Chapter 6: ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?

Disclaimer: I couldn't help myself; this is all good fun. Based on "Cruel Summer" by Taylor Swift. I own nothing.

"And I scream, 'For whatever it's worth,
I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?'
He looks up grinning like a devil

Georg watched wordlessly as Maria left the room, wishing he could stop her, but was good was that? She said she didn't want this anymore, what more was there to say?

He wouldn't go after her if that wasn't what she wanted, but he still needed clarification, and between Elsa, Max, and the children, it would be a tall order to get her alone.

He couldn't very tell Elsa and Max his plan without Maria knowing about it, especially with her surprising confession and quick escape. If Max hadn't interrupted, he would've been able to press her and have her explain this shocking revelation of hers, but he would have to admit defeat for now.

Much to his pride, Maria and the children presented themselves with their best foot forward when Elsa and Max arrived from the train station the next day. They were in their nicest clothes, hair brushed and styled, performed a song for her, and presented Elsa with a little bouquet of Edelweiss from the Untersberg.

Elsa was charmed and did her best to remember their names, despite her inexperience with children. She also keenly observed Maria, taking an interest in the young woman that Georg didn't predict. Elsa, usually aloof and disinterested, engaged Maria, despite lowly social station; then again, Maria could charm a rock.

He sometimes found the two women sharing a laugh over the children's heads before dinner. While Maria's eyes steadily ignored his, Elsa's twinkled with a sense of knowing that unsettled Georg. She couldn't have figured it out on her own—could she?

That night the children in bed, and Maria still avoiding Georg, Elsa questioned Georg about their dynamic, as only a woman with a sixth sense for matchmaking could.

"So, tell me about your governess, Georg."

Georg raised an eyebrow as he poured a healthy amount of whiskey into his tumbler.

"The children's governess," Elsa amended.

"She was a postulant at Nonnberg Abbey, still is, technically," he petulantly murmured and shook his head. "The Reverend Mother recommended her after I inquired about a governess."

"How quaint. She is not at all what I expected a future nun to be."

"Nor any governess," Max cut in with a wry grin, "she has kept Georg on his toes in more ways than one."

"Max—"

"I've seen that myself, but what have you noticed, Max?" Elsa inquired, leaning marginally forward in her seat.

"I'd rather you two gossip about me not in the room."

Elsa coquettishly rolled her eyes and huffed.

"Too bad we do not care," Max laughed good-naturedly and winked at Elsa. "Just as the Fraulein did not care about his inane rules."

"Such as?"

"Making the children march all while breathing deeply." Max stood up to demonstrate in an exaggerated manner, and Georg could not help but laugh at his friend's poor form.

"All those hours spend marching, and you still look like a loon."

"What can I say, my movements are for the stage! Not a battlefield!"

"Yes, dear Max, we can all see that," Elsa interjected, "but I still want to hear more about Fraulein Maria. Why did you not fire her, Georg? I can't imagine you tolerating anyone's insubordination—except for Max."

"I don't think I understand your implication, Elsa."

"Oh, please, Georg. Let's all be honest for a moment." Her gaze followed his frantic pacing across the carpet. "There is a clear attraction between you and the girl. She can't help but blush when you notice her. And you do notice her whenever you're in the same room."

"Elsa—"

"Why haven't you done anything about it?"

A silence hung heavy in the room as Georg finally stopped.

"She doesn't want me to do anything."

"Why?"

Georg loudly placed his glass on a side table and threw his hands in the air. Flashes of their encounters raced through his mind like a kaleidoscope until he remembered her face as she told him things needed to stop. She looked withdrawn and forlorn, as though she didn't mean what she said, but she wouldn't lie to him.

"I don't know."

"Well, you must let her know, preferably before Liesl's debut, so the scandal can be contained and attention will divert from you two," Elsa explained with a wave of her hand. As if it was that simple.

"But Elsa—"

"No 'buts,' Georg. In another life I might have tried to manipulate her feelings for you against her, but it's plain to see you deeply care for her and it would only make everyone miserable. You deserve to be happy, and I am happy to play my part by mentoring her before her official entrance into society."

"And I can help by keeping the children busy! Perhaps we can go into town and pick out some new puppets?"

"On my dime, of course?" Georg raised an eyebrow.

"Naturally." Max gave a wide grin. "After all, your name is on the account!"

Georg gave an exasperated sigh as he stroked his chin, knowing his dearest friends would follow through on their end. He supposed he owed it to Maria and himself, never mind the children, to be happy. Besides, if everything worked out, they'd have the villa to themselves for an afternoon, and that thought made Georg very happy indeed.

"Uncle Max, why isn't Fraulein Maria coming into town?" Gretl asked with a pout. "She always comes with us into town."

"Now, darling Gretl," Herr Detweiler replied with a pat on her head. "She earned an afternoon off. The Baroness is also joining us so she and Liesl can got to the couturier. There wouldn't be enough seats if she joined us."

"Why don't we leave Kurt behind?" Louisa interjected with a grin.

"Hey!"

"Louisa," Maria warned, "that is not helpful."

Although the young woman didn't entirely understand herself how she earned a day off, she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. It would be lovely to take a solo stroll around the lake or finish the book that had been sitting on her bedside table untouched for over two weeks.

The children, Baroness, and Herr Detweiler successfully crammed themselves into the car and sped off to Salzburg for the day, leaving Maria to decide what to do. Knowing herself, she couldn't focus on her book if she didn't at least expel some energy first, so she headed through the foyer to the terrace to begin her walk around the lake.

The sun shined through cirrostratus clouds and a calm breeze swept through the trees near where she stood at the gate. Maria breathed in deeply, appreciating the quiet. Though she dearly loved the children, they did make it difficult to appreciate the sounds of the Earth and the quiet majesty of nature.

