wanted to visit with the Captain and his family. However, there was no need to get into this discussion in front of the children.
After all the children had settled, Maria found herself walking alongside the captain down the hallway.
"Uh, Fraulein, do you have a few moments? I'd like to talk to you about this weekend; oh, and also about some special goats," he said with a wink.
ooOoo
Georg shook the ice cubes in the bottom of his glass while staring off into the empty fireplace. It was warm tonight, so there was obviously no need for a fire. However, he found himself longing for a cooler fall evening with a fire roaring in the fireplace, his sock feet draped over the edge of his sofa, chatting with Maria. Ah, but Maria would be back at the abbey in the fall, he thought with a grimace. All at once he was feeling rather overwhelmed and a constricted feeling settled in, so he massaged his tie and loosened the knot before pulling it over his head.
Maria had not stayed long after he asked her to chat, and he found her behaviour confusing. Undoubtedly, he deserved any payback she wished to issue after the way he had treated her the past few days, but that wasn't usually how Maria operated. She talked animatedly about the puppets and the ballroom, but seemed reserved when he talked about going to Innsbruck with him and the children. She even tried to convince him that he would be better off without her. She wondered aloud how he would explain her presence to his in-laws when he was courting the Baroness who would not even be joining them? Georg repeatedly reassured her, but he was struck with the sense that she was not happy about being asked to go on this trip. Maria waved away his concerns, explaining that she would just feel out of place visiting their family when she, herself, was not related.
How could he go to visit John and Bertie without her? Did she not realize that she was the reason he had made it this far? She was his strength when moments of grief and uncertainty came upon him. She didn't seem to appreciate how important she was, so he wasted no time in reminding her. She seemed to soften when she realized that he had wanted her there for support. Georg was appreciative of her agreeing to come and stand by him; the last time he had visited Innsbruck with the children, he felt the Nordkette starting to crumble beneath him. With Maria nearby, things would be okay. More than okay.
His musings were interrupted by a knock at the door and his heart began to race. Perhaps she had returned? Imploring the person knocking to come in, he was disappointed to see Max strolling in with two glasses and a half-empty bottle of Courvoisier.
Looking up at the door without moving his head, Georg scoffed: "So, that is where that bottle went to!"
"Oh, Georg, certainly that is no way to greet me when I come bearing gifts! Delicious, smooth, velvety, life-giving gifts?"
Max perched on the edge of the chair in front of Georg's desk and set the two glasses down and he poured the amber liquid into each one. He picked up one and handed it to Georg and they clinked glasses with an unspoken cheers before they both had a taste.
"I bet you are wondering why I am here with a bottle of cognac, hmm?" Max asked.
"Because it's a good excuse to drink it, Max?" Georg replied.
"I had thought of that!" Max said with a laugh.
"Actually, I came to catch up on a few things related to the puppets, the opera, and your trip this weekend."
"Indeed, Max. I rather suspect you have come to see what intelligence you can gather, but fire away!" Georg replied.
Max pursed his lips and smiled cynically at Georg.
"As I'm sure you have heard from Frau Schmidt, Anton is arranging to bring the puppets the day-after-tomorrow around 1:30. Fraulein Maria will make sure the children are off the grounds doing something becoming of the children of a Naval hero. No marching about the grounds breathing deeply! They need to be scarce! I still need to confirm with Anton's men where they should put it all when they arrive. It's going to be hard to hide this from the children in plain sight, you know".
"Simple," Georg gruffed. "The puppet show stage and the puppets will go in the ballroom; you can talk to Frau Schm..."
"What?" Max exclaimed.
"Back up the sub for a minute, Captain, what did you just say? Did you say the puppets are going into the ballroom? Surely, you're mistaken. What have you done with my Captain?" he asked dumbfounded.
"Yes, you heard me right. The ballroom." Georg replied.
"But when? But how?"
"Max, I don't think I have ever seen you this at a loss for words," Georg said with a hearty laugh. "Last night after you and Elsa turned in, I found myself looking at the doors to the ballroom. I willed up enough strength to open them and I made my way in. Simple as that. I will admit that it was not easy, but after having lost so much of the heavy feeling in my chest when I think of Agathe - I left that at the cemetery last week - I pushed on."
"Fraulein Maria helped you, didn't she? She asked you to open the ballroom for the puppets?" Max inquired.
"Au contraire, Max. She did not. As it turned out, she was outside walking the grounds last night after the children went to bed and was nowhere nearby when I managed this. This, I did for myself. I had to dig deep inside to find the courage that I needed to face that room and its memories...but it's done now."
With a faraway look on his face as he recalled the emotions he felt last night, Georg continued.
"I turned on the lights, dusted off the chandeliers, and opened up the piano bench. And after all these years, what did I find? I found reams and reams of sheet music. I selected something randomly and then managed to plunk out some Mozart and got reacquainted with our Liszt. Maria arrived much later; she had followed the sound of the piano from the terrace. Interestingly, she suspected she would find you at the piano. She was right: you are found in almost as many wrong places as she is! Anyway, that is when the topic of Anton's puppets came up."
Max sat back taking all of this news in! How did he not know any of this until now. He was losing his touch! Stroking his moustache, he pushed on in his inquisition.
"So, the ballroom is no longer off-limits? Elsa will be thrilled to see it..."
Shaking his head, Georg interrupted him.
"Max, this is not about Elsa. This is about my children. I have missed many birthdays and four Christmases. It's about time I surprised them with something good. Frau Schmidt and Andrea cleaned it up today. Top secret. No one is to know until we return from Innsbruck."
