"I heard about what happened at the opera house last night. Are you all right?" the blonde woman asked the girl across the table while smoothing her blue gown.
"Yes, I am fine. I picked up something there that was quite extraordinary. Let me go get it." the brunette told the blonde while putting her tea cup down and lightly scooting her chair back so she could get up. The brunette walked over to a small oak dresser and opened the bottom drawer to show a small, black, velvet case. Her dress made small ruffling noises as her shoes clicked on the wooden floor. The woman of the house put the case on the wooden table and told the blonde to open it.
"My word, Rebecca, its beautiful, but where did you get it?" the blonde had opened the red satin handkerchief to show a white, thick half of a mask.
"Well, when the ruckus was going on in the opera house, every one of the officers and stars from the show were talking about catching a murderer. I heard them go down into a door under the stage and after the building was burnt to a cinder, I entered what was left of the building and went searching for the door. I finally found it and headed down many stairs to come upon a small black boat on the edge of the stone floor that had come to a drop off into a river.
"When I had gotten to a lit room with ripped red curtains, broken mirrors, and a broken organ I knew I had to be somewhere special for it to be so wrecked. I walked up the stairs and saw the mask laying on the organ bench. I had to get it, I felt it was something incredibly special."
"Does Thomas know about this?" the blonde asked before taking a sip of tea from the white china tea cup.
"No, he doesn't, and I don't think that my want-to-be fiancee should know, Catherine."
"All right, I won't tell him." Catherine heard the grandfather clock chime three. "Oh dear, I really must be heading home. I will see you at the Sunday dinner. George is going to have a fit if I'm not home when he gets there." Catherine said, standing quickly and walking as quickly as possible to the butler. He helped her with her light fur coat and walked her out to the carriage while Rebecca waved to her.
Rebecca walked back into the hall where the two had tea just moments before. She handed the cups and saucers to the maid and helped open the door for the maid so she could get into the kitchen.
It had now become night outside and the candles were lit along with the fireplace. Rebecca headed into the living room with a book she had been reading for quite some time. She had gotten through another chapter when she heard a loud knock on the front oak door of the house. She knew that the butler was having supper right now and Rebecca was kind enough not to disturb him. So Rebecca closed her book and got up to answer the door while smoothing her dress.
Rebecca knew it couldn't be Thomas since he was away on business for another week at least. She opened the door to a tall man with piercing blue eyes, smoothed back black hair, and a yellowed half of a mask. This man would put Thomas to shame with his looks even half of his face was covered.
"Yes, sir, may I help you?" Rebecca asked with a small smile. She knew what he was there for, but she needed to be polite.
"Yes, Madame, you can. I believe you have something of mine. I apologize for it being so late, but it is easier for me to walk in the streets at night."
"Please, come on in, I'll go get what you seek. You can have a seat on the couch in the living room and I will be back with it." Rebecca turned her back towards the handsome man and started walking towards the oak dresser again.
"There will be no need for that, Madame, I won't be here for long." the blue eyed man told her while watching her gracefully walk.
"No, I insist. I would like to know a couple of things from you. I was there last night in the opera house." Rebecca opened the bottom drawer again and brought out the velvet case. Rebecca closed the drawer back and lead him into the living room. She politely pointed towards the couch as she sat in the chair beside it. She then handed the small case to the man.
"What row were you sitting in, Mrs...?" he asked while taking the mask out of the red satin.
"It is Miss Rebecca, and I was sitting in the fifth row." she paused. "I hope it is in the condition it should be." Rebecca told him while watching him get a glint in his eyes and him sigh in relief.
He seemed to become very serious again after he heard the row number. "I apologize about almost killing you. I was aiming for the officers. Why did you take this?"
"I just felt like it was important. Now I can see it was, Monsieur..."
"Erik, my name is Erik." he said with a smile.
"Well, Monsieur Erik, would you like to have something to eat? I can get the cook to make you something if you wish. He doesn't really get to cook all that much since I eat light."
