Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen,
Tod und Verzweiflung flammet um mich her! [1]
-the Queen of the Night, Mozart K.620
Maria could not believe her luck! Just two days ago she was stuck in the pouring rain on her mountain feeling terribly sorry for herself (moments before being rescued by her Captain, of course), and today she was being fitted for a dress to go to the opera!
Both Maria and Liesl were standing atop Frau Heineman's risers, her staff busy measuring the two of them with their ribbons and tapes. Since the opera was happening this weekend, there wasn't time to sew a dress from scratch; however, there were so many beautiful options in the store that they could easily alter for the occasion.
"So, my dear Maria," Frau Heineman inquired. "Is this your first trip to the opera; and you, too Liesl?"
"Indeed!" they both replied excitedly.
"Well," Fraulein Kemp exclaimed with a smile, lifting her head after measuring the length of Liesl's inseam. "I can't imagine a more lovely outing than the opera; and I do declare that Herr Detweiller is the luckiest man in Salzburg if he will be having two beautiful ladies on his arm for the evening!"
Giggles filled the back room of the dress shop as all of the ladies imagined the wide grin on Max Detweiller's face as he entered the great hall of the Landestheater flanked by Maria on one side and Liesl on the other.
"Liesl," Frau Heineman whistled with ball-point pins clasped between her front teeth. She carefully placed them in the ribbon wrapped around Liesl's waist before continuing. "I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you are truly the spitting image of your mother when I first met her. I remember the day your father brought her into this store all those years ago; we all knew who he was, of course, the great captain...but none of us knew heads-or-tails of the beautiful daughter of Lady Gobertina Whitehead! Oh, she was such a lovely woman and was one of my best customers for many years."
Liesl turned to Maria, smiling widely, but her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. Maria reached out across the space between them before grasping Liesl's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. Maria for her part was so happy for Liesl. Finally, she was able to remember her mother openly, and her father was beginning to treat her like the young woman she was.
"Frau Heineman," Liesl said with a small smile. "I remember my mother wearing a navy-blue dress with a red bow that she bought here not too many years ago - I think I was twelve, then. It was almost nautical and I remember Father adored it. I would really like to find something similar to that if you have one?"
Frau Heineman smiled at Fraulein Kemp with a conspiratorial glance.
"Oh, dear Liesl," Fraulein Kemp replied. "I think I know of just the thing!"
Once their measurements had been taken, the seamstresses guided Maria and Liesl throughout the store to show them what they had on the racks that would fit them best. Fraulein Kemp had a few ideas to hopefully make Liesl happy, but for Maria, the choices were endless. Everywhere she looked there was beautiful taffeta and silk, billowing fabric, crinolines, cinched waists with wide sashes, large buttons, corsets, and floor length gowns. Many of the choices were just too "big" for the opera, and definitely too flashy for Maria.
What did one wear to the opera, anyway? Maria wondered to herself. She had no idea where to begin! The closest she had been to the opera was the grounds outside of the Musikverein or the Staatsoper on hot summer evenings in Vienna when the doors were propped open in an attempt to force in a breeze.
Just as she was about to open her mouth to ask Frau Heineman for her advice, Maria came face-to-face with the dress.
It was aubergine: deep and mysterious. Bias cut broadcloth created a flowing, yet modest skirt that would just reach her ankle. The top of the dress was designed with two broad organdy sashes that crisscrossed in the middle before cresting over the shoulders to create the illusion of a sleeveless dress. It was understated, but still elegant.
Maria ran the fabric through her fingers and sighed audibly.
"Ah Fraulein," Frau Heineman called out. "I think you have found the one, no? It's perfect for the opera: clean and fine-lined, but not too flashy or gaudy. Understated elegance, my dear. You won't feel out of place in that. Besides, it won't take much work to make that fit you, and it's stunning! We drew that one up just last week, bias cut, clingy yet flowy: it's inspired by the work of Frau Madeleine Vionnet. I can't wait to see it on you..."
Frau Heineman's voice tapered off as she bee-lined towards the change closet carrying the purple dress, obviously expecting Maria to follow as eagerly as she was leading. Maria just nodded dreamily. She still could not imagine that she, a postulant-on-loan-to a sea captain, would be wearing French-inspired couture. Maria suspected that Baroness Schraeder must have had some of her designs in her closet since the woman was a walking fashion magazine.
Nevertheless, whatever or whoever Vionnet was, her dress was absolutely beautiful, and Maria could not believe it was going to be hers.
All thanks to her Captain. Um. THE Captain, she thought with a shake of her head.
