Chapter Two

Lynette could scarcely believe the grandeur of the building's magnificent entrance hall. The beautifully tiled floor gleamed so brilliantly, she feared she would taint its beauty if she dared take another step. Before her was an immense staircase, finely crafted from polished marble. A velvety red carpet trailed gracefully down the steps, extending towards the large double doors and coming to a halt at the girl's feet. As she hesitantly approached the deserted staircase, Lynette found herself entranced by the ornate golden statues lining the enormous room. The smiling faces of cherubs and angels looked down at her from the cathedral-like ceiling, illuminated by the soft glow a gorgeous crystal chandelier.

It was not until she had climbed half-way up the stairs when she noticed a figure quickly descending towards her. She looked up to see a short, rather chubby man with graying hair and a finely curled moustache. "Bonjour, mademoiselle. May I be of assistance?" his loud, crisp voice broke the silence. Lynette nodded and dropped into a low curtsey. "Oui, monsieur. I was hoping…that is to say, I… Well, you see, my father…" Lynette never thought that asking for a job would be so difficult. "Monsieur, I…" The smiling man standing before her glanced down at the girl's tattered clothing and the large bag she clutched at her side. "Ah, no need to be nervous, mademoiselle! You have come in search of employment, no?" A smile of relief formed on Lynette's lips. She nodded silently. "Marvelous!" The man grasped her hand warmly and placed a kiss upon it. "I am Monsieur Laroche, manager of this fine establishment." He flashed her a brilliant smile. "And you are…" The girl fell into another graceful curtsey. "Lynette…Lynette Chafee."

Monsieur Laroche gently took the bag from the girl's small hand and began ascending the large staircase. Lynette followed silently, smiling slightly at the seemingly endless drabble of chatter that seemed to pour from the man's mouth. "Beautiful, isn't it? The magnificent Académie Royale de Musique" he paused, "Of course, that's the official title, mademoiselle. More commonly known as the Opéra de Paris…ah, yes…" As they reached the top of the staircase, he paused, proudly admiring the beautiful craftmanship of the building. "Opened in 1669…oh my, over 100 years ago! How the time does fly… You know, my great-grandfather was one of the members of the first orchestra…hmm… or was that my great-uncle…? Oh, and over here, you will see a beautiful bust of Monsieur Jean-Baptiste Lully, he was the Opera's first director, you know… Fine looking gentleman, wasn't he? Not his real name, of course…I believe he was…Italian, maybe? Greek? Hmm… Oh well, never matter… Oh my, now this paiting has quite a history…" It was at about this point that Lynette tuned-out the bumbling man's ramblings and simply daydreamed about her new life at the Opera House.

After what seemed like hours, they finally reached a halt before a pair of large, plain wooden doors. "Ah, yes. Well, here we are, Mademoiselle Chafee." Monsieur Laroche smiled warmly. "This is where you will be staying." Lynette looked at the man strangely. "That's it? I've got a job, just like that?" Monsieur Laroche looked just as puzzled as she was. "Why, of course, mademoiselle. Surely you have some experience… Madam Vasser will be quite pleased, I expect. She's been looking for someone with a pair of young hands for ages…" Lynette thought the man had misspoken. "Hands? Monsieur, I'm afraid I don't understand." The man laughed heartily. "All good housekeepers start with a pair of good hands, do they not?" He smiled warmly. The girl's heart sank. She knew it had been too good to be true.

"I'm afraid you've misunderstood my intentions, monsieur. I…I wish to sing." The man's smile melted away. "Sing? Forgive me, my dear, but I believe that someone of your…that is to say, a young girl such as yourself…What I mean, mademoiselle, is that I believe that you'll fit in quite nicely with our housekeeping staff. It will suit you well, I assure you." The smile returned to Monsieur Laroche's face, though much weaker than before. Lynette was in disbelief. Though she had been suppressing it until now, this was the last straw. Her fiery temper finally reached a boiling point. "I believe, monsieur," she spat the word scathingly, "that you 'mean to say' that someone of my class is unfit to sing in your chorus! Well, I assure you, Monsieur Laroche, you are gravely mistaken. Do forgive me for wasting your time, but if you think that washing dishes and making beds is all I'm good for, I'm afraid I'll have to bid you adieu and be on my way." She ripped her bag forcefully from his hands. "Good day." And without another word, she marched down the long hallway towards the entrance hall.

