A/N: new chappie! enjoy!
Chapter 13: Unexpected Generosity
"Felix, I wish you would just tell me where we are going," Erik sighed as he sat with two other people in the carriage. Meg sat beside him, her eyes wide as she stared out the window of the carriage, now seeing more of New York than she had before.
Felix Marshall, a man only a few years Erik's senior with amber eyes and short, black hair, sat across from them and smiled, mysteriously at the younger man.
"I thought you liked surprises?" he smirked, making Erik glare at him, slightly.
"Only certain ones," Erik shot back, before adding, "It's not as though I don't appreciate the carriage ride, but I would prefer to have all the knowledge I can if…my wife is accompanying us."
"Mrs. Deveraux is completely safe, believe me," Felix assured Erik before the carriage suddenly came to a stop. "Ah, here we are! One of the nicest places in the district. After you, Madame."
"Meg! Wait!" Erik called as Meg shoved the door open and climbed out as soon as the carriage stopped. He quickly climbed out after her as Felix chuckled at the scene, climbing out himself.
Meg stared wide eyes at the huge gap between rather nice homes. It was a nice part of town, as Felix had said. If she had a choice, she would have chosen this spot for their home, but she knew that was asking far too much.
"Is this where you'll be starting your new project?" Erik asked Felix, wrapping a protective arm around Meg's waist as she looked around the street in awe.
"Where we will be," Felix corrected, stepping in front of the couple and smirking, "And where the two of you will be once the project is completed."
Erik and Meg both turned to him with a frown of wonder each as he only smirked back at them.
"What are you talking about?" Erik questioned in absolute confusion.
"What do you think, Mrs. Deveraux?" Felix asked her, ignoring Erik's question, but soon answering it when he asked, "Is this a worthy place for that dream home Erik drew up?"
Meg's eyes shot wide as she glanced toward a now shocked Erik before grinning at Felix and nodding vigorously as she cheered, "Yes! Yes it is! It's perfect! Erik, don't you agree?! It's perfect!"
"Yes…" Erik murmured, now taking in his surroundings before looking back to Felix. "You don't mean…?"
"Oh, I do, my friend," Felix smirked, lifting a hand and slapping it onto Erik's shoulder. "In fact, the moment I saw your designs, I knew you didn't need any other training. You are a genius, Erik. So I'm going to help you."
"B-But…" Erik sputtered, glancing between him and Meg who only gripped his arm and grinned like a mad woman. "But…I have no way of paying you for anything I may need. Not to mention I have no money to pay the men I'll need to help me."
"You will soon enough," Felix assured him, making Erik frown at him in wonder. "I've taken the liberty of calling a patron of mine and showing him your work. He's just as convinced in your genius as I am. In fact, he wants to meet you."
"How wonderful!" Meg cheered, gripping tighter to Erik's arm in excitement as he still stood dumbfounded and wide-eyed.
"You start on this tomorrow," Felix reported. "Tonight, you will accompany me to dinner with my patron."
"Do I have the advantage of at least knowing the man's name?" Erik wondered, still in shock, but sounding irritable.
"Erik! Don't be rude!" Meg gasped as Felix only chuckled.
"It's alright, Mrs. Deveraux," Felix smiled, dismissively. "Lord Elias Blackwood."
That Evening...
"Erik, you look wonderful!" Meg grinned, adjusting the lapel of his jacket.
"I'm nervous," he murmured, looking down at her just as she met his gaze with a smile. "Felix has good intentions, but in my experience, success is not so easily gained through someone else's money."
"Says the Opera Ghost that was able to extort twenty-thousand francs a month from the manager of the opera," she laughed, dusting of his shoulders as he gave her a slight glare.
"As an opera ghost," he shot back before taking in her appearance. She was wearing an elegant dress that her mother had bought for her while she was there. The dress was the lightest shade of pink with a low collar lined with white lace, and lace sleeves that were off her shoulders and flowing. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail made of large ringlet curls. "You look very nice, Meg."
A blush sprang to her cheeks as she glanced up at him, still adjusting his jacket and cravat.
"Thank you," she murmured.
"If Lord Blackwood has any doubt in funding me, certainly you will eliminate those doubts with your very presence."
"Please, Erik, you don't need to flatter me so," she objected, gently. "It was your genius that interested him. I have nothing to do with his decision to fund you."
"Still, if he doesn't find you charming, he is a fool," he continued as she finally stepped away from him to lift her cloak and wrap it around herself.
"I wish you would wear your white mask," she murmured, not expecting him to hear her…but he did.
"And why is that, mon petit?" he asked, lifting his own cloak to do the same.