"Let's try this one for size, shall we?" Frau Heineman called over her shoulder, directing Maria to the curtained change area in the back of the shop with her head. As they passed by Liesl and Fraulein Kemp, Maria noted a dreamy look in Liesl's eyes as she appeared to settle on a navy-blue knee-high dress with drop sleeves and lace trim, the entire ensemble decorated with a small red bow on the neckline. It was a perfect choice for a young woman and Maria knew that the Captain would approve. It was definitely nautical - what fault could he possibly find in this outfit, other than he would see for himself that his daughter was practically a woman?
Frau Heineman shuffled Maria and her dress into the change closet before drawing the curtain.
"Maria, dear," she called. "You put that on and when you're ready, come out and we will measure you for alterations. We should be able to have these fixed up by the end of day tomorrow!"
Maria peeled off her sensible, orange-striped dress, the one that she loved so much because it played so well with her hair colour.
"Oh, if Sister Berthe could hear the thoughts of vanity rattling around in my head right now, she would have me kissing the floor for days!" Maria thought to herself.
There was no mirror in the closet, so the dress would be a surprise, apart from what Maria could see from her point-of-view, of course. She carefully stepped into the dress and pulled the top over her shoulders. The fabric seemed silky and cold, and Maria felt goosebumps emerge against the dress where it lay on her shoulders. She bent her arms awkwardly behind her back, her middle finger and thumb grasping at the zipper which she managed to pull up far enough that she could reach over her shoulders to complete the task. She swung her hips back and forth, relishing the feeling of the dress as it brushed against her legs. This bias cut was an incredible design idea - it seemed to move with her, and did not hang straight as a board. It was remarkable, really, all she had to do was turn the fabric on an angle and the whole design changed! Maria decided that she would have to see if she could make some changes to the design of her new blue dress - the one she was ready to cut out as soon as she had a moment of free time.
A few moments later, both Liesl and Maria emerged from the change closets and they both paused to look at each other. Huge smiles graced their faces and they immediately rushed to hug each other before they positioned themselves in front of the mirrors, returning to their risers to finalize alterations. Frau Heineman and Fraulein Kemp ooo'd and aaah'd at their choices. Maria on her part was speechless.
Who was this woman in the mirror?
She was overwhelmed with so many feelings as she admired her dress: while she felt somewhat undeserving, she also felt proud - with a hefty dose of vanity, of course - but she refused to feel guilty for it. The Captain himself, told her that she was to enjoy her last months in the outside world, and she had decided to embrace his advice whole-heartedly. Maria had only felt like this once before in her life, and coincidentally, it just the other morning when she had donned Bertie's riding clothes - the quality was an absolute gift, and the way the dress made her feel was even more exhilarating!
Maria turned to Liesl to see her beaming face looking right back at her. Her aquamarine blue eyes dancing with excitement. The two of them could not wait until Saturday. With Maria and Liesl on his arms, Uncle Max was in for the night of his life!
[Little did Maria realize that the Captain would be in for an awakening of his own ;) ]
Closing the closet door with much more force than she intended, Elsa sat heavily on her chair at the dressing table, knocking her knee against the leg. Cursing under her breath, she reached down to rub out the bruise that would no doubt appear on her knee by morning. She opened the lid of the cold cream before applying to her face, gently rubbing away the day as she removed her make-up.
"Oh, that damn governess...", Elsa groaned at her reflection as she tossed down her washcloth in frustration, She began to remove the pins that held up her hair, and as she popped them from their place, she shook out her golden locks. Running her fingers through her hair, Elsa critically appraised her look when it was untamed. She hated to wear her hair down, even for sleeping; it was so...so undignified! She deftly swept her hair into bun before wrapping her silk nightcap around it.
Sitting back in her chair, Elsa tried to push away these nagging feelings about everything...but mostly the damn governess.
After her return from Vienna, it had not taken long to realize that she had grossly miscalculated by not taking the trip to Innsbruck with Georg, the children, and the little governess.
Gobertina Whitehead or no Gobertina Whitehead!
Something had happened. Something had changed, and Elsa did not like it one bit!
Georg had returned from his trip fresh and relaxed. Elsa had expected to return to find a dark and brooding Georg, one she knew well and had the skills to manage. But this Georg? She could not figure him out! The man was an enigma!
The day they all had returned together from Vienna almost three weeks ago, she immediately noticed that something was different about him here at home. It was like a switch was pulled and Viennese salon Georg turned into a more subdued - but never completely relaxed - version of himself. It was almost as though the edge of a knife had become dull...it still could cut, but it wasn't as precise somehow.
Of course, Georg was as dreamy as ever, but his temperament was something she had never encountered before.
Initially, Elsa supposed that the changes in Georg were simply the result of being back in Aigen: the countryside, the lake, and wind that blew through the trees. However, the longer they spent time together in this place, it became more apparent that she had something to do with it.
The damn governess...