Monsieur Laroche took a moment to absorb what had just occurred before hurrying after the young girl. "Wait! Wait, mademoiselle, please!" Lynette turned to face him, a twinge of regret at her outburst visible in her eyes. "Forgive me, monsieur," she whispered, "Sometimes my temper gets the better of me…" A nervous smile formed on the man's lips. "It happens to all of us, mademoiselle. The passion you displayed…is certainly what we strive for in our singers, Mademoiselle Chafee… If you will accept, I will grant you an audition with our conductor, Monsieur Jetter." Lynette smiled with mixed relief and disbelief. "Oui, monsieur. Merci."

XXX

"Mademoiselle?" The young girl did not reply. "Mademoiselle?" Monsieur Jetter furrowed his rather bushy eyebrows and tapped his baton on his music stand impatiently. He snapped at the obviously distracted young woman in his high-pitched yet forceful voice. "Mademoiselle, I don't have time for this. Rehearsal begins in 15 minutes. Are you going to stand there and waste my time, or are you going to sing?" Lynette was snapped back into reality by his sudden outburst. "I am sorry, monsieur." She bowed her head shamefully, cursing herself. The sheer size of the aging yet beautiful stage and the indescribable magnificence of the auditorium were far too much for the young girl to absorb at once. She had been imagining what it would be like to perform on such a grand scale when the conductor's harsh voice woke her from her reverie.

Monsieur Jetter ignored the girl's apology. "And what will you be performing, Mademoiselle?" He asked, sounding slightly annoyed. Lynette spoke without hesitation. "L'Amour de Moi". The old conductor stared at the girl thoughtfully. "Hmm…Quite an ambitious choice." Lynette smiled knowingly. "Oui, but it is my favorite. My mother used to sing it to me." The man merely shrugged indifferently, shooting an impatient glance to Monsieur Laroche, who stood nervously off-stage. His eyes returned to the frail young woman before him. "Very well, then. You may begin."

Lynette was surprised at the strange calm that seemed to fill her as she began to sing, her song flowing freely throughout the auditorium. Too frightened to glance at the wizened old chorus master and bumbling manager, she allowed her eyes to travel over the endless sea of seats that flowed before her as she sang with ease the beautiful words and haunting melody she knew so well. Her gaze trailed upwards, toward the wonderfully adorned opera boxes and magnificent ceiling. As her eyes moved slowly over the box immediately to her left, her song was cut-off abruptly by a gasp of shock.

"Is something wrong, mademoiselle?" the two men's worried eyes were fixed on her now trembling form. She shook her head, yet the look of worry never left her face. "There was…something…or someone…it was…" she whispered to herself vaguely, her eyes never leaving the slightly swaying curtains of the opera box. Someone was watching me…I could feel it… she thought desperately, yet there were no signs of life in the seemingly empty box.

She pulled her eyes away as she felt a hand rest gently on her shoulders. "My dear, that was astounding…inspired!" Monsieur Jetter's voice was suddenly much warmer as he stared at her in admiration. "Ah yes, my dear, simply wonderful!" Monsieur Laroche practically ran over to her, like a small child, barely restraining his excitement. Her previous feelings of unease suddenly diminishing, a broad smile stretched across her shining face. "Congratulations, my dear." Monsieur Jetter kissed her hand gently before Lynette was led away quickly by Monsieur Laroche, whose jumbled apologies seemed to have no end.

Instant excitement filled Lynette's now racing heart…yet her uneasiness still remained. I'm just being silly, she told herself sternly, It was just a shadow, that's all… She shook away her previous fear and allowed joy to take its place. As he led her off the stage, Lynette smiled warmly at the babbling manager at her side, unaware that she was being followed by a piercing gaze from Box Five…