"Because…" she trailed off, not knowing what to say for a moment before she finally resumed, "Because it fits well with the occasion. This is a formal business dinner, after all, is it not?"
"I suppose you're right," he sighed, stepping toward the table where his mask sat among his papers, removing the fabric mask Meg had made for him. "I feel so…conspicuous wearing this. Any mask would draw attention, but I feel as though this one would draw even more."
Meg watched him stare at his white porcelain mask before hesitantly lifting it, but not putting it on just yet. She stepped toward him, gently touching his shoulder to turn him toward her and taking his mask in her other hand. He stared at her in wide-eyed surprise as she placed the mask over his face, tenderly, then nodded in satisfaction.
"Now you're ready," she smiled, taking one of his hands in hers and pulling him toward the door. "You'll certainly impress Lord Blackwood looking so dashing."
"Meg—"
"Oh! Don't forget your newest drawings!" she urged, making her way to the table and gathering some of his papers to gently slip them into his case before heading toward him again. "I'm certain he'll want to see these."
"They aren't finished!" he objected in slight horror, making her look to him with a wide-eyed frown. "What will he see from unfinished designs?! Leave them, Meg. They're terrible."
"How can you say that?" she breathed in disbelief. "They aren't terrible at all. And they speak to your genius in architecture. Of course he'll want to see them."
"Meg—"
"Erik, I will not be swayed in this," she cut in, firmly, making him blink at her in shock before she took his hand again and pulled him toward the door, his case still in her other hand. "Mr. Marshall said he would have the carriage sent for us, I believe. It should be here now. We can't be late!"
Erik gave a sigh as he allowed Meg to pull him out the door and toward the carriage waiting for them, as Felix said it would be. She climbed in excitedly with Erik climbing in after her with another exhausted sigh, shutting the door and telling the driver they were ready, certain that Felix had told him where to take them.
"This is so exciting!" Meg grinned, bouncing in her seat, and Erik couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.
She had been excited that morning on the carriage ride to the site where they found out their home would be, and he knew it was because she was getting to see more of the city. He couldn't wait for a time when he could take her out on the town every night…perhaps even to an opera or two.
"Erik?"
He jumped and looked to her with wide eyes, slightly startled from his musings as she frowned up at him in wonder.
"Yes?" he replied.
"Are you alright?" she hoped. "You've been rather quiet."
"I'm fine, mon petit," he smiled, taking her hand and lifting it to press a kiss to her knuckles. "I was lost in thought."
"May I ask what you were thinking about?" she smiled, sweetly as he lowered her hand again to rest it on his case as it sat on her lap.
"As soon as possible, I plan to take you 'on the town,' as Felix says," he replied, honestly, making her look up at him with a wide-eyed grin. "You deserve it, after staying with me and taking care of me. And I plan on having many more outings as well, for you. You were right. You cannot stay shut in. Were it possible, I think I would have us switch places. You thrive in the light, and I prefer the solitude."
"Well, I think we can both overcome our trials," she smiled, gently pulling her hand away to wrap it around his arm and lean her head on his shoulder. "I'll just have to make myself busy by cooking and cleaning. I can learn all sorts of recipes, I'm certain, once we have the money, I'll be able to buy all sorts of ingredients. No doubt through your contracts and commissions, we will be able to live comfortably."
"Let us focus on getting what we need for our home for tonight, mon petit," he chuckled, but turned his head to press a kiss to her hair, murmuring, "But I do like your imagination of our future."
Meg grinned and snuggled a little further into his shoulder before the carriage jostled to a stop, making them both sit up and look out the window where the glow of the candlelight in the restaurant illuminated their path. She released his arm as he climbed from the carriage and held a hand toward her, helping her out as the driver closed the door behind them.
"May I take your cloak, Sir? Madam?" the doorman asked, holding out a hand to take their cloaks and Erik nodded as he swept his off before helping Meg with hers, taking his case into his free hand.
Erik took her hand and led her through the doors of the restaurant, both feeling uneasy as they stared in awe at the elaborate décor and sea of people chattering at their tables.
"I suddenly feel very underdressed," Meg whispered, neither one of them taking their eyes off the scene.
Erik turned to her in surprise before smiling as he lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles once more, causing her to look up at him with wide eyes as he murmured, "You have no reason to feel that way, mon petit. You are more beautiful than any one of these women here, I assure you."
"Erik…" she breathed, trailing off as her heart pounded in her chest and she was sure she was blushing as well.
"Erik!"
They both jumped with a start when they heard Felix call out to him as he approached them.
