Chapter 6

The next morning, I rose early and knocked on Christine's door, hoping that somehow, she would have recovered from last night's ordeal. I had waited until Christine had fallen asleep before returning to my own room. I could not sleep at all last night – Christine had been made to believe that Erik was dead, perhaps to save her sanity and I knew that it was a lie - Erik was still very much alive. I dared not think of the consequences of revealing the truth to her. The maid that opened Christine's door informed me that she had gone downstairs for breakfast.

I passed servants busy with their morning tasks, polishing doorknobs, putting away linen, dusting picture frames. Last night's glitter and fuss were all but a memory. Then I saw her, sitting in the patio adjacent to the dining room. Her fiancé, Raoul was kneeling in front of her, his head bowed. They were talking softly and he appeared remorseful. I could not hear what they were saying - maybe he was apologizing to Christine about last night. Christine's hand then lifted his chin and stared into his eyes in a moment that seemed to last for eternity and then, slowly, uncertainly, Raoul reached up and brushed her lips briefly against his. When he drew away, she smiled and touched his cheek. She had forgiven him.

Seeing the joy on Christine's face, I knew I could not bring myself to tell her the truth about Erik. It would destroy their fragile happiness. Raoul met me at the foyer and greeted me with a wide smile before riding out. Everything seemed as it should be. While Christine and I were at breakfast, a servant came in with a message for me. I was not expecting anyone to write me as I opened the neatly handwritten note and read its contents -

Mademoiselle Giry,

I hope this note finds you well. I wish apologize for my rudeness and insistence last night. If you'll permit me to see you again or at least write to you, I shall be most eager and grateful.

Forever yours, Armand d'Tournay.

"Who is it from?" Christine inquired when she saw my expression of dismay.

"Armand d'Tournay," I replied dully.

"Raoul's cousin! I've met him several times when Raoul and I were on our holiday. He is very charming and well mannered. I noticed how he was staring at you the whole time during last night's dinner. What does he want?" Christine asked.

"He wants to see me again," I replied, feeling a little uncomfortable with the topic.

"Do you like him?"

"Of course not!" I replied, blushing hotly. Then again, who wouldn't be flattered if the potential suitor happened to be charming, handsome and wealthy at the same time?

"Well? Are you going to see him again?"

"Let's just say that I'm ill at ease with aristocrats at the moment," I answered levelly.

"Oh!" Christine was surprised and gave me a nod of understanding. If last night's dinner was anything to go by, I would be better off without the likes of Armand.

"I saw Raoul this morning and he seemed happy. Is everything all right between the both of you?" I asked, anxious to change the subject.

A strange expression crossed her face. For a second, it seemed that she was looking for an exit, a path that led anywhere but here. But she stayed and her words surprised me.

"I suppose so…everything is going as planned. He wants to proceed with the wedding."

"That's wonderful news. At least, he stood up to that mean old woman."

It made Christine smile.

"Mademoiselle Daae," the valet said, interrupting our conversation. "Monsieur Frederic Worth is here to take your measurements for the wedding trousseau."

Christine took a moment before rising from her seat. "Of course, I'll see him in the living room."

As we entered the living room, we were surprised to see the servants carrying masses of luggage: suitcases, hatboxes, shoe boxes, etc. It was as if Monsieur Worth had brought his entire shop with him. Soon dress designs, bales of satin of various shades of white, laces and feathers were strewn all around Christine as Monsieur Worth took measurements off her. Christine had that far away look again, nodding automatically to any suggestion made by the renowned couturier.

"Mademoiselle, this is our latest design," Monsieur Worth said, showing her a drawing of a wedding dress. "Perhaps you would like to have a similar design…"

Christine's eyes widened as she snatched the drawing from him, a look of recognition crossed her face. "Erik made this gown for me," she gasped in horror as she sank into a nearby chair, the piece of paper slid from her grasp. "I was to wear it on our wedding day…"

Everyone was stunned by Christine's outburst. Monsieur Worth was the first to recover from the shock as he said, "Mademoiselle Daae, I assure you…"

"I can't do this… I can't…"

"Please give us some time, Monsieur," I quickly interrupted as Christine began to weep. Not wanting to create a scene ripe for gossip, I said to everyone, "I think all of you should go. I'm sorry. Mademoiselle Daae is very emotional at the moment."

I ushered everyone out of the room and came back to check on Christine. "Are you all right?"

She looked up with haunted eyes. "I… I need to get out of this house… anywhere…"

Nodding, I immediately called for a coach and grabbing our cloaks, we left the Chagny estate.

