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Two weeks later, Alexander Smith sat at his desk with a satisfied smile across his face. A letter lay on his desk and it had brought him content news. Monsieur Tordu had agreed to his demands. He was going to be married.
"Unfortunately the bride doesn't know it yet," he said with a low laugh.
He folded the letter and put it into one of his many desk draws.
&&&&
"You like her don't you?" Reinette said with a smile. She looked up from her letter to watch her brother carefully.
"Well-," he stammered.
"It's been two weeks. She'll be expecting for you to ask to court her soon," she said. She rolled her blue eyes and bent over her letter again.
"What if she refuses?"
"For goodness sake have you seen the way she looks at you? Meg could barely stand up the last time you walked past," she said with a grin. She knew her brother would be smiling at this news. Her brother and Meg Giry had been introduced when he'd first arrived and since then they'd become good friends.
"You're lucky. Women don't have to ask the men, the men ask the women.'
"Yes, but men are so ignorant to when a woman wants them to ask. They make the women almost crazy with annoyance and frustration," Reinette said with a smile.
"You don't have that problem know do you?" James asked quickly.
"No," she said with a sigh at her brother over protectiveness.
There was long pause between them. All that could be heard was Reinette's pen scratching against the parchment as she wrote to one of her friends in England. There was no point in being secretive now; Alexander had found her. In the previous two weeks he had also barely left her side. It annoyed her and greatly scared. These were also the feelings she felt for somebody else. Erik. Where had he been for the past two weeks? Was he deliberately avoiding her? Had something happened to him? She shook her head quickly and continued to write to her friend. She couldn't let him disturb her thoughts again. He'd already done that enough. Erik, unknown to Reinette, had also occupied quite a lot of James's thoughts. He hadn't told Reinette he'd seen the Phantom with her. He'd been to afraid of the answer.
'Did she mean him,' James thought as he went over Reinette's statement about men in his head.
"Yes, but men are so ignorant to when a woman wants them to ask. They make the women almost crazy with annoyance and frustration,"
James silently scolded himself. All he had seen was the Phantom standing over Reinette. Maybe they hadn't even met. James hadn't seen him since but he knew this wouldn't be because he was too afraid to show his face again. From what James had heard, the Phantom was never afraid.
"Right," Reinette said swiftly standing up, "I've finished my letter to Jocelyn. Now James are you going to sit in my room all evening or are you going to go and ask Meg a question?"
James seemed to sway on his chair. His hands were clenched so fiercely that they had become white. His eyes met Reinette's and under her firm glare, that reminded him so much of his mother's, he took a deep breathe and nodded.
"Yes," he said with a smile. He stood up and grabbed his discarded jacket. He threw it over one arm and moved to the door. He saw something in one of its pockets.
"What the-?"
"When I see a trick I like, I learn it," Reinette said with a giggle.
"You want me to post it?" James said with a cheeky smile.
"Seeing as you're going that way and as a thank you for giving you such wonderful advice about Mademoiselle Giry."
"Where on earth did you see this trick anyway?"
Reinette smiled with a small shrug. Only when James left the room did he put two and two together. Wasn't the Phantom always leaving letters in places without anyone noticing? He shook his head. She might have seen it somewhere else. It was important right now. What was important that he plucked up the confidence to go and ask Meg if she would allow him to court her.
Reinette left the room soon after him. Her hair was pushed up into a small black cap. She wore a white shirt and dark brown trousers. She looked like a boy. As quietly and quickly as possible she sneaked down the corridor. Her back was pressed firmly against it and at the slightest noise she froze. As she made her way to her destination she didn't feel the dark eyes watching her. Reinette hadn't seen Erik in two weeks but he had certainly seen her.