After his big blow-up with the governess that day, things started to change even further. All of a sudden, Georg became a family man! Imagine, in all the months they had mingled and spent together, never once did Elsa fear that she would have to share Georg Von Trapp with his children! Back in those golden days, Georg only returned home when he had to find the children a new governess or if he had to work on important business affairs. He rarely spoke about them unless she questioned him directly.
The damn governess...
Lord knows what Fraulein Maria said to the man in their tête-à-tête that could change his ways so drastically; and what was worse, Georg would not speak of what was said between them. Was he hiding something? Why did he listen to her when Georg Von Trapp was notorious for listening to no one. Captain Von Trapp was always in command of his realm, and he only relinquished power if it was a very good reason. Fraulein Maria was hardly a good reason.
Whatever pull the little governess had over Georg was foreign and entirely nauseating. She encouraged him. She mentored him. She supported him. She reached him in ways Elsa had not been able to after almost two years. Of course, Elsa never once encouraged Georg to reconnect with his children, so perhaps that had something to do with it. But Viennese Salon Georg would never speak of his children, let alone rough house and play football with them!
And dammit, now that they had returned from Innsbruck, it was much, much worse!
There was a new spark, an energy of sorts that crackled between him and the little governess. Elsa could sense it, but she could not put a finger on what it was. It was not the same the collegial relationship Georg had shared with the little nun before they travelled to Innsbruck.
Good Lord! It was not sexual tension by any means! A wannabe nun would be the last person to fall into bed with Georg, and he'd never lower himself to the point where he'd willingly initiate something like that with the Help! Besides, since Gobertina Whitehead would have been hovering around them all weekend, how much trouble could they have gotten into?
Elsa sighed as she rose from her chair and wandered over to the window. She looked over the lake for a brief moment before closing the curtains on the night.
"It's probably nothing more than a passing fancy; he is a man of honour and he would feel compelled to show gratitude for everything she has done for him and the children!" she said out loud to her empty bedroom.
Of course, none of this would not last, whatever it was; not when had Elsa Schraeder on his arm!
Pushing back the covers, Elsa could still not shake these nagging thoughts. Plunking herself down on the side of the bed, she lifted her legs onto the mattress, pulling the bedding up over her chest as she nestled into the down pillow. This time she spoke directly to the ceiling.
"I think...well... it's almost as if the two of them have returned to Salzburg with a renewed sense of family. It's so disgustingly saccharine! At the dinner table tonight, Georg was even more involved with the children than usual, and he and the governess routinely exchanged glances that had not existed before. And what was worse, each silently understood the meaning of them!".
The emotional "baggage" from Innsbruck, if you were to call it that that, also bothered Elsa. Brooding Widower Georg would have been so much easier to deal with. She expected to find a partially broken man who would need help processing the sad pieces of his past life, and she was prepared to do that. She had done it many times before. However, as soon as she pecked him on the cheek at the train station, she realized the brooding widower was nowhere to be found. He seemed to stand taller, more confident somehow. How could this happen after the poor man had spent almost 72 hours with Gobertina Whitehead?
In the car on the way home from the Banhoff, Georg didn't speak much about their trip, other than the usual pleasantries friends would share about the long drive...that fact that his in-laws were well, and that the children had a lovely visit with their grandparents. At the time, Elsa tried to convince herself it was because Georg didn't want to relive the emotional time spent in Agatha's home; but there was absolutely no trauma!
Elsa didn't ask any of the children directly about their trip, either, but she had heard snippets from their conversations about Norbert, Randall and Frau Wilten...whoever the hell they were! Apparently, the little nun got lost in the rain...? Not a big surprise there, she was helpless in so many ways! Elsa overheard the little ones saying that Gobertina Whitehead had adored the governess and John had even taken her horseback riding!
What kind of nonsense went on in Innsbruck? Imagine, the Help cavorting with a nobleman and a countess?
Tucking the pillow under her head as she turned onto her side, Elsa willed thoughts of Innsbruck away and decided to focus on the real problem at hand. After all, Elsa didn't have a maternal bond in her body, so she would happily let the little nun deal with the children and their grandparents. Elsa was much more concerned about the opera on Saturday; she faced a conundrum, and Max was entirely to blame!
What she thought would be a lovely evening with just her and Georg had turned into a veritable circus side show! Just this morning, she learned from Georg that Fraulein Maria and Liesl would be attending the production on Satruday night as Max's dates. When confronted, Max, of course, waved Elsa's complaints away, reminding her that the box was big enough for her and Georg to tuck themselves away in the corner. Max convinced her that Elsa Schraeder would surely draw attention from everyone in Salzburg when spotted sitting in the box with Max Reinhardt and the great Captain Von Trapp; no one would bother with a young girl and her governess.
She supposed it wouldn't be so bad if she was certain she would still be the centre of attention, even if it meant the little governess and Georg's daughter had to be waiting in the wings. Like Max said, it's not like anyone would notice them.