"Well, if it wouldn't be too much trouble to do so and if it wouldn't be rude. I didn't get to eat very well where I use to live."
"It wouldn't be rude at all. I'll go and get him to make you some soup." Rebecca said with a smile. She left Erik alone for a few minutes as she walked into the kitchen and asked the cook nicely. Rebecca came out moments later. "So tell me, why did you kill that other man, Buquet was it?"
"Well, while I was living in the theater, I had to help keep it running. The only way to do that would be to act as if I wasn't human. Buquet knew I was human so I had to protect myself. I don't know why I am telling you this." Erik told her, looking into her brown eyes. "I guess it must be from you showing me so much kindness. Now I've probably frightened you tremendously." he said, head falling in shame.
"I have to admit that you do a little bit, but you did those terrible deeds to protect yourself. I can probably get over my fear in time. After all, everyone deserves a second chance." Rebecca looked up at the doorway to see one of the maids. "I believe your soup is done." Rebecca then lead him into the dining room. "I'll be back in a few moments." she told him while heading up the stairs.
"Where are you going?" he asked her with a small worried expression on his face.
"To fix you a room, Monsieur. I know you must be incredibly tired and you have no where else to go."
'Why does she trust me so much? More importantly, why is she being so kind?' "Miss, is Miss Rebecca always this nice?" Erik asked the maid, fixing his napkin in his lap.
"Yes, sir. She is the kindest person I know, but the man that wants to marry her is just the opposite. He has even threatened to beat her once." she bowed to Erik before leaving him to eat.
Rebecca came down a few minutes later and sat beside him at the long, wooden table. "Your room has been fixed. I'll take you up there when you are ready. How is your soup?" she asked him.
"It is very nice. I heard about the man that wants to wed you. Is he really so cruel as to threaten you?" he saw the sadness in her eyes. "I apologize, I shouldn't intrude. It is none of my business."
"No, it is all right. I have asked you questions that have been none of my concerns, and I think that I should return the favor. Yes, Thomas has threatened me before, but as long as he is on business, I'm all right. I may have a few more weeks before he comes back."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Erik asked her, finishing off his soup.
"No, I don't believe so." she told the blue eyed man with a whisper of a voice.
"You said you sat in the fifth row?" she nodded. "That means you saw my face. You aren't terrified of me?" Erik asked her while removing the napkin from his lap with white gloved hands.
"Not at all. The skin on the outside is not what makes the person on the inside. Come along, Monsieur Erik, I will show you to your room so that you may rest." Rebecca got up and pulled her dress up slightly to go up the stairs without stepping on it.
"You are too kind, Madame. I do not deserve your company and neither does that Thomas fellow." Erik told Rebecca.
Rebecca smiled at him and unlocked the door to the room he would be staying in. "I hope the bed is comfortable enough. Good night, Monsieur Erik." she touched his shoulder lightly and was about to walk away and go down the hall, but he stopped her by grabbing her hand with his soft gloved ones.
"Please, just call me Erik." Erik whispered to her while bringing her hand up to kiss it softly.
Rebecca's cheeks turned a light pink as she blushed. "All right, Erik. I can call you that if you wish. Well, good night." the brunette smiled at him and headed down the hall more graceful than before.
"Good night, Rebecca." he whispered as he watched her close her bedroom door. When Erik heard the light tap of wood against wood, he went into his room and softly shut the door.
Rebecca woke up the next day, knowing that the phantom from last night would not be there this morning. She remembered him telling her that it was easier to be in the streets at night. Rebecca got out of bed and changed clothes before opening the bedroom door and going down the stairs to eat a light breakfast.
When she walked into the living room looking for her book, she looked on the couch to see her book laying under a pair of soft, white gloves. Rebecca smiled. "I guess he'll be back for these." she said with and even bigger smile. She picked the two things up and headed up the stairs.