In His Darkness…

The next day, I went up again. I collected my things from Guillaume, thanked him and Madeleine again and went into the city to find somewhere that was hiring. Now, I don't have that many skills apart from music. I worked in a shop for six months but that's about it and my French wasn't good enough to try and get a job teaching English. Slightly downhearted, I went back home. Home. I like that.

I threw my things down on my bed and stomped out to the music room to find Erik.

"In a mood again?" he asked without looking up.

"Yes," I growled. "No-one wants to hire an English girl with top exam results and part of a degree."

"You're overqualified."

"Hmph." I flopped down on the floor next to where he was seated on the piano stool.

He looked down at me and sighed. "Do you really want a job?"

"No," I replied, "I need one."

"I'll see what I can do." He turned back to the manuscript in front of him and began scribbling.

"What do you mean?"

He made a noise that sounded like 'Gah!' and crossed something out fiercely. I decided to leave him to it and put away the rest of my stuff.

-8 -

About a week later, Erik came to where I was crashed out on my bed flicking through an old gossip magazine. "You have a meeting with the managers about a part-time cleaning job this afternoon at three."

"What?"

"You have a meeting with the managers ab…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I interrupted. "I meant, what do you mean 'cleaning'?"

"It's either cleaning or restoring one of the gargoyles on the roof."

I grimaced. "Cleaning it is then."

"Take your flute; you need to practise."

"Cheeky."

-8 -

At two forty-five that afternoon, I made my way up and went into the theatre by the main entrance. As instructed, I had taken my flute and some music along to practise. I hadn't been playing much at home as Erik had been buried in some composition or other and I didn't want to disturb him. I told the porter at the reception that I had a meeting with the managers and he took me through to their office. A plaque on the door told me that their names were M. and Mme. LaCroix.

I knocked on the door and went in. Mme. LaCroix was seated behind her desk with paperwork everywhere. It looked like a final resting place for coffee mugs.

"Bonjour, Madame. I'm here about the cleaning job?"

"Ah, yes, I was expecting you," said Mme. LaCroix. "Please take a seat."

I lifted a pile of paper off a chair and set it on the desk in front of her so I could sit down.

"I'm sorry that my husband could not be here. He had pressing business." She rummaged through a few papers on her desk and I waited for her to continue. "Now, I will be honest with you, mademoiselle. We do not need another cleaner."

"Well then, Madame, I am sorry to have wasted your time." I got up and turned to leave.

"Wait. Unfortunately, I have no choice but to employ you, mademoiselle. You will work every weekday from four until seven, cleaning the auditorium. There are fifteen other people working there so you will have to fit in somewhere. You start today."

"Fine. I'll be back in an hour." I picked up my flute and tried to leave again.

"You are a musician?"

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"No. I am just surprised that we were not told. Here," she handed me a note written on thick parchment, "read."

I took the note and read.

My dear Monsieur et Madame.

A girl will come to you at three tomorrow afternoon and you will employ her. She has both the brains and the talent to work for you in any position you care to give. When she has finished her duties, she will have the dressing room at the end of the third corridor for an hour to be used as she wishes.

Also, Monsieur, as I have already informed you, that 2nd trumpet is a disgrace. As is the leader of the third dance row. They must be fired immediately. Promote the newest dancer on the third row to leader.

I remain, my dear devoted managers,

Your obedient servant,

O.G.

"Huh," I said, handing her the note. "I take it that your husband is with one of the people mentioned?"

Mme. LaCroix nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. If you are good enough we shall see if there is a space in the pit for you."

I was surprised. "Thank you, Madame. Now, I'm sorry, but I really must go."

"Of course. Be in the auditorium at four."

I nodded and left.

-8 -

At four, I was in the auditorium standing next to Madame LaCroix as she introduced me, in French, to the rest of the cleaning staff. None of them spoke very good English and all of them were hopeful dancers, singers, actors and musicians starting out at the bottom and trying to work their way up. As we worked, we talked. We got to know each other through broken English and half decent French. Monique spoke the best English and so I spent a lot of my time with her. She was also near my age, in her early twenties I guessed, so we had mutual interests. She had fiery red hair that fell around her shoulders that she wore tied back but a few of her ringlets (ringlets! I was so jealous) had fallen forward around her face. She had sparkling bright blue eyes that lit up when she smiled or laughed, which she did very often; usually at my French accent. She had very pale skin and a sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheekbones. I warmed to her instantly and over time we became close friends.

I was surprised when the end of the shift came. I hadn't realised that three hours could pass so quickly when cleaning. Madame LaCroix took me to the dressing room as promised. It was quite large with a vanity table and mirror surrounded by lights along one wall. There was a decorative screen in one corner and costumes were hanging up next to it. There was also a full length mirror against one wall and a folded music stand was on the floor next to it. I set up the music stand, took out my flute and some music and began to do some warm up exercises.

When I was warmed up, I ran through a few easy pieces and then began to concentrate on a difficult passage in a flute concerto. To this day, I still can't get it right first time. I worked through the concerto and another sonata for the hour that I had. When I'd finished, I left the Opera House and went back home through the chapel.

Erik was still sitting at the piano, testing out chords and writing them down on the manuscript in front of him. "Did you have a good time?" he asked without looking up.

"No, I went to work," I muttered. "I'm hungry. Have you eaten yet?"

"No," he said distractedly.

I went to the kitchen and made some sandwiches and salad. I added some nuts and fruit to the plates before taking them over to Erik and sitting down on a chair next to him to eat. When I had finished, he still hadn't touched his food. "Erik, please stop working and eat something," I said.

"In a minute…"

I sighed and took my plate back to wash up. I went to my room and read for a few hours. Nearly three. I didn't realise that it was past eleven until I started to yawn more frequently. I went back out to check on Erik and found him still seated at the piano. His food had been picked at but there was still a lot left. "Erik," I admonished, "you need to eat."

"I have."

"I mean more than a few nuts and grapes."

"Hmmm…"

"Can I have a look?"

"Hmmm…"

I assumed that was positive so I picked up the bundle of sheets lying on top of the piano. It was a full scale opera. It hadn't been given a title yet but I could see from the opening that this would be one hell of a show. The overture used lots of 'nice' chords and some clashy ones, and the melody leaped up and down scales. "Wow. This is going to need a very good clarinettist."

"Hmmm…"

I put the manuscript down and stood behind him so I could see what he was writing. It was an aria for the lead soprano. "That's going to sound amazing." He had written a solo violin part so that it was playing a third above the soprano. Three solo horns were playing a mournful accompaniment underneath.

"I hope so."

I rested my hands on his shoulders. "I'm going to bed now. It's quite late. Please try and

finish your food."

"I will."

"And don't work all night. Get some sleep."

"I will."

Then I surprised us both. I bent forward from behind him and kissed his bare cheek. "Don't work too hard," I said softly. I turned and went to my room. At the entrance, I turned back to look at him and saw him sitting there with his hand on his cheek where I had kissed him. Then he picked up one of the sandwiches and began to eat.

Satisfied, I went into my room, climbed into bed and fell asleep.

-8 -

Now I want some more reviews. No more chapters until I get five new reviews. (Hinthint)