"Mrs. Deveraux! You're just in time! Lord Blackwood just sat down. Come along," Felix urged, politely taking Meg's other hand to lead them both toward the table he and Lord Blackwood were sitting, Erik next to her as she still held onto his arm. "Lord Blackwood, may I introduce, Erik and Meg Deveraux?"
Meg gasped silently when Lord Elias Blackwood stood from his chair and turned to face the three. His features were strikingly similar to Erik's in all but eye color. Where Erik's were sea-green, Elias had hazel eyes. He was obviously not an exact copy, but similar enough that they could have been relatives. She couldn't take her eyes off of him, making him give a roguish smirk before taking her hand from Felix's and lifted it toward his face.
"I tend to have that effect on women," he smirked in a British accent, pressing a kiss to her hand as her face instantly flushed as she slid her hand away from him when he lowered it. He turned to Erik and held a hand toward him, grinning, "And so I finally get to meet you, Monsieur Deveraux. Felix told me you came here from France. I've visited there many times. Very pretty country. And pretty women too, like your lovely wife here. Ah! But where are my manners? Have a seat, won't you?"
The four surrounded the table and sat, a waiter coming up behind Meg to pull her chair out then push it in for her.
"I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of ordering for all of us," Elias announced as another waiter brought wine for them. "And I chose an excellent wine. You may enjoy it, Erik. From what I've seen of your work – and now your wife, you have exquisite taste…like me."
"I'm sure we will all enjoy it," Erik nodded before turning to Meg, who was still staring at the other man, but now in shocked evaluation. He frowned at her before placing a hand on hers as it sat on the table, making her jump and look to him with a start. "Won't we, mon petit?"
"Y-Yes," she nodded in return before shaking herself from her own thoughts and smiling, sweetly, "I'm so sorry."
"It seems you've charmed the young lady," Felix chuckled as Meg lowered her eyes, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "I would be careful with this one, Elias. Erik has a bit of a temper on him—"
"At any rate, I thought we were here to discuss business, not my temper or private life," Erik cut into Felix's banter.
"Erik!" Meg gasped, staring at him in wide-eyed disbelief. "Don't be so rude!"
"It's quite alright, Madame Deveraux," Elias chuckled. "Erik is right, but I would also like to know what kind of man I would be investing in. Would you mind indulging me in a little small talk?"
Erik gave a frown as he kept his gaze on the two men in front of him, his hand still holding onto Meg's.
"I suppose," Erik nodded through a small sigh.
"You'll forgive me husband, Lord Blackwood," Meg hoped, gripping his hand a little. "He's not one for small talk. That, however, is my specialty."
"Very well," Elias nodded as Felix and Erik remained silent. "How did the two of you meet?"
Erik's grip on her hand tightened in slight panic, but she only smiled, shyly before beginning a story she'd been thinking up since he suggested they present themselves as husband and wife. A few waiters suddenly appeared with their dinner, setting the plates in front of the four, keeping her from speaking as one of them asked Elias if there was anything else they wanted. He politely dismissed them before nodding to Meg to begin her story.
"Well, when I lived in Paris I was part of the ballet corps at the Opera Populaire," she began, noticing Erik swallow hard, and guessing he thought she would say something he didn't want revealed.
"Ah, yes, I'm familiar with it," Elias nodded. "A gorgeous opera house. Go on."
"One night, after the performance, I was told there was someone that wanted to see me," she resumed, Erik's eyes riveted to her, but she only looked at him with feigned nostalgic smile as she lifted her other hand and covered Erik's, which still held her hand nearest to him. "Erik had been in Box Five and noticed me. Can you imagine? Out of all those girls, he noticed me! And the rest, as they say, is history."
"What a romantic story," Elias nodded with a smile as Meg and Erik both turned to him. "It's such a shame it's all a lie."
The couple's eyes shot wide at him in absolute disbelief…and panic that they'd been caught.
"Elias?" Felix frowned in just as much shock. "Why…would you say such a thing?"
"I wasn't completely forthcoming when I asked you to indulge me with small talk," Elias confessed, making all three at the table frown at him in wonder. "I noticed the young lady has no ring on her finger."
Meg looked to her left hand in wide-eyed panic before hiding it under the table.
"Which leads me to believe you brought her along for a companion in your travels," Elias continued. "You're very tense, Erik. Might you be a fugitive?"
Erik instantly got to his feet, still holding onto Meg's hand and causing her to stand with him as he glared at Elias, growling, "I won't be mocked by any man, even a lord. So, if you'll excuse me, my wife and I will be heading home now."
"Erik—!"
"It's alright, Felix," Elias assured the other man as he made to stop Erik from leaving. "It was rather rude of me to suggest it. This is complete conjecture on my part. Forgive me, won't you? Please, sit down again. I doubt you ate before you came here. You should at least have dinner before heading home."
