When The Lord Closes a Door

Chapter 1

Georg von Trapp placed his hat on his head and turned up the collar of his coat then headed outside. It was a cold January morning and he was busy running several errands in town after being away on his honeymoon for the better part of two months.

He felt exhausted as the last few months had been like a circus. As soon as their engagement had been announced, Elsa went into wedding planning mode – nothing but the best and finest for their wedding. From Paris couture to Viennese string quartets, the largest reception hall that could be booked in Salzburg, elegant china and silverware, crystal glassware and the most expensive Champagne from France – everything that could be bought or brought in for the wedding was.

The only rest Georg got from the horrid wedding planning was in the form of comic relief from Max who was constantly delighting in seeing Georg squirm under the excessiveness of the wedding preparations. Max, of course, was thrilled that Georg and Elsa were marrying – he really was pleased that they were keeping all their lovely money in the family for him to sponge off.

And if Georg had thought the insane lead up to the extravagant wedding was terrible, the exorbitant honeymoon was worse. While Georg might have preferred to stay in a quiet hotel relaxing getting to know his new wife better, Elsa had other ideas. Originally she had wanted to take a lavish trip around the world but Georg had been anxious about not going too far away from the children considering the increasing German threat. Although Elsa had laughed it off saying that it still might be years before anything happened in Austria, Georg was not willing to take the risk.

Therefore they had agreed to honeymoon just around Europe instead. Everywhere from the Greek isles to the canals of Venice to the south of France they went. The only place Georg insisted they didn't go to was Paris. Too many memories of his previous honeymoon with Agathe there and although Elsa said she understood, Georg could sense a hint of resentment. It was an interesting honeymoon, completely different to his one with Agathe, although Georg tried not to make the comparison. Elsa seemed almost completely disinterested in spending time alone with Georg in their hotel rooms. Instead, she wanted to visit all the monuments and galleries and go to as many parties and soirees as possible showing Georg off to the vast array of friends and associates she had all over Europe.

To be honest, Georg found it all a bit wearisome but Elsa was happy making herself at home in all the glittering salons, gossiping gaily with bores he detested and soaking herself in champagne. He supposed he knew what he was getting himself in for by marrying Elsa and he was not altogether unhappy, but he probably wasn't that happy either. But at least by pretending to be madly active suggested he had a life filled with purpose but in truth, he felt a little lost.

Georg assumed that Elsa would have wanted a full marriage, not just have a trophy husband to hang off at various society events but yet she hadn't seemed interested in that side of things. Georg had welcomed Elsa into his bed on their wedding night and he'd found her to be a pleasant and experienced lover yet there seemed to be something lacking between them. There was none of the hot, lust-filled passion that he'd experienced during his first marriage however Elsa did make their time together in bed quite enjoyable. Elsa had even expressed her delight after finally getting to make love to Georg following their long courtship and his imposed abstinence between them.

So naturally, now being married, Georg had expected their time together in bed would continue once they'd arrived in Greece but Elsa had surprised him by arranging a second adjoining suite at the hotel. She explained that she thought that they'd enjoy each other's company more by having their own space.

At first Georg was a little put out by the attitude of his new wife but after a while he came to enjoy the solitude and time apart, especially after the numerous parties Elsa dragged him too plus it had the added bonus that he didn't have to put up with her endless smoking.

But it also meant that the times that Elsa did change her mind and invite herself back into Georg's bed seem a little awkward and contrived. He'd kiss and touch her and do all the things that a husband was expected to do to a wife during lovemaking but it felt a little empty. Georg began to find that the woman in his arms was not the woman he dreamed of. After a few weeks, he began to wake up night after night in a sweat and completely aroused after dreaming of a woman with strawberry blond hair and dazzling blue eyes.

Of course Georg felt as guilty as hell over it. He knew that Maria was gone for good; returned to the abbey and now a nun and he was married to someone else. But yet, he couldn't shake the feeling of regret, the feeling that he should have at least tried to go after her to find out why she'd left and if she had felt something towards him too. But he had made his decision all those months ago to move on from her and that's what he intended on doing.

So Georg tried as hard as he could to put Maria as far from his mind as possible. It was a little easier while they were away, but as soon as they began their return to Salzburg, it became more difficult where memories of her filled his mind. Seeing the top of the red dome of Nonnberg Abbey in the distance as they drove back into Salzburg made Georg wonder what Maria was up to. Of course he knew she had returned to the abbey and was now a nun: a bride of Christ and married to the church. He wondered what she looked like dressed in her nun's habit and he thought to himself that it was a terrible shame that her beautiful golden locks were now hidden under her wimple, not to mention how her energetic spirt would have now been tamed under the strict discipline of the convent.

Despite his mind constantly wondering what Maria was doing now they were back in Salzburg, Georg was happy to be home. However, Elsa wasn't as pleased to have returned from their honeymoon so soon. Just over six weeks was not nearly enough time away in her book but Georg had insisted that they return to the children before Christmas. He had never spent a Christmas away from his children since Agathe had died and he wasn't going to start missing Christmas's now.

The children were overjoyed to see him after his long trip away, but were less so enthusiastic to welcome their new stepmother to the villa. A few pranks were played on Elsa during the first couple of days of their return until Georg put a stop to all their mischief. During Christmas time although the children seemed a lot happier than when Georg had first announced his engagement, it was obvious that they still missed their former governess terribly and her absence was felt by everyone (apart from Elsa, that is). So along with dealing with the children's pranks, his unrelenting dreams of Maria and the awkwardness of Elsa settling into her new role as stepmother, Georg was almost thankful once school started back and the children were out of his hair so he could resume his normal life again.

So there he was in Salzburg on a cold January morning running errands in town. He'd just finished a business meeting and was about to head across town to pick up some fabrics for Elsa so she could take them to her dressmaker to make a new ball gown for her latest party. As he crossed over the street, he spied one of his favourite pastry shops and glancing at his watch, Georg calculated that he would have just enough time to pop in for a quick coffee and a strudel before his next appointment.

As he reached the door, a car drove quickly past and splashed water up onto the sidewalk. Georg hastily stepped to the side to avoid the spray but in doing so, he walked straight into the path of someone coming out of the pastry shop. At once the woman dropped the bundle of packages she'd been carrying.

"Oh, I beg your pardon, Fraulein," Georg began as he bent down to help pick up her things. "I do apologize."

"It's quite alright, sir," the woman replied as Georg was standing back up. "I wasn't looking where I was go-..."

All of a sudden, the woman let out a loud gasp. "Captain von Trapp!"

A/N: Thanks everyone for your reviews. I really appreciate it. Please R&R!