While waiting for Max to return, Elsa brought her bags to the door. She found a large cup that no one would miss and filled it with whatever alcohol was in that crystal decanter; she didn't really care what it was at this point. She took a large, unladylike gulp then poured in some more just as Max bounced into the room with a nervous smile on his face. In a sing-song voice, he called out, "Readyyyy!" She noticed that he didn't look her in the eye. Now Elsa was the one to wonder what was really going on, but only for a moment; again, she didn't really care. She just wanted to be out of that house, to be practically anywhere else but there.

Max grabbed Elsa's things and loaded them into the car while Elsa sat down in the passenger seat. As Max climbed in, he noticed the cup held tightly in her hands. Elsa smiled at him in a way that had let her get away with plenty in her time. Once again, he knew when to not ask questions. He started the car and they were off.

After riding in silence for a while, the Baroness, sipping her drink, suddenly spoke. "When I was a schoolgirl, I learned the power that women can have over men. One summer I 'blossomed' and suddenly, all of the boys were looking my way." Max wasn't at all sure what he was supposed to say to that, so he said nothing. "I could turn the head of most anyone I wanted," she said wistfully. Another long stretch of silence followed while she concentrated on whatever was in her cup. "I really wanted to turn his head," Elsa pouted as she stared out the car window. Max didn't have to ask who "he" was.

"Elsa, you did turn his head. You were his constant companion for quite a while. You were engaged to the man."

Elsa turned to face Max. She was clearly feeling the effects of the alcohol. "Do you know that I practically had to throw myself at him to get a first date? And getting engaged…well, let's just say that I may have put the idea into his head in a moment of vulnerability after…" She made a face like she smelled something bad. "…aftersheleft."

"She?" repeated Max, feigning ignorance. "Do you mean Fraulein Maria?"

Elsa squinted her eyes and glared at Max. "You know quite well who 'she' is. Georg was devastated when she left."

"Yes, well, the children…"

"This isn't about the children. For some unfathomable reason, he is attracted to her."

"Well, she's a lovely person, funny, charming…"

"Oh stop, Max, just stop. I mean, climbing trees and clothes made out of curtains…really! And she didn't even have to try. She just sang a song with some toy goats and looked at him with those big blue eyes. Did you see how he looked at her?" After a long pause and another sad swallow from her cup, she continued, "He never looked at me that way. Oh, he looked with approval, with pride to have me on his arm…with lust…but never with adoration, never with his heart and soul." She lowered her head and sniffed as she tried to keep herself together. The alcohol was making her emotional and Max was doing his best to be a good friend, just letting her get it all out.

"I see it now. I was never more to him than amusing, a way to pass the time when he had nothing better to do. Goodness knows I did my best to break them up."

"You tried to break them up? What did you do?"

Elsa realized that her tongue had become too loosened by the drink. She had to get herself under control. "Oh you know what I mean. None of the standard tools that women use to attract men and hold their attention is useful against…" Elsa let out a sigh of defeat. "…true love." She looked like it pained her to say those words.

"Elsa, are you in love with Georg?"

"Yes!" she replied too quickly, before looking away. "Well…no. He's not my one true love or anything like that. But yes, I would have liked to have been his wife." Elsa hiccupped and hoped that Max hadn't noticed. He had but said nothing.

The Baroness stared out into the night and became quiet for a while until her head tilted and she drifted off to an inebriated sleep.