Meg looked to Erik for guidance, but he only continued to glare at Elias for a moment before he sat again, Meg following suit as he released her hand.
"Perhaps your wedding came so close to your engagement and travel here that you simply had no time to acquire a ring to equal your wife's loveliness?" Elias excused, smoothly, then added, "And your tension can be attributed to the fact that you're trying to make a living in a foreign country, along with your nervousness about this meeting. I can put your mind at ease and tell you that I plan on becoming your patron no matter what your background."
Meg couldn't help but gasp as Erik stared at him in absolute disbelief.
"I will fund the construction of your home, and I will commission the construction of the theatre you designed," Elias continued. "It's a start and it will get you noticed in the world of architecture."
"We have the perfect performance for the grand opening of the theatre as well!" Meg reported, excitedly, making Erik look to her in panic as she took his case and rummaged through it.
"Meg, don't—!"
Before Erik could object, she'd pulled out the ballet he'd written and handed it over to Elias while Felix looked at it over his shoulder.
"It's a ballet," she explained, and Erik watched, nervously as Elias leafed through the pages. "Erik wrote it. He's a composer as well. You can't ask for a better artist to give your patronage to."
"So I see," Elias nodded, handing the pages back to her. "Well, why don't we focus on your home first? We can discuss the rest at a later date. Now, we should eat before our food goes entirely cold."
Later Outside the Restaurant...
"Well, Felix, I leave these two in your capable hands," Elias smiled, placing his hat on his head as he held his glove and walking stick in one hand. He turned to Erik as he helped Meg put her cloak back on, his own cloak already over his shoulders, grinning, "I shall be with Felix tomorrow at the site. Take tonight to make a list of everything you will need. My cousin, Inez, happens to be visiting from Italy. Perhaps she and Madame Deveraux can spend the day shopping? You will certainly need furnishings for your home. I trust her taste is just as lovely as yours, yes?"
"Erik!" Meg gasped in delight with a grin as she looked to him, eagerly, her eyes alight. His gaze met hers, and he found himself unable to deny her, even though his instincts were telling him the exact opposite. He didn't know these people, and no matter how generous Elias was being now, there was no telling what he might want in return. Still, he hadn't seen this much life in her eyes since they had arrived in America, and his want to make her happy now swayed his judgement.
"Yes," Erik nodded, hesitantly before looking to Elias and nodding more definitely, "Yes, I trust her in many things. Choosing the furnishings for our new home is a challenge she will easily rise to. Am I right, mon petit?"
"Yes! Of course!" Meg grinned, throwing her arms around Erik's neck in a tight hug as he wrapped one arm around her, pulling her close as he gave a chuckle at her child-like joy.
Erik glanced to the two men watching them as she stepped back again and he cleared his throat, straightening before explaining, "Since I've been working, and we know nothing of this place, she's been cooped up in our small, temporary home."
"I see," Elias nodded with an indulgent smile. "Well, then I'm certain Inez will enjoy touring you around Manhattan. She may even insist to take you to Coney Island. She is quite obsessed with the place."
"It's sounds wonderful!" Meg still grinned, now holding onto Erik's arm. "I shall be ready for adventure tomorrow morning."
"Excellent!" Elias chuckled, taking her free hand and pressing a polite kiss to it before shaking Erik's free hand. "I shall see you both tomorrow. Felix, help Erik with his list on what he'll need. I don't want him to miss anything. I trust you to take care of him."
"Of course, Sir," Felix nodded, and with a wave of his hand and a slight bow, Elias turned and made his way to his carriage. Felix gave a small sigh and turned to Erik, grinning, "Well, big day tomorrow, Erik! We'll discuss everything on the way back."
"Of course," Erik nodded, and Meg could tell he was still in slight shock over the entire thing.
The three climbed into Felix's carriage, Erik and Felix on one side and Meg sat on the other side to let the men talk. The ride back to their home was filled with excited chattering from Felix and Erik sitting quietly, listening and still stunned. She couldn't help but grin at his reaction and his demeanor the entire way back. She knew he'd never been should such kindness and generosity, and she hoped it would change his outlook on life, if only little.
They soon reached their temporary home, disembarked the carriage and thanked Felix for the ride before they made their way to their door and watched the carriage drive away into the night. Once it disappeared, Meg couldn't contain herself from turning to Erik and throwing her arms around him with a cry of delight. He grunted when she landed against his chest, but he still smiled and wrapped one arm around her to pull her a touch closer before she moved back to grin up at him.
"Oh, Erik! I knew everything was going to go perfectly!" she grinned, taking his lapels in her hands and stepping to her tiptoes. "I'm so proud of you!"