Well, at this point there was no use worrying about Max and his sad excuse for a date. She knew she could not change Georg's mind!
There was a silver lining, however, in all of her gross miscalculations and complications. While she was away, the ballroom had been miraculously opened for the children and boxes of marionettes. Another of the changes the governess had managed, but at least this one Elsa had approved of. After months of inquiries from across the country in her own ballroom in Vienna, Georg had always brushed her requests away to host a party, reminding her that some rooms were simply not to be disturbed. Apparently something had been in the works between Max, the governess and Georg well before she left for Vienna last week.
Why was she the last to know everything these days?
Nonetheless, the room was as exquisite as she had imagined - she had heard tales about the parties Georg and Agathe had hosted many years ago. They were renowned all the way across the country! Elsa certainly appreciated the exquisite canvas upon which to host a little soirée and to finally get to know Georg's friends and colleagues here in Salzburg. Once the opera had come and gone, she'd have to start working on that.
Max for his part had been called an ostrich on many occasions. He stuck his head in the sand and only saw the things he wanted to see! However, he truly loved to watch a circus side show; after all, entertainment was in his blood! Little did he know that his invitation to Fraulein Maria and Liesl could have sent Elsa into such a tail spin. Oh, but what a show!
Max had revelled in the responses of the two young ladies, both somewhat beside themselves with excitement to be his date on Saturday at the opera. Liesl was excited to finally be treated like a young lady by her father. Maria was excited for the music and at the prospects of meeting Max Reinhardt, and of course, Max Detweiller was excited at the prospect of Maria meeting Max Reinhardt! When Max heard her singing with the children in the garden, he heard dollar signs! Surely Max would see the same thing. The Festival was approaching, and perhaps they could steal the show with a performance by the singing nun!
Oh, it was going to be a very good night!
Max suspected his old friend Georg was also looking forward to the opera, too, but not for the traditional reasons like having Elsa on his arm or enjoying the production, and certainly NOT because Max Reinhardt was in attendance. Max suspected Georg was relishing the fact that he was able to make experiences for Fraulein Maria, or something like that. Just last night, Georg had told him of his determination to help Fraulein Maria live her best life before returning to the Abbey in the fall. It turns out the old fool was a sentimental softie after all. Of course, Georg brushed it off and said it was out of gratitude for all she had done for him and the children, but ol' Maxie knew better. All those weeks ago in the hotel, drunk Georg had expressed his desire for the little governess; since they had all returned to the villa and Fraulein Maria had put the Captain on a new course, he could sense a close friendship was being forged between the two.
The changes had not gone unnoticed by Elsa, although she initially thought that the changes in Georg were simply the result of being back in Aigen. However, the longer they all spent time together in this place, it became more apparent that Maria was the puppeteer. Fraulein Maria and Georg had developed quite the working partnership, for lack of a better word. It was hardly romantic, but in some ways, Georg was emotionally closer to Maria than to Elsa.
Back in Vienna in those early days when Georg barely knew the woman, it was evident even then that he was taken by her. Despite his anger with the little Fraulein whenever he spoke about the her impertinence, Max noticed how his eyes would shine. He had been angry with how she had challenged him at every turn, and how terribly irritating, brash, and unrefined she was. Poor old Georg! It was so clear that he loved every minute of it! Most women would grovel at the feet of Captain Von Trapp, but not this one!
And of course, drunk Georg had spilled the beans in his hotel room about how unconventionally gorgeous she was - that she had legs that went on forever! In retrospect, all of Georg's assessments were dead on. The man always did have a wicked eye for the nice ladies.
Ever since Georg, Maria, and the children had returned from Innsbruck, even ostrich Max noticed something different between them. There was a new energy somehow; their relationship had changed in only a few days. Georg's grand rescue in the rain may have had something to do with it, but Max could not get too many details out of the man.
What was going on with his old friend? Max wondered.
Max's assessment was that they were extra collegial and family-like. Almost as though they moved through the day as a couple that had been together for years. At the dinner table, one would finish the other's sentence and they would share glances that didn't exist a week ago. Of course, he chocked it up the fact that he had not seen them for a few days, but Elsa expressed that she had seen it, too. There was something there, and it clearly had Elsa's knickers in a knot. On his part, Max had unwittingly (or purposefully, he thought with a grin) added fuel to Elsa's fire. The fact that the little Fraulein would be in Elsa's box at the opera at the very time when Maria had somehow grown closer to the old man meant that Max had walked headlong into the wrath of Baroness Elsa Schraeder.
Elsa, upon her return, was clearly blindsided and just a wee bit furious! But, what did ol' Maxie care? It just added to the drama, and oh, how he loved drama!
Max had been sitting on the terrace enjoying a gin and tonic when Elsa swept out the back terrace door, a facial expression so foul it could have easily eclipsed that of the Queen of the Night [1, herself.
