Chapter 10: A future bride

Christine jumped when she heard a knock at the door. There had already been several minutes she was sitting on the edge of her bed, the letter in a hand, the rose in the other one. She had not watched the time past, whereas they waited for her below. Raoul had come upstairs to look for her. She felt culprit even if she was guilty of nothing. She wasn't at home, she had no place where hiding these objects so she asked to her fiancé to wait a few moments. She went to the fireplace and threw the rose, the letter and the envelope in the hearth. A fire had been switched on by a domestic when they had brought to her the dress.

Going red in the facd, she opened the door and was in front of Raoul, a wide smile stretched on his face. He could not hide the enjoyment which he had to live one of the most beautiful days of his life. Christine briskly closed the door after her. She felt as a child who had done something very silly. She was stupid afterward to have burned the last souvenirs that He had sent to her. She should have reminded herself that Raoul, not wanting to discover the dress, would not have entered her room. She chased away these thoughts of her mind, smiled to her fiancé back, took his arm which she tightened and together, they went down to join Raoul's family.

He led her up to Georges de Chagny's office. When they entered, Christine was struck by the contrast between the cold man she had met a few hours ago and the cheerful old man who was standing in front of them.

" Then, Mademoiselle Daaé, my son announced you the important new: I grant your marriage. Your father was a far-sighted man and who loved you even more deeply that I shall have believed it.''

''I thank you for your kindness, Monsieur le Vicomte.''

''It is normal. Now, we have some details to be settled. Raoul warned me that your engagement had taken place three months ago but the society not being informed, it is thus necessary to us to repeat it. Next week, we shall organize a reception to celebrate it with dignity and present you to the high society. Your marriage will take place in the end of April thus after a small wait of three months.''

''Where will I live meanwhile?'' Christine asked. ''I know that I cannot stay under the same roof than Raoul but I have nowhere to live. It would be necessary to meet Madame Giry for...''

''No, no, my littke Lotte, you will not live at Madame Giry's'' Raoul interrupt her cheerfully.

''You made a strong impression on the Comtesse de Noailles, my child'' the Vicomte said to her. Being alone till the beginning of the summer, the countess honours you with living with her. For your property, she will give you advice on rules governing the life of our society, such as the etiquette. But you will see that any further with her later.''

''What happens to Madame Giry?'' Christine insisted.

''She lives at the moment at an acquaintance with her daughter and regrettably she announced me that she could not accommodate you, not wanting to abuse the hospitality of his friend. She asks me to remember her to you and wishes you to be happy. Furthermore, I have just found her a job in a dancing school in the suburb of Paris. She will have a lot to do and wopn't have the time to take care of you, I am afraid so. You will be soon a viscountess, it is of course out of the question for you to take back your activity of ballerina. You will have no more utility of it to provide for your needs. "

The young woman understood that she could not see again her surrogate mother before a long time. It saddened her enormously. She did not answer, she didn't want to spoil the good mood of the Vicomte. He made himself clear that the decisions for the young couple were only taken by him. She didn't want to tempt providence was there, so Raoul and her had to keep it.

" If you allow us, Father, we are going to join the countess and Mother. They look forward to Christine. "

They greeted the viscount and left him. They went hand in hand to the reception room of Raoul's mother. Things had so fast changed in few minutes. The Vicomtesse embraced Christine warmly. She confided her her big relief further to the decision of her husband.

" Never I saw my son so happy. The happiness which you get him is worth all the gold of the world. For that purpose, you are already a member of the De Chagny family, my child. "

The Comtesse approached in her turn and congratulated the future couple.

" I do not regret having come visit you, my dear Eugénie. When I arrived, I suspected that Mademoiselle Daaé and you hide me something. A love marriage, it is so rare nowadays! Is not it Eugénie? "

The Vicomtesse agreed of an embarrassed spite of her social status, the Comtesse was a frank and extrovert person and her manners were not always the taste of everybody, in particular Georges de Chagny. But her cheerfulness and her intelligence subjugated everyone in Paris and nobody dared to complain her.

" My dear Mademoiselle Daaé'' Émilie de Noailles said '' I delight in welcoming you at home. We are going to be able to throw ourselves in the preparations for your marriage. Three months pass very fast, you know. I am sure that we are going to become the best friends of the world! "

Christine thanked her with all her heart.

" It pleases me. The life in Paris is often monotonous and a little of unforeseen does not hurt. We are going to come back home to recover from all these good news, do you want? On the other hand, I know that Eugénie and your fiancé have a,lot to do at the moment.''

''I have to look for my clothes in my room'' Christine said.

''A domestic is going to go down your dress'' Raoul answered her.

In herself, the young woman felt relieved to have burned the tracks of the Phantom. She did not want that Raoul knew it. He was so kind with her. It was useless to annoy him and to waste this moment which they had long-awaited.

" When shall we see us, Raoul?''

''Certainly tomorrow, little Lotte. I shall come to visit you in the de Noailles Mano, if the countess allows me, of course.''

''As Christine's chaperon, you have my agreement. But you will not have to monopolize your fiancée for such a long time. As she has no wardrobe, I already think of taking her at my milliner's tomorrow, so she will become even more beautiful.''

''You can make nothing which would make her to me more beautiful than she already is, Comtesse."

Christine blushed under the compliments. Raoul, the proprieties obliged, greeted her of a kiss on the hand and she left the de Chagny Mansion, escorted by the Comtesse.