Without a second thought or a moment's hesitation, she planted her lips to his, pulling him closer by his lapels. His eyes shot wide in disbelief and utter shock as her own remained shut for a moment longer before they shot open and wide in shock as well. She slowly pulled out of the kiss, releasing his lapels as if they'd burned her and confusion as to what to do next.
It was Erik that took action, and Meg that attempted speaking.
"Erik, I'm—"
She gasped when he grabbed her hand and dragged her through the door to pull her inside. He shut the door behind them after entering, still holding onto her hand and tossing his case onto the table before pulling her in front of him once more. Meg stared at him with wide eyes, not in fear, but in wonder at what he wanted, or might do.
Erik's gaze was fiery, as thought something in him that had laid dormant for some time had been shocked awake and roaring with all the intensity of a primal animal. Despite that fire and intensity in his gaze, his movements were slow, as if he were afraid she would break under his touch. He stepped closer to loom over her, releasing her arm to lift both hands and cup her face in his palms, their gazes still locked.
They stood in that position for a few moments, both afraid to move, Meg's heart thumping so hard that she was sire he could hear it. Erik's heart was fluttering, his stomach mimicking the action with all the nervousness of a young man finally attaining the object of his desire. If he made a wrong move now, he was sure their entire life together from that moment on would be ruined, if not difficult.
Sensing his hesitation, and guessing his reason for it, she lifted her hands to place them on his shoulders, making him search her eyes for some hidden communication as to what to do next. If she was being completely honest with herself, she had been thinking of doing that since he'd asked her to accompany him. The kiss she'd given him the morning before had only whetted their appetites that were starved for affection, and she'd known it. But she couldn't, in good conscience, attempt anything further with her own mother under the same roof.
Now, however, they were completely alone.
Meg lifted a hand from his shoulder and gently took his mask from his face, making his eyes widen slightly, but that was all the encouragement he needed.
Once she lowered the mask, she tossed it onto the bed and Erik gently pulled her face closer as her hand slid to his chest again, their gazes locked. Her eyes fluttered shut as he closed in on her, and soon his lips were softly pressed to hers. Her left hand slowly slid up his chest to press her palm to his deformed cheek, making him give a sigh on her lips before his hands fell to wrap around her waist and pull her close, her other arm wrapping itself around his neck.
She felt her knees begin to shake, and he must have sensed that she was unsteady, he slowly leaned forward to sweep her off her feet and sit in the nearest chair, his lips never leaving hers. She pulled closer to him as she now sat across his lap, but she didn't seem to be bothered by it, or even notice it as they both melted into the kiss.
A moment later, they finally pulled away, slowly, their eyes slowly opening again to stare at each other in wonder at what the other would say or do. Neither one of them moved for a moment until Meg finally made a move of giving him one last, quick kiss to his lips, almost as if to assure him before she shifted to stand again.
"We should get some sleep," she suggested, gently stroking her thumb against his cheek as her hand still sat upon it. "As Felix said, tomorrow is a big day for the both of us. We'll need our rest."
"Y-Yes," Erik sputtered, lifting a hand to hers where it remained on his cheek.
After a moment she gently pulled her hand from his grasp and began moving around the room to change as he watched her for a moment, until she began unlacing her dress. He turned to changing himself, pulling off his cloak and setting it over the chair as he stood.
"I had planned on playing seamstress tomorrow," Meg admitted as they both stood with their backs to each other. "It seems that will have to wait. Getting out of these dreary rooms might do me some good though. Perhaps I'll take inspiration from the fashions we see while we're out?"
"I'm certain you will," he agreed, distractedly.
Meg glanced over her shoulder to be sure he wasn't going to look once she was out of her dress and quickly lifted her nightgown to quickly pull it on. Erik sat on the chair, his back to her to pull off his shoes, leaving on only his trousers and shirt. He climbed into bed first, and Meg followed, snuggling against him as if nothing had happened just a moment ago to extend the intimacy between them. He wished he could be so carefree about it the way she seemed to be. If he only knew, at that moment, her heart was pounding in her chest with nervousness as his arms reflexively wrapped around her.
She chewed on her lower lip in thought, wondering if she should act on what she was thinking. After all, it seemed to have worked earlier.
She lifted her head to meet his gaze, and he frowned down at her in wonder before she shifted to close in and press a gentle kiss to his lips before settling back down, leaving him stunned once again.
"Good night, Erik," she murmured, snuggling deeper into his embrace.
"G-Good night, Meg," he sputtered before swallowing hard, wondering how he was going to get a wink of sleep now.
A/N: reviews?