Chapter 21 – Meeting Joe

She left the electrical room and walked out into the hallway, making her way into the opera hall. The backdoors were emergency exits. As she crossed the vast room, she heard someone in the entryway. "Who's there?" called the man's voice again as he opened the entrance doors to the old hall. "You there, what are you doing?"

"I was practicing. Is something wrong?"

"No, I - Where were you practicing?" The man eyed her suspiciously. His grey hair hung around his ears and flipped out, giving him an unkempt appearance. She guessed he had to be in his seventies. He carried a karabiner hook of keys that jingled on his belt loop as he walked towards her.

"I like to sing in the second music room on the right, why?"

"Because I looked there earlier, and no one was in there!" He gave a triumphant look and glared at her. She backed away, looking incredulously at him. "Well, I can't tell you why you didn't see me. I've been in there a hundred times." She opened a door out of the auditorium, and he followed behind her.

"Where are you going?"

"To class."

"What's your name?" he queried again, still on her heels.

She reached the front doors and turned and looked at him. "Why? May I ask yours?"

"Certainly, it's Joe. Joe Buquet."

Anne laid a fussy Walter onto his bed and left the door slightly ajar. As she crept down the hall, she thought of how Erik had talked of his home as a ship. And now she knew that to him, she had been the siren of the craft he commandeered. Yet, she had truly loved him; she had told him so in her letter. What had her words been?

"I want you to try to pull yourself from that dark place and come to me."

"Come to me" had been the very words she had used! And he had made them the lyrics to his song, a song meant for her to sing. Is that what he thought of her after the letter she had written telling him of her earnest love? He did not love her; he despised her! He detested her enough to view her words as a means to mock and flaunt her feelings publicly. The last remnants of hope she had not known to be buried deep within her, which had been revived by his reintroduction into her life, were finally destroyed.

The turmoil of emotions within her made her feel suffocated. She had to get out of the house. She walked out the patio door and breathed in the air. She could hardly take it in without choking with sobs. It was too painful; why had she allowed the hope to grow within and not checked it? While she had hidden her face from him and tried to mask every emotion that passed over her features in his presence, she had wanted to look on him to know what he was feeling and thinking. Why? It was so obvious now: she had been looking for some sign that he might harbor a small flame of love for her still.

The Siren's song had awakened the hope. In town, the man's gentle regard of her when she had been fatigued had been a morsel she had savored with a desperate hunger. And yet, his words to Louisa behind the hedge had told her of his resentment. The truth had been right before her, and she had refused to believe it.

She did not notice the deepening of the blue sky above her; dusk had fallen. The dim moon was a crescent between a small patch of gray clouds. The twinkling of a handful of stars could be seen peeping through the canopy. The air around her was calm and warm. Yet, the thin girl wrapped her arms around her as though protecting herself from the cold.

So, he felt that way about her. He truly hated her and scorned her love. What effect should it have? A few weeks ago it might have crushed her, but not now. It hurt terribly, but she would not delude herself that she could not live her life or still find happiness, as she had once done. She would go on, and some day she would wake to find it was not as excruciating in its touch upon her memory. She would find the strength to smile and love again. No. Not love again. That would be too much to consider.

"Why of course you should go! And what a lovely thing for them to offer after how you've helped them," Valeria Russell exclaimed.

Anne was trying to find some way out of the Florida trip and thought that applying to Valeria for some excuse might be her best course. The woman hesitated in her reply when her godmother simply approved the idea.

"And they are taking Louisa and Henrietta, too, you say? So, you will not be alone. That is good."

Anne did not divulge whose offer the trip really was. She could not bring herself to tell her godmother, especially after her realization of Frederik's disposition toward her. He did not calculate into the equation at all. There was no point in suggesting that he did; for Valeria Russell would definitely view his involvement as though it mattered.

"But I won't deny it is disappointing news for me. I intend to arrive home the day after you plan to leave."

"It will be for a week, only."

"I know."

"I will be back the next Tuesday."

"Yes, and then we can travel back together. Did I tell you I am renting a small suite here? I am quite settled; I just need a few odds and ends to make my place feel more like home. Your father is settling in nicely, too. Elizabeth had her housewarming party for him last night. There were so many guests, and Elliot and your sister have been invited to too many performances to name. Everyone wants to be able to say, 'The Great Elliot was at my debut'." Mrs. Russell laughed and sighed. There was a sense of pride intermingled with warmth in her voice for her friend, Walter Elliot.

"You are really so good to us, Leri. Thank you for watching after Dad."

"Well, I wasn't able to convince Penelope Clay to fly back with me. I knew it was impossible, but I did try."

"I'm surprised you had the nerve," Anne laughed into the phone.

"I am surely not mistaken in my judgment of her, Anne. She is very conniving. I think she is truly set on capturing your father."

"'Capturing him', huh? Oh, Leri, I know I shouldn't laugh, but your words-"

"But really, I am serious. I am afraid for Elliot. I am so grateful to your cousin, Raoul. He visits them often, and his presence steers the conversation away from Penelope's constant influence."

"Do you think that I should just fly to New York instead of making the trip to Florida? That way you won't have to worry about my father and Penelope. I would gladly-"

"No, no! Absolutely not! You enjoy a little vacation."

"But-"

"No, now you are not going to deny yourself this. You deserve it, Anne…and you need it. And, if you don't listen to me, I'll be sure to call Mary and get her to make you go." At this, Anne immediately quit the argument. She did not want Valeria calling Mary and conceiving of the true state of matters regarding the excursion.

"Very well, Leri. I will go."

Anne could hear Valeria clicking her tongue through the earpiece. "Listening to you, you'd think it was a punishment to have to go on vacation. Just relax and enjoy it, can't you?"

"Yes, I'll try."

Anne hung up the phone and sighed. To Florida she must go.

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A/N: Entré Joseph Buquet. Anyone remember what happens to him in POTO? (Wide-eyed, but grinning evilly.)

Ana-Misa: Ah, the Siren of the Laconia! She is fated, but it was brought on by her own volition. A love spurned is a disastrous downfall for some, is it not? And, the musical is not an opera. The only operatic elements are tied to the Siren's Song. I point this out because it is somewhat important to the storyline.

followthestory: Granted, my reference is from the wrong book, but I feel somewhat like Mr. Darcy when Elizabeth says to him, "…One must speak a little, you know. It would look odd to be entirely silent for half an hour together…" But, I promise you, Anne and Frederik will communicate!

full0fgrace: I was wary about using the term "siren." It has so many connotations today. Thank you for showing me that you got the gist. Whew!

Randomisation: You're 1derful for reviewing!