However, the silence was not to last when a low voice broke through her solitude.

"I thought I just might find you here."

Maria jumped in fright and turned, not expecting to see the captain there. He stood in a tan suit and light tie, which highlighted his tanned skin and bright blue eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

He raised an eyebrow while his lips turned downward, feigning offence, before gesturing broadly.

"Is this not my property?"

Maria rolled her eyes and shook her head as she registered the gleam in his eyes and impish curl of his lips.

"Herr Detweiler said you'd be out this afternoon while the children were in town."

"Oh, I see. You're disappointed you won't have the villa to yourself." The accompanying deep chuckle from the back of his throat made Maria's stomach flip. She quickly averted eye contact instead focusing on the small waves caused by a flock of ducks in the lake.

"I was hoping to have some time by myself," she admitted quietly. "Your children do demand a lot of energy."

"They certainty do. Your hard work is not unnoticed."

She raised an eyebrow at his earnest tone and stole a glance over at him.

"I've been meaning to speak to you for the last two weeks, Fraulein, and you haven't made it easy."

Maria couldn't help but snort. She had kept him on his toes, expertly finding any excuse—be it the children, a headache, or a made-up request from Frau Schmidt—to avoid speaking with him.

"And I won't make it easy now. I am going to go inside."

As she turned to walk up the terrace, she felt his calloused hands on her wrist. Firm but gentle.

"Maria."

At her name, Maria's heart dropped in her stomach. He hadn't called her Maria in weeks, as if to respect her request to end their affair. She hadn't counted on her deeply missing how he said her name. He spoke it with such tenderness, such love, she almost believed his tone matched his heart. But it was impossible. The Baroness had been here for weeks, and she ingratiated herself to the children, Frau Schmidt and the rest of the staff, and even Maria herself. Soon, she would be the children's mother and Maria would return to the Abbey before finding some other position. What else was there to talk about?

"I don't want to talk to you, Captain."

"But why? Why do you act like there is nothing more to speak of when there is still plenty to say."

"Then tell me, Captain, what is there to say?"

"I want you to explain why you ended things between us. What was the real reason?"

She felt cornered, like a caged animal. She wanted to run away to the Unterberg and never come back, safe from her feelings, fears of rejection, and knowing that if she didn't leave now, she never could in the future. She had to protect him and perhaps herself from the reality. Everything would fall apart if she spoke the truth. Not just her life but his and the children's.

However, the more she tried to convince herself, the more she felt his gaze bore into her profile. He studied her astutely, almost as if he already knew the answer, he was just waiting for her to speak the reality into existence. But he couldn't. He was promised to another, and she would leave at the end of the summer. There was no path forward.

Despite accepting her fate, despite the feared consequences, and uncertainties, Maria found herself speaking before she thought it through, as she usually did.

"I love you, Georg! I can't help but love you."

Georg stared, processing her confession, but slowly, to her surprise, his lips curled into a smile, his eyes glinting as if they shared an unspoken joke.

"I don't expect you to reciprocate, that's why I ended things all those weeks ago, but I've still managed to make a fool of myself. I should go—"

"Oh, no, Maria," Georg purred as he stepped towards her. "You're not going anywhere."

Her brow furrowed and she pursed her lips in disagreement.

"But—"

He took another step, effectively bringing them nose to nose. He threaded his arms around her, pulling her closer. She searched his eyes, looking a clue as to what he could be talking about, but she was suddenly transported back to the day that started everything. However, now, they had weeks of history together, shared nights, whispered secrets, and hundreds of memories. She realized he did already know her reason, he just needed her to say it.

But it wasn't possible for him to love her. He couldn't. She was a dirt-poor mountain girl with no prospects or hope for a better life than the one into which she had been born.

Georg broke her racing mind by gently nudging her temple with his nose, and he ghosted his lips along her cheekbone, reminding her how closely they stood.

"It is really quite fortunate you confessed your true feelings," he murmured into the shell of her ear as he ran a gentle finger against her cheek. "Because I love you too."

His words knocked the breath from her chest. Her eyes bugged out in shock.

"You what?"

"I love you, too," he replied simply.

"I thought the Baroness—"

Georg gently laughed and shook his head.

"There is no Baroness, Maria. It's been you. Only you."

"I don't understand."

He folded her hands into his and placed them against his chest, his thumbs stroking the back of her hands, as it to assure her.

"I'm sorry I didn't make my intentions towards you clear from the beginning. I was so overwhelmed and didn't quite know how to ask a woman as fiercely independent as you to switch her path and take on a grouchy retired captain and his seven children for forever. But now, I'd like to propose marriage to you, as I should have done weeks ago in my study instead of letting you walk away."

"You want to marry me?"

Maria felt like she was in a dream.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he clarified, "and the way to do that is to marry you."

"Why?"

"Because I want to publicly declare that I love you, and I don't want you to think you need to hide your love from me. I want to leave this summer with you as my wife, not as my children's governess. I want the children to know they have a new mother who loves them on Earth while Agathe loves them from Heaven."

Maria's eyes filled with tears, emotions taking over as he declared his intentions. She never felt such an overwhelming sense of adoration and contentment. It was a sign from God that marrying Georg was her true calling, for she wanted everything he did. She wanted to be his wife and live out the rest of her life by his side. She threw her arms around him, burying her face into the side of his neck.

As his arms engulfed her smaller frame, she exhaled, "I want that too."

He traced nonsensical patterns along her back while his other hand gently cradled her head.

"Is there anyone else I need to go to ask for permission to marry you?"

"Well, why don't we ask—"

"The children?" they finished together and shared a gentle laugh.

Thank you for following along on this journey! I hope you still enjoyed it even though it took 4 years to finish. I appreciate you for sticking around! Much love. xx