Chapter 7: A Trip Across The Ocean
Meg Giry ran down the ship's deck happily, admiring the sight of the ocean that surrounded it,
"it's amazing, mama" she proclaimed causing her mother to smile,
"Indeed it is" she agreed gently.
Madame Giry had insisted on coming with Erik and Nadir despite Erik's protests and Madame Giry coming meant that Meg needed to come too.
Erik grumbled,
"Why must you be so stubborn, Antoinette?" he demanded causing the ballet mistress to roll her eyes,
"Do stop moaning, Erik. You're the one that stubbornly keeps refusing to tell me why we're making this journey in the first place" she argued and silence fell between them, letting only the cries of seagulls and the crash of the waves be heard,
"As children. Myself and Maria came up with secret ways of contacting each other. Holes in wall that stood between her room next door and mine, Notes, Secret codes and so on." he explained earning, Madame Giry's curiosity,
"We put a particular code in place that would let us to know if the other was in trouble. My... My mother and Maria's mother both grew roses so the code went as following:
Three rose petals meant that we couldn't meet that day.
Two rose petals meant that we had been grounded and one..." he tried,
"What does one rose petal mean?" she asked carefully,
"One rose petal means grave danger" he finally admitted and Antoinette gasped in horror,
"Wh... What if we're too late?" she asked quietly and Erik looked at her firmly,
"We won't be" he growled before hearing the ship's horn sound, signalling that they were coming into the docks.
The group went ashore but before Erik could storm off, Nadir grabbed his arm,
"Slow down, Don Juan. We have no idea were she is so we need to think this through" he said firmly,
"I say we go to the police" Madame Giry proposed,
"No, we look for her now" Erik said firmly,
"Don't be so stubborn, Erik" Nadir fired back,
"Stop arguing!" Meg yelled with a firm expression,
"I already know where Maria lives" she told them,
"She was a good friend to me and we enjoyed many conversations and during one she told me that she lives in a mansion on the far side of New York. Number 215 Silverstone Road" she told them and Erik smiled,
"Thank you, Little Giry" he said before whistling, hailing a carriage for them all.
The carriage carried the group all the way to the desired address and Erik continued to keep his hood up as Nadir knocked on the door of the stunning mansion,
"May I help you?" The butler asked as he opened the door and Nadir bowed respectfully,
"Hello, We're here to see Maria. Edward's fiance?" he explained politely and the butler held a board expression,
"Master Edward has no fiance and I have never heard of anyone by that name. Good day" he bid before slamming the door.
Meg frowned,
"Maybe I mixed up the address" she said sadly,
"No. The butler confirmed that Edward lived here" he mumbled before looking up at the house,
"Come on, Erik. We'll come back at night" Nadir assured and Erik nodded before following as they went off to find a hotel.
It was in the attic of the mansion the group has just left that a beaten and bruised Maria was shackled to one of the pipes,
"Seems you were right, my dear. Erik did come after you" Edward said with an evil smirk,
"You'll never get away with this" she murmured tiredly,
"Oh but all of this would have been so much easier if you hadn't gone snooping around" he growled,
"You're a monster" she spat but he simple tied a gag around her mouth despite her struggling,
"Learn to be quiet and show some respect or your precious Erik will have a tragic accident" he warned causing Maria's eyes to look horrified and she closed her eyes hopelessly and Edward smirked,
"Good girl" he mocked before leaving her alone in the dark attic.
Oh dear! What is Edward up too? Will Erik save Maria? You'll have to review if you want to find out!
Kind Regards,
TheAuthor1996