"Where to, Mademoiselle?" the coachman asked.

"Just drive," I told him curtly.

Christine ignored me the entire journey, preferring to stare out the window in a brooding silence. I wondered what went on in her thoughts the entire journey. When the coach passed the ruins that was once the opera house, she suddenly cried out in a determined voice, "Please stop!"

"Are you sure, Christine?" I asked worriedly.

"Yes," replied Christine as she stepped out of the coach. Pulling the cloak tighter around her lithe body, she pushed through the barricades and walked into the ruins.

"Please be careful," I warned her. "It is not safe here."

"Erik built this place to withstand anything… it was to be his home, his final resting place…" Christine said cryptically as she stopped in front of the great entrance. She dared not venture further. The walls were covered with soot and dirt but she removed her glove and touched the burnt wood with reverence. "I'm sorry, Erik…if only…"

She could not continue and turned away sadly. We returned to the Chagny estate late in the evening and did not discuss our curious trip to the ruins of the opera house. Raoul and Maman were waiting for us when we returned. Raoul immediately went to Christine and hugged her. "You had me very worried," he said. "Where did you go?"

"No place in particular," Christine replied vaguely. "I'm very tired, Raoul. I shall retire to my room… Good night."

All of us watched as Christine walked slowly up the stairs to her room like a woman in mourning. Maman tried to question me about our whereabouts earlier but I cut her off. "I will go with Christine," I told her.

I started up the stairs as Maman said sternly, "Meg, you left the manor without even telling me. You will explain yourself-"

Tired and angry, I turned around. "I will go with Christine if she needs me, and there is nothing you can do to stop either of us!"

I stayed with Christine that night, two girls lying on the bed in our nightgowns just like old times. She even allowed me to brush her hair.

"Thank you for being here, Meg," Christine said gratefully.

"I couldn't not be with you…"

She smiled a little and reached out to open a little antique chest by her bedside. She drew out an article in the Epoque. "Erik is dead." It read.

"I refuse to believe that he is dead… I cannot… Not after what I had done to him," she told me, barely holding herself together. "I wish… I wish I could see him… to hear his voice again…"

"Why? What would you have done?" I asked, a little curious and apprehensive about where this was going.

Christine closed her eyes in silent rapture. "To say how sorry I am… to tell him that I never meant to hurt him… to tell him that I… I…"

Suddenly, she shook her head and sighed. "I must be going out of my mind. Erik is dead and I will burn in hell for eternity…"

I could not bear to watch her suffer. "Christine! Listen to me," I said firmly. "Christine, please don't do this to yourself. You have to forget him… forget Erik! Your life is with Raoul now!"

"I have to tell Raoul to cancel the wedding. I cannot live a lie!"

Stunned into silence, I stared at her as the truth dawned unto me… Christine was in love with Erik! She had been too afraid to admit her feelings for Erik until now and she was crumbling under the strain of pain and despair.

I sat motionless, unable to think. There was only one way for Christine to reconcile her guilt and feelings. I had to tell her… I had to tell her that Erik was alive but I remembered Erik's warning - he wanted to be left alone. If he knew she loved him, would he want to see her again?

"Christine," I began slowly. "You must listen to me very carefully to what I'm about to tell you… I've seen him… Erik is alive…"

At first, she appeared not to have heard me as she turned away and stared at the newspaper article. "He's alive," she whispered as if in a trance. "Meg, I'm not dreaming this, am I? Erik is alive…"

"Yes, he is…"

And I proceeded calmly to tell her of my discovery of the tunnels beneath the opera house and Erik. She had the right to know what happened to Erik after she had left with Raoul that night – I told her that Erik had become very ill and that the Persian had saved him from certain death.

"Where is he now?" Christine asked anxiously.

"I don't know. He was still living beneath the opera house when I last saw him."

"I must see Erik," she insisted, putting on her cloak but I stopped her.

"Christine, you cannot! What if he does not want to see you again and … and the ruins, it's too dangerous to go there by yourself!"

She was shocked and perplexed. "Why won't he want to see me?"

"Because you rejected him!"

My words found its mark. The cloak around her shoulders slipped to the floor, pooling around her feet. "Oh Meg, I don't know what to do… I wish I could…I want to see him so much…" she murmured resignedly.

A thought came to mind. "You could write him a note," I suggested. "And I will help deliver it to him."

…ooo…ooo…ooo…ooo…

Author's Note: A prelude to Beneath the Moonless Sky in LND, with a little help from Meg.