"Maximillian Gerard Bernhard Detweiller, I must have a word with you. Actually, I have many words for you and you will listen to them and then make these...these pests vanish before Saturday!" Elsa exclaimed, venom dripping from her words.
Max sat back in his patio chair, a wide smile gracing his features while he stroked his moustache with glee. Oh how he loved drama!
"Are you even listening, Max?" Elsa exclaimed. "I leave for a few days for Vienna, only to return and be informed by Georg's that his children and Fraulein Maria are attending the opera in my box as your dates? You have got to be kidding me?"
"Elsa, Elsa, Elsa..." Max replied. "It's one child, actually, and she's practically a lady. If I didn't know better, I would say that you are a teensy-eensy bit jealous of ol' Maxie's luck. I will have two of Salzburg's most beautiful ladies on my arm on Saturday - you, of course, are still number 1. What happened to your confidence, my Dear?"
"Jealous! Max, are you out of your tree? I won a bet, fair-and-square- for opera Wien tickets. Instead, I agreed to settle for Opera Salzburg in a box seat with Georg Von Trapp, only to find that Max Reinhardt will be there and YOU will be there, and she will be there! This was supposed to be my evening - the night where all of Salzburg would see me and wonder where such a charming and delectable creature had come from!".
"Elsa, we have seats for the ENTIRE box!" Max replied with a laugh!
"There is no need for you to sit on Fraulein Maria's lap while the Queen of the Night lets loose on the audience! Max Reinhardt will be there, he will keep you all apart, that is just how he operates; he is terribly interested in learning more about the signing nun. Surely you're not threatened by a wannabe nun and a 16 year old girl sitting in your shadows? You don't have to be anywhere near me. You and Georg can sit closest to the production, we will put Max between you and the younger ladies. You will be the essence of sophistication while the other two will be so besides themselves in awe at being at the opera, no one will even think you belong in the same stratosphere."
"Fine," Elsa snapped with a huff. "But just because I am letting this go doesn't mean I agree, it doesn't mean that I am happy...I do not like it one eensy-weensy little bit!"
"Listen, Elsa," Max said calmly. "Why don't you go off and have a lovely unchaperoned dinner with our Captain in town, and we will pass like ships in the night at the Landestheater. Just pretend we're not there." he said with a wink.
Oh, but inside his scheming little head, Max knew that it would not be just a typical night at the opera, not with his friend Don Juan Von Trapp sitting a few seats away from his siren as she shepherded his daughter to her first official social event.
That night, the sky was ablaze with stars and the crescent moon was reflecting off the surface of the lake. The crickets and katydids called to each other; the croak of the bullfrog providing the bass line. It was a beautiful evening and a peaceful way to end a long day.
That morning, Georg had rose before the sun; not because he had somewhere to go or something to do so early, but simply because his eyes popped open and he began to ruminate. There were so many things going on in his head, but he really could not focus any one in particular...their recent trip to Innsbruck, rescuing Maria in a downpour, a heart-to-heart talk on the landing, and how he had tried to sort things with Max last night over a brandy without "showing his cards".
He was thankful for Max who had stepped in last night and bent the truth a wee bit; he had given Georg the gift of time with Maria, and it paid dividends. Finally, he had begun to crack the code that was Maria. Last night he came to the realization that the Abbey was not a calling for her, but instead was a place to escape to, to find a family. He was both torn and pleased by this revelation.
Georg smiled to himself as he thought about her. She was a skilled mason, much like himself, having built walls to protect herself. He knew that it was a way to escape from all that could hurt you. She, too, had been running from her grief, that much was certain.
He was certain that Maria trusted him given the fact that she freely shared her life story with him as they dangled their toes in the lake. Not even the Reverend Mother knew the entire tale of how Maria had come to find herself at the foot of the Abbey steps. Granted, Georg still didn't know everything about Maria, but the more he got to know about her, the more he wanted to learn.
For Maria, could the Abbey have been an escape in the same way that the salons of Vienna became his place to hide after Agathe's passing? Religious life was definitely not a calling for her, at least not the way in he had found his way to the sea. Georg understood what it was like to be so passionate about something that it literally called you. For Maria, the Abbey was a safe place, a hope for family, perhaps? Her wicked childhood had left her wanting human connection, and although the Abbey had not provided it in a way that matched Maria's personality, she did find comfort in the company of his seven unruly children. What was it she told him the other day? That the children gave her back the carefree childhood she never had; that his family had made her feel part of something larger for the first time in her life.
At breakfast this morning Georg regarded Maria intently; he wondered if her confession last night would change the way they interacted today. He hoped not. She seemed a bit reserved, but she smiled brightly at him when he entered the dining room with his morning paper under his arm.