OooOoOoOoOoO

The week preceding the reception celebrating their engagement passed in a flash for Christine. The Comtesse de Noailles considered her as her protégée. This last one worried about the financial aspect. All her new dresses were so expensive as never Raoul could pay off her. Émilie laughed at her. She had enough money to allow to dress Christine as a real doll and she didn't deprive herself. She loved the young ballerina for her innocence and her freshness. She would have liked having a daughter who looked like her.

The lessons in deportment had been useless. The rigor of Madame Giry's exercises had conferred to the girl a majestic bearing. Christine showed herself a diligent pupil during the learning of the etiquette during the reception being given in her honor, every eye would be riveted on her and the Vicomtesse de Chagny had hoped that with the support of her friend, no dissonance on behalf of the new fiancée would allow to make chatter or to make regret to her husband having accepted this union. Émilie de Noailles was not all worried for Christine because, in Paris, her replacement of the Carlotta previously had been really well noticed. And it amazed nobody that the young Vicomte de Chagny was in love with this new opera singer.

In the evening of the reception, Christine was very nervous. The Comtesse came to join her in her room while she was doing her hair by a chambermaid.

" You are a rough diamond, my dear, which we splendidly cut in a single week. The most talented of the silversmiths would be green with envy'' Émilie complimented her.

Christine also was magnificent in her dress of a pale hair was usually loose because of her curls but the domestic of the Comtesse had made the exploit by means of hairpins. A magnificent bun rose over the head and some ringlets gave to her hairstyle a noble sight without severity. Raoul had offered her a finery of ruby, when he had come visit her the day after her moving and Christine had chosen her dress so that it agrees with this invaluable present.

Regrettably, Christine, who had had the hope to see Raoul every day, had been disappointed. This last one had not meant visiting her but he wrote her daily to explain her about the headway of the preparations for the reception. The young woman was saddened with this separation. The De Noailles Manor was standing on the road of Versailles a few miles away from Paris. The tens of kilometers which separated the young couple was a brake in their reunion. Luckily, the Comtesse had made everything to occupy Christine, leading her in the best shops of Paris. She had also watched not to pass by the district of the opera so that the girl didn't become melancholic. In fact, Émilie had acted at request of Raoul. This last one had handed her a fold during his visit with some demands which he kindly requested her to execute for him. In other, do not pass near the opera, nor to speak about Christine's past in this place. The Vicomte seemed to want to protect his fiancée and Émilie hoped that this emotional surprotection did not suffocate Christine. But she knew that the youth love is always extravagant. She preferred not to intervene in Raoul's requirements because it did not concern her.

When they arrived to the de Chagny Mansion, all the facade was lit and hackney cabs accumulated in front of the entry. The Comtesse smiled to Christine.

" I preferred to wait that most of the guests already arrived. Your entrance will be really imposing. It is always good to arrive late in circumstances like these. At least, everybody will hurry up to greet you. I saved you an endless wait when the first arrived remains there to stare at you from head to foot. Enter the ring now. "

Christine was relieved of the presence of the Comtesse by her side. This last one was right. The guests rushed to greet her when Georges de Chagny made the official presentations, under a thunder of applause. Christine had suddenly a recollection of Hannibal's first one when she had been the center of interest. She had the strange feeling that it was in another life. Raoul came to meet her lastly. The eyes shone, he was subjugated by the beauty of his betrothed.

Christine was finally happy. The evening passed magnificently well. A small ball was given before the dinner and the young couple opened the dance by a waltz.

"I love you, my little Lotte.''

''Me too, Raoul. You remember, years ago, Father played for the evenings of reception...''

''We hid under tables and you wanted to be like the ladies.''

''Yes...''

'' I believe that your wish came true. The only matter which annoys me, it is that not is not me who offered you this dress.''

''You remember of that also?'' Christine was amazed.

''My darling, even a single second with you can't be forgotten."

When the dinner was served, Christine followed scrupulously the lessons of the Comtesse. She took exactly the good glass, the good fork, the good knife, the good spoon at the right time. All this under the critical eye of Raoul's father and the one of Émilie, amused. At the end of the meal, Raoul got up and rang his glass with his knife.

" Ladies and Gentlemen, I am happy to have you among us this discovered the one who makes my heart beating since my earliest childhood and in spite of the powerful love which I have for her, I did not think possible to be able to love someone more and more every day. "

Everybody sighed of emotion.

" Also, today, we celebrate our engagement but something is missing to concretize them. "

He left the table and got closer to Christine. He knelt down near her and held a jewel case out to her. She opened it and discovered a golden ring set by a magnificent glittering diamond.

"Raoul, it is magnificent.''

''This ring is in our family since several generations. My mother makes a present of it to you.''

''But, Vicomtesse, it is too much honour. You should keep it'' Christine said shyly.

''It pleases me. It is of my duty to pass on it in my tour to my future daughter-in-law'' the viscountess of Chagny answered.

Christine was touched by this gesture. Raoul put it on her left ring finger and kissed her on the hand. Everybody applauded. This ring was very different from the one that they had chosen at Swarovski in last October. She had never worn it on the finger but around the neck so that the secret remained whole. This ring had been the symbol of the triangle that the Phantom, the Vicomte and she had formed; a sign of rivalry between both men, as if this ring had represented Christine's heart.

At the moment, the ring of the de Chagny on the finger, she really understood the commitment of a life which she got ready to take. She enjoyed it but also had a little apprehension. ''Every future bride must feel it'' she said to herself...

I wait for your reviews! It is always a pleasure to know what the readers think of your story...So tell me your opinions... You are so many to read my story so why don't you let me a little review? I don't understand :_(