Reinette finally got to the roof of the Opera House unnoticed. She found a spot, hidden behind a large statue that blocked her from view of the door and opened a large notebook firmly on her knees. She whipped her pen out of her pocket and began to write. This was the only place where it felt safe to write. The weather was getting colder and colder with each new day but it didn't bother her. She'd bring a coat when she felt she needed one. If someone saw her they wouldn't look twice. She looked like a random servant boy. She looked up and saw the blood red sun sinking below the horizon. Goodbye to another day. The hairs on the back of her neck shot up and she slammed the notebook on her knees shut. She looked quickly over her shoulder but saw no one. Somebody was definitely on the roof. Her senses were screaming it at her. Reinette quickly got up and looked behind the statue. Nobody was there and Reinette sighed but she was completely convinced. Only one person could hide this well and she knew who that would be. Him. Why was he hiding from her? She had seen his shadow or shape move out of light a couple of times in the last two weeks but he had never approached her. It was just as she had predicted. He was like everyone else. Her hand touched her right arm automatically. She had become used to it, the many people suddenly ignoring her or friends turning away from her. It was a curse Alexander had pushed upon her. She kicked the statue angrily.
Erik watched silently from the shadows behind another statue. He saw her kick the statue and then repel at the pain it enforced into her foot. He closed his eyes with an amused look. He had told himself over the last two weeks that he must try and distant himself from her. He wanted her friendship but he didn't want to rely on it. Furthermore something in the library had scared him. He was not quite sure what it was but it had been a odd sort of feeling. A feeling which scared him because he was afraid he recognised it. He smiled as Reinette turned back to what she was writing. He felt upset that she had to do it in secret. He had watched her at ballet rehearsals and seen her perform. Reinette was spectacular. She could lift herself high above the rest and was extremely graceful. This was what made her disguise as a young boy not very convincing.
Monsieur Tordu strode happily onto the roof and Reinette jumped up in surprise.
"Yes that's right. You should not be lounging around young man." Monsieur Tordu snapped.
Immediately Reinette wanted to reply something sarcastic back but she knew that would give her away. Her disguise was already lacking certain things anyway.
"Sorry, Monsieur," she said pretending to bow her head when really she was trying to hide beneath her cap.
"Well I'm not going to yell at you like I should. You should be grateful that I am in an amiable mood."
Reinette smiled and nodded. She turned away to walk towards the door when her curious side took the better of her.
"May I enquire to why you are so happy, Monsieur?"
"Yes," he said with a good smile as he turned to face her, "I need to tell somebody. My wife does not yet even know. I have set up a marriage. A marriage, which will better off both families."
Monsieur Tordu glanced off the roof with a smile as he saw the carriage below.
"Who-?"
"I must go. My wife has just arrived," he said with a smile as he walked past Reinette.
"Whose wedding may I congratulate you on, sir?"
"My niece to Monsieur Smith" he called over his shoulder before shutting the door behind him.
The words sank through Reinette like a dagger through the stomach. Her mind seemed to tumble and muddle. It was confused and anxious. This couldn't be happening, this couldn't be happening. Her stomach lurched and Reinette fell to the floor without noticing. Images that conjured horror and fear spread through her brain and her hand flew protectively to her right arm. She began to stutter and stumble over sentences that did not make any sense. Finally after an age she felt somebody move down next to her. She turned her eyes to see him and felt another pang of pain.
"I thought you couldn't bear to be with me," she said bitterly.
Erik glanced at her. Even though he was at her height he still dominated their conversation and he still held all the power.
"Reinette, it wasn't that at all. I've been busy."
"So busy you couldn't warn me that this was coming?" she snapped. She knew deep down it wasn't his fault but too much confusion and hurt was welling up inside it.
"They can't force you to marry him," Erik said darkly.
"They can't but they will. As long as my father is kept in the dark about it."
Erik stared at the hysterical girl next to him. She was crying in earnest now and he knew she never really wanted anyone to see her this weak. Erik was unsure how to comfort her. He stood up not being able to relax whilst he was at such a low height. He held out a hand but Reinette shook her head.
"If you're going to just keep picking me up and then leaving me I'm not accepting," Reinette said with a small waver in her voice, "That's not what friends do."
Erik extended his hand even further and Reinette took it. He brought her up and cupped her face in on of his leathery gloves.
"Reinette, I promise you that we will find a way to make sure this marriage never takes place. It might take time for me to think up something because if Monsieur Tordu's signed you away only he or your father can sign you out of the marriage. I will find a way, Reinette," she glanced away from his captivating eyes for a second, "Look at me," he said firmly and she did, "I promise this as your friend."
Reinette felt hope and joy fill part of her but still much of her was drowned in doubt. How would it be possible?
Hope you guys liked it and you know the drill - Next by Sunday!