Georg exited the governess' room and went downstairs. He entered his study and slammed the door behind him. Grunting in frustration, he made his way to the liquor cabinet, pouring a whiskey and gulping it down. He poured a second drink and made his way to his desk, where he slumped into the sturdy, brown leather chair. The would-be nun had gotten the better of him, and he didn't like it one bit.

"How in the world did I wind up with that undisciplined sprite instead of the stern sister I was expecting? How can I possibly leave in the morning, knowing that she will turn this entire household upside down?"

He sighed deeply, and ran his hands through his thick, dark hair. Leaning forward, he picked up the heavy crystal glass and took a sip of the amber liquid, feeling the warmth flow through him. The one good thing was that, as a postulant sent by the Reverend Mother, she was unlikely to quit. With the rest of the household staff around, that should be sufficient to keep the children out of too much trouble.

A tiny slip of a thing, Fraulein Maria seemed not very many years older than Liesl. He was struck by her feistiness-none of his employees had ever spoken to him in quite such a way. The only one who had ever dared to speak to him in such a manner had been his beloved Agathe. He brushed aside the memory of her with another swallow of whiskey.

Perhaps the governess' spunk would be enough to capture the children's attention and get them under control? At least enough so that he'd be able to spend the next two weeks in Vienna without cutting the trip short to hire another replacement. Sipping again at his drink, the Fraulein's face came to mind. She certainly was young, but she was quite lovely. Beautiful, even. Her eyes sparkled like sapphires, particularly when she was testing his patience. A creamy complexion with a hint of pink on her cheeks gave a healthy glow, and her hair shone as if sunlight was hitting it, even indoors. He'd even taken notice of her full, pink lips, and wondered if they'd taste as sweet as they looked.

Georg blinked and shook his head. Where did that thought come from? She was planning to be a nun after the summer was over, for God's sake. He shouldn't be noticing her beauty, or wondering what she'd taste like. He drained the last of the whiskey from the glass, and decided he'd better get some sleep before the drive to Vienna in the morning.

One question intrigued him, however. Whatever in the world had made Fraulein Maria decide to become a nun?