As soon as he sat down, Franz poured him a steaming cup of coffee and Georg proceeded to survey all the faces at the table. The children were animated since they were excited to get through their studies and then head back into the ballroom to get on with their puppet show. Otherwise, it was a typical morning at the villa since he had returned from Vienna; however, he did notice that the children were far more lively without Elsa's presence around the table. For some reason that troubled him, but he pushed those thoughts away for another day. He did realize that the chatter about the table that once crushed him was now a balm, and for that reason alone he felt blessed. Over breakfast he would peer around his newspaper to catch at glimpse at the other end of the table - she was a miracle worker, that one! Who could have imagined this scene only a few months ago?
With breakfast over and the children off to the school room to work on their studies under the guidance of Frau Schmidt, Georg rounded up Liesl and Maria and headed off to town to the dressmaker's before he headed to the train station to pick up Elsa.
Liesl had a lot to say about their trip to Innsbruck: she thanked Georg repeatedly for coming with them this time. She talked about how happy her brothers and sisters were to see their grandparents as a family and how excited they all were now that the ballroom had been opened again. She chatted constantly as they wound their way along the dusty road that hugged the Hellbrunner brook. Maria for her part had remained quiet, spending her time engrossed in the world as it passed by the car window.
Georg was only half-listening to his daughter, his thoughts still drifting back to last night on the lakeshore and the fact that Maria had referred to herself as a failed postulant. Could that mean what he thought it meant? Was she reconsidering her vocation? Lord knows, locking that spritely woman up in an Abbey was a total waste, even if it meant Georg had to reconcile this gnawing feeling of jealousy in his belly every time he thought of her with another man. Regardless of what it meant, Georg had been insistent in his plan to help Maria make the most of her time in the outside world - or maybe even change her mind! In that regard, he was excited for her journey today to find a dress for the opera, because he knew she never had anything new that she had not made herself. And who knows, perhaps a bit of vanity would cause her to reconsider her future even further.
The drive into town was over much too soon for Georg's liking. They pulled up in front of Frau Heineman's shop and after Georg had opened his door, Liesl had jumped out and was waiting excitedly on the sidewalk. Maria was just about to put her foot onto the curb when he reached out to grab her hand to help her to her feet. Georg could not help but notice the burning glow in her cheeks as she thanked him for his kindness.
Georg walked them both the front door of Frau Heineman's shop, and with a tip of his hat, he wished them good luck with their shopping. He confirmed with them that he or Franz would be back in a few hours to pick them up - once he got Elsa back to the villa and settled, of course. Georg waited for them to enter the store before he returned to his place behind the steering wheel. He took a deep breath and then rubbed the tension out between his brows, trying to compose himself before putting the car into drive and heading off.
At the Banhoff, Elsa's unmistakable form caught his eye as she rounded the corner of the platform, the bellboy trotting along behind with her valise. Elsa soon spotted Georg and shot him a wide smile with an enthusiastic wave before coming along side, grasping his forearm and placing a kiss on his right cheek. She was bright and bubbly and it seemed that a few days away in the city had recharged her spirits. On the car ride home, she told him about her shopping, all the friends she had caught up with, and how they all had missed him terribly.
Elsa asked about Innsbruck, inquired after John, and wanted to know what they did to occupy their time. Georg didn't have much to say as he knew that Elsa was really not all that interested in what the Whiteheads had for dinner or what games they had played with the children, and he certainly wasn't going to tell her about his panicked search for Maria in the rain. He also assumed that she only asked general questions in order to avoid the ones that she hated - questions that would bring up sad memories for him. Elsa didn't need or want to know how emotional the trip had been for him, although he suspected she had formed her own ideas of how it all went.
It was incredible, really, how 6 days apart had substantially changed how he felt about Elsa. Actually, if he was honest with himself, things had started to change that day: the day when Maria had let him have it with an argument so intense it finally knocked some sense into him. Of course, for years now he told himself he didn't want a wife, but that his children really did need a mother. He didn't know a damn thing about launching daughters, other than what he remembered of his own experience 20 years ago; a lot had changed since 1919.
But was this a good enough reason to get married?! Especially when his intended didn't seem to have a maternal bond in her body and avoided his in-laws like the plague?
Elsa chatted as they sped along the dusty tree-lined roads outside of Salzburg, but Georg was hardly paying attention. She had mentioned her plans for a quiet dinner for the two of them the night before the opera and talked about the dress she had bought while she was away. However, Georg was too busy unpacking all the thoughts that had been in his head since before sunrise this morning.
While in Innsbruck, Georg had not missed Elsa at all, although he did think occasionally about how she would have been spending her time. Had they been together, he would have been reluctantly dragged to all the same events. The pace of his visit to his in-laws - a complete family trip - had been good for him. No parties, no champagne, no stumbling about to waltzes by Strausses... he really didn't need that scene anymore. For a time, it had filled a gaping hole in his life, but thanks for Maria, that hole had been back-filled and a beautiful garden was blooming on top of it. It was amazing how he now could find comfort in his children, in Agathe's childhood home...