"Wonderful, wonderful!" Max said with a smile. "Ah, Georg. As much as I hate being the last to know, I am so pleased for you. I have told Elsa how incredible it is to have you back – the real you. I don't know if it was the passage of time, or if it is whatever Fraulein Maria says to you...I guess there's something to be said about good things happening when God mixes with man – or a spritely governess from the abbey! That one has certainly worked her magic on an old sailor."
The two men chatted for a while about the ballroom and the wonderful times they had shared there. Georg found that he now enjoyed talking about memories of Agathe, they no longer cut him like a knife like they once did. Max promised not to speak a word about the puppets or the ballroom, not even to Elsa while they travelled.
"Speaking of travelling, Georg." Max continued. "Of course, Elsa is looking forward to some dress shopping in advance of the opera next weekend, although I know she was deeply disappointed that you would not be joining her. However, I think it worked out well for you both. She was not prepared to meet your in-laws without any 'reassurance', if you know what I am saying..."
Georg met Max's pressing with a scowl. Max didn't dare continue that line of discussion, instead, he quickly and expertly changed the topic of conversation.
"Anyway, I digress... I wanted to discuss an idea I have about opening night at the opera next weekend with you."
"You're disappointed you're not going? Or perhaps you plan on poaching some talent from the opera orchestra, Max?" Georg said with a chuckle.
"No, no. Even better. Reinhardt has tickets to the box, as you know. But of course, a box has six seats. He has the one for himself and has no lovely ladies lined up as dates for this weekend, so he gave me the remaining five. Obviously, I passed two onto Elsa for you and for her, but I wanted your permission to distribute the remaining at my leisure."
"Of course, Max, who am I to dictate how you share tickets that were gifted to you? Although, it may be fun to invite Sacha and Sol, just to see the sparks fly?" Georg looked over the rim of his glass at Max, intrigued at where this was going. He was secretly hoping that Maria was in the cards, especially since the Magic Flute was her favorite opera.
"I'd like to take Fraulein Maria and Liesl as my dates. One on each arm!" Max said triumphantly.
Georg giggled out loud.
"Of course, you do, Max! Who but Max Detweiller would be found on the arms of two beautiful, young women at opening night. This will do wonders for your career, I am sure."
Did he just call Fraulein Maria beautiful?
"You are ok with this, then?" Max inquired.
"Well, I am a little in denial that my baby girl is old enough to attend the opera as someone's date, but at least it's your date. I won't have to worry about you the way that I would if it was that boy-Nazi was taking her out."
"My, my!" Max crowed. "I do love having this old Captain back again. Hardly disagreeable at all. Had I asked this of you a month ago, I am sure you'd have me court martialed! Since you're so agreeable, you should know that I do have plans...Reinhardt is just dying to meet Fraulein Maria the 'singing nun', but I know she, too, will go gaga when she meets the other Max. We have talked at length about him since we first met."
Georg looked at his friend suspiciously but chose not to say anything about this revelation. Surely, the idea of Max managing Maria's signing career made him ill, but perhaps that was better than locking herself up in the abbey? Whenever he thought of Maria returning there in the fall, he felt so completely unsettled.
"Listen, Georg, I don't want to burden you with my crazy plans. If you pass me a few schillings, I will arrange to take Liesl and Maria into town and get themselves new dresses once you get back from Innsbruck..."
"Ah, ah, ah! Max. I know you weaseled the tickets off of Reinhardt, but if there's going to be new dresses, I feel that I should get a little piece of the pie. This is my baby girl we are talking about. I think the last time she went dress shopping was with her mother and her grandmother in Paris." Georg was trapped in a memory, but it made him smile. Max just looked on and waited patiently for Georg to return to the present.
Sure enough, Georg shook himself back to the present and continued.
"I will arrange to send Fraulein Maria and Liesl off Frau Heineman's as soon as we are back – between the two of them, they will be all set for their evening out. I have a strange feeling that Elsa will not be impressed that the box just got smaller, but if we sell it like you have presented it –they are your dates – there is not a lot for her to say. I am sure she will be so focused on herself and how lovely she looks that she won't worry too much about this. But, maybe don't tell Elsa about our plans until closer to Saturday, hmm?"
Max twirled his moustache with great interest before replying. It was something else to hear Georg talk about Maria's first operatic experience being more important than Elsa's level of comfort. Very, very interesting...
"Indeed, Georg. I do think it will make those two young ladies completely happy. Liesl will come to see that you are treating her as a young adult, and I daresay Fraulein Maria will be beside herself. Truly, that one deserves the outing as a thank you for all the positive changes she has made in this house. And in you. Besides, there's not much time before she returns to the Abbey in the fall."
At once the wind was knocked out of Georg's sails. Again.
"The Abbey in the fall".
Why did those words hurt so much?
ooooOoooo
[1] The absentee pennant is a special pennant flown on a ship to indicate the absence of a commanding officer, admiral, chief-of-staff, or an officer whose flag is still flying.
[2] Max Reinhardt's palace as noted here is Schloss Leopoldskron, the SOM movie setting for the 'rear' of the house, along the lake shore. Reinhardt purchased the dilapidated palace in 1918 and spent twenty years renovating it. Once complete, Max used it to host his theatrical productions - patrons would move from room-to-room. The palace was also a gathering place for thespians, composers, and artists in the pre-war period. During the war, the property was taken over by the Nazis and Reinhardt fled to America to work in Hollywood. He died in America before the end of the war in 1943. It was fun and interesting to have these two people and two places (real and fiction!) intersecting in this story.
[3] Of course, Julie Andrews sang the British national anthem for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1948 at the tender age of 13.
[4] This is, indeed, a naughty sea shanty and not at all 'woke', if you know what I mean ;) If you want to know how it ends, you can Google it. Don't say I didn't warn you hahaha (Don't do it if you're Catholic, you will have to go to Confession!)