Speaking of the children, he thought all at once. The car ride home was as a good a time as any to let Elsa know about the additional guests who would be attending the opera with them.
Once he broke the news, he could tell that Elsa was not pleased, although she tried to keep her wits about her and pretended that it didn't affect her. She had expressed her disappointment for the plans, and even tried to convince him that Max could be asked to change his mind, but Georg wasn't budging. He had told her he was doing it for Liesl. His first baby who was now practically a woman. He agreed to dinner with Elsa before the opera, even though that meant he would miss all the buzz and preparation as Liesl and Maria got ready for their night out with Max squared.
A large fish leapt out of the water and caused a splash, snapping Georg out of his musings. He watched the ripples of the water spreading out from the point of impact until they finally reached the shore and were consumed by the reeds and cattails. He had a sudden urge to dip his toes in the lake, to recreate that feeling from last night while he had sat quietly with Maria while she told him her story. With that, he looked out over the lake and gazed up at her other mountain. Suddenly, he was hit by flashbacks of his frantic search along the Patscherkofel, the fear he felt deep in his chest when he wondered if she had been swept away by the raging water. It had been a long time since Georg felt that kind of fear! But it was soon resolved and he remembered how Maria had practically collapsed into his arms when he finally found her and she knew that she was safe. Maria had finally trusted someone enough to comfort her, much in the same way she had comforted him so many times now.
"Ahhh, Maria..." he sighed.
The parallels between their lives amazed him. Of course, she was much younger than he - but she, too, knew of loss, pain, of trying to find yourself, hope, and forgiveness.
She, the mountain girl; he, the sailor.
And of course, there was something even more unexpected that connected them now: the Inn.
"The damn Inn"...he breathed. The most obvious link to the Inn in his 40 years was the statue of Athena, the river's influence across the Empire, and the link to Agathe's childhood home in Innsbruck. If he traced the Inn backwards in his memories, he arrived at place with happier times: to his wife and growing family...to a different pace of life.
All those weeks ago in Vienna he had stood at the foot of Athena looking for answers. The Goddess of Wisdom alongside the Goddess of Victory; The Danube, The Elbe, The Vltava, and the Inn.
Everything kept pointing to the Inn.
Just a couple of days ago when he had left the comfort of Erich's garden recliner, he drove directly to the riverbank to contemplate the Inn. Sitting there on the banks of the river, it slowly dawned on him that she was the Inn. Starting as a mere trickle in the valleys of Switzerland and growing stronger as she passed Innsbruck and meandered along the salt road that flanked the base of her mountain. Weaving her way along the valley floor until she met the Danube at Passau.
And to top things off, Maria had been born at Kemmelbach - not all that far from Passau!
The Inn, that fresh mountain river, had quite literally met the sea on the banks of the Leopoldskroner Weiher. She had first appeared in his life as the incarnation of Great Zeus, who in a raging storm tossed thunderbolts at him from the mountain. Later, that same embodiment of Zeus had severely wounded him on the landing, but it had set him on a path of reconciliation with his children.
However, with time, she became the copper-haired siren in his Etty painting.
Her bright blue eyes.
Her beautiful voice.
Her spritely, toned body; her curves hidden yet fully on display all at once, for he could not erase the image of her dripping wet form on the landing.
Like Ulysses, he struggled to contain his desire for her, to not follow her voice to his doom. Despite having Elsa in his life, no matter how hard he tried, he was still drawn to her like a moth to a flame. He was also attracted to her as a complex human being, someone he wanted to know more about, and with whom he shared many things in common:
Profound grief...
Stolen moments that should have been spent with family...
Walls built around their hearts...
Despite their obvious differences, both had somehow forged a relationship based on respect, trust, and friendship; and because of it - or in spite of it - the bricks began to slowly tumble for Georg for the first time in over 20 years.
"Why is this happening?" Georg called out to the night.
With Maria, there were just far too many similarities to be serendipitous...
Georg had always relied on his intuition: in battle, and in life. The Nereide, the Leon Gambetta, and the Principe Umberto were all success stories because of his intuition. He knew when to dive, and he knew when to surface. His target identification and timing were unparalleled. Outside of day-to-day military operations, he was equally as successful, and not often because he tried hard. He even had the sense to buy seven bottles of Jordan water on his trip to the Holy land that were later used to baptize his seven children [2]. He had stuck to his intuition when Athena had guided him to follow his heart and propose to Agathe despite their differences...and most recently, Athena directed him again to the Inn, although in the moment he struggled to understand why.
Now he understood why. She was the Inn and she was meant to be here, with him and the children...right now. She had cut a path across the Empire from Passau to Vienna, back to a little house on the Patscherkofel, east to Salzburgerland, to Vienna, and finally back again to Salzburg.
To the convent where he had sought out the services of a hard-nosed governess, only to be blessed with the most complex and positive human being that he had ever met.
Eleven governesses had come and gone at just the right time so that she could enter their lives right now. It was so obvious now! She saved the children by loving them again, and she had saved him by showing him how damn stupid he had been.
Was it fate? Chance. Destiny?
Georg massaged his temples with the pads of his thumbs and rubbed out the tension in his forehead. He owed her so much. That had to explain the near constant ache he felt in his chest whenever he thought about her now. The way she had comforted him in the drawing room and in the cemetery, the feelings of his arms around her as they brought Wolfgang into the world, how her arms had brushed against his that night at the piano, and how she had collapsed into his embrace on the rainy mountainside.
The way his skin would prickle with goosebumps when he thought of her long, lean body. The view of her legs the day she lay in the straw with Aurelie had invaded his dreams so many times in not so innocent ways.
But she was promised to God, and he as good as promised to Elsa.
Then why did he not feel happy about any of it? Was he not worthy of happiness? Had his many faults set him up for years of simply going through the motions? But why did his heart race and a smile grace his features whenever he thought about her? And why did he feel so terribly sad when he thought about her returning to the Abbey in the fall?
So many years he had hid from his feelings; was he simply out of practice now that he let himself feel once more? Right now, there were so many conflicting emotions about the women in his life - both past and present. Georg figured he just needed some time and space to figure it all out.
A breeze coming off the lake chilled him, his hair ruffling in the wind. He closed his eyes and relished the way it felt on his face. He could almost believe he was standing on top of his submarine on a night like this one. The salty air, a damp breeze, millions of stars, and so many thoughts of home.
Home.
With Maria, he felt at home. Laughing together, scheming together, travelling together, racing on horseback across the field together. If he let his mind wander from atop his submarine, he could picture himself and the children gathered together in the drawing room; Maria's no-nonsense ways of keeping things in order, but so free and alive!
Georg took a deep breath, his imagination taking him further and further. Imagining a life with Maria. What would it be like if they were together? What passions would they share? Considering the passionate nature of their arguments, he suspected the two of them could burn down a forest with their heat and intensity alone. What confidences would they share? What secrets was she hiding under her sensible dresses and dirndls? What pleasures would they know as he uncovered each and every one of those secrets? The curve of her hip. A freckle. A ticklish spot...?
With a little pressure of his lips against her pulse points, Georg knew it would not take much to make her melt into his embrace. Just last night, for example, he could have swept in and captured her lips in one smooth motion and neither would have been surprised. He knew she would not deny him.
"No!" he yelled with a start.
"No, no, no, no, no...! You can't Georg. You mustn't".
He turned on his heel and went to turn back towards the villa. He noticed that Elsa's window was dark and the curtains were pulled tight. In contrast, Maria's windows were still open, the sheers dancing in the breeze. There was a warm glow coming from her room. The same kind of glow he felt in his soul whenever he thought about her.
What was she up to? Was she thinking about him the way he was thinking about her? Sometimes she would look at him and she was so damn transparent. She felt something, he was sure of it. What exactly she felt, however, he was not certain.
But whatever it was, it didn't matter! It could not matter!
They were both promised to others, and besides, even if Maria didn't return to the convent, what young woman would want to spend her life with an old sailor with seven children? Someone like Leo would be far more appropriate - and yet, when he thought about the two of them together, he wanted to lift Leo by the collar of his shirt against the barn wall and scare him far, far away!
He could never end her dream in a single, stupid moment just because he thought he could - and should - act on an ache he could not quite rid himself of. He could not do that to her after everything she had done for him.
He had to stop these wayward thoughts and focus on Elsa. Not because he loved her, but because she was the best choice for so many reasons. Their position in society, her help with the girls, stability, constant companionship...
Georg squeezed his eyes tight. That certainly would be enough, wouldn't it?
[1] "Hell's vengeance boils in my heart, Death and despair blaze about me!" ...so sings the Queen of the Night in her famous aria.
[2] From the real GvT book "To the Last Salute" - he talks about his trip to the holy land and how he managed to bring back just the right amount of holy water. In the same section, he speaks of the fortune teller who told him he would have 2 wives and 10 children.
Well, this chapter took longer than expected. There has been a lot of marking this semester, and that always cuts into fun writing time! I probably should have cut the chapter in half after "Elsa" because that first part came together pretty nicely. I struggled a bit with the men in this chapter...but we have arrived! NEXT STOP: the Landestheater on the Schwarzstraße. Bring on the vengeance and a very angry aria :)