Chapter twenty-five: Ex-Meg De Chagney

I stood up and walked out when I saw Mr. Ormanni and Erik embrace. It wasn't my place to be there. I exited the room and no one noticed me. I went outside among the rose garden and sat down.

I dried my eyes. I was happy for them. It was a wonderful thing; to see father and son reunited after twenty-five years. I never knew my parent's names and I was simply abandoned. I knew my name because it was pinned on my basket when I was left at the steps of the orphanage. No one had wanted me. Ironic, for no one wanted me now.

"Miss Meg?"

I jumped up and looked at Raoul. He paused where he was and didn't take another step. I exhaled and sat down. "It's all right Raoul. You merely startled me." as he advanced forward I asked. "What are you doing out here?"

"I went after you," he said. "May I sit down?"

I nodded. "Yes."

He handed me a kerchief. "Here." He exhaled. "Weird isn't it? The man who mother wanted to marry all those years ago is the one who returned his own son back to his family."

"I know. It's amazing."

"I don't know if I approve of their leaving together."

"I'm sure she wouldn't approve of knowing our marriage is a cover for a drunken rape." The emotions were taking over me now.

"Meg! It was a mistake."

"Which you're trying to rectify that mistake right?" I snapped.

"Meg?" He frowned, puzzled by my outburst.

"Isn't it?"

He exhaled and nodded, "Yes."

"So are they." I said. "Who are we to judge them? They're adults. I'm sure you only want your mother to be happy."

"But it's too soon." He said, I heard a catch in his voice. "My father was just buried mere hours ago."

"Raoul," I said softly as I hesitantly touched his face. "I think your father killed your mother's love for him when he shot her and himself. He would have killed her. And you know that, you saw the wound, just above the heart and I heard Erik say it missed several arteries. A little lower and she'd be dead. What kind of a love is that?"

But Raoul wasn't paying attention. His eyes were fixated upon my hand. I inhaled as Raoul took my hand in his and ran a finger over my wedding band. Raoul surprised me by leaning forward and kissing my hand. I inhaled sharply.

"I don't understand it." Raoul said. "How could I," he looked up and I saw tears of pain and regret in his eyes. "have raped such a sweet, kind, understanding and lovely woman?"

That was the first time anyone acknowledged me as a woman and it took me by surprise. I was only twenty and I was still naive in the ways of men.

"It wasn't your fault." I found myself saying. "You were drunk."

"No, I wasn't drunk." I glanced up at him. "I was sick out of my mind drunk." He exhaled. "I honestly wish I could reverse the hands of time and have a real chance with you Meg. I admit honestly, I am drawn to you." I blushed and dropped my gaze. My foolish heart pounded in my chest. Raoul gently ran a finger down my face and I held my breath. "Meg."

I trembled at the gaze in his eyes and I dropped my gaze. Raoul tilted my face up and he sang something I'd never heard before. Floating, falling, sweet intoxication. I trembled as Raoul pulled me up from the seat, his eyes penetrating my soul. Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation. I closed my eyes as he drew closer and I trembled in anticipation. You alone…can make…my song take flight.

Raoul never finished singing softly. For he leaned forward and his lips touched mine lightly. I shivered. Not in fear for the first time. But with desire. I hesitantly let my arms creep up around his shoulders. It wasn't a firm grip for I wasn't that drawn to Raoul that strong yet.

Raoul broke the kiss and cupped my chin with his thumb and fingers. "Why did you do that?" I asked quietly.

"Why does Erik kiss Christine?" he asked.

"Because," words died on my lips for a moment. Raoul waited for me to continue patiently. "he loves her."

"I can't say I love you Meg, for I don't." my heart saddened. "But I do honestly care for you."

I wasn't going to admit what I had been wanting to tell him for so long. I simply remained silent and stood up. "We should go back in."

"In a little bit." Raoul said.

"Do what the lady suggests." Erik said suddenly out of nowhere. We spun around. "If she wants to go somewhere, always oblige unless it's impossible to do so."

Raoul groaned, "Erik. We can handle this from here."

Erik took a step forward, "You cannot, because it is now out of your control." He turned to me. "For Meg is not yours to keep anymore."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Erik cleared his throat, "The priest who married you two just came. He married you by accident before he had the authority."

I stared. "What?"

"Wait a minute." Raoul said. "Why do you say that?"

"A mistake on his part." Erik said. "So, you two are not legally married." Raoul stared at me. I couldn't believe it. What had seemed like a normal marriage ceremony was a fraud. "They sent another priest over here if you two wish to renew your vows."

"Meg?" Raoul asked, extending his hand. "Shall we?"

I stared at his hand. I did love Raoul, but he didn't love me, yet. I didn't want to always be entering the marriage vows chained with the word love always left out of it. I looked at Raoul and made my decision. I was going to make him fall in love with me. I wasn't sure if it would work but I had to try.

"That is unnecessary Mr. Chagney." I said picking up my fine skirts. "I release you from whatever that was holding you to me."

"Meg." Raoul gripped my arm.

I jumped and Erik gripped Raoul's hand and pulled it off me. "Gently." He growled. "You're in no position to handle her in such a fashion."

"Goodbye Mr. Chagney. If you have any need of my services, I'll be in the kitchen."

"Meg!"

Raoul called after me as I ran out of the kitchen. Erik still held him back. "I want to talk to you."

I ran back upstairs, past the startled priest to Raoul's room. I pulled my dress out from under the bed. I had kept it as a reminder of what I really was. Tears prickled my eyes as I got out of the dress of fine silk into my old cotton dress. I folded up the dress and put it back in Christine's room.

I went down to the kitchen to find Tilly just getting a bucket of water ready to scrub the floor with. She smirked when she saw me, "Well, if it isn't Raoul's whore." I stiffened but kept silent. "What's the matter?" she taunted. "He get tired of you?"

"Scrub the floor!" cook ordered me. "And do a good job!"

I nodded and grabbed the bucket and began scrubbing it hard. I ignored the taunts and questions by cook and Tilly.

"So tell me," Tilly taunted. "Why'd he dump you really? You may have been a good girl Meg, but we're not blind."

"We knew you fancied him."

"So what was he like in bed with you?" Tilly cackled. "I heard he likes the ladies. Unlike you, I didn't have the pleasure."

I grew angry, but I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of learning what really happened. Suddenly, a strong blow sent me flying forward into the wooden scrub bucket. I hit my rib hard on it and I felt a sharp pain in my rib cage as I hit the wooden floor.

I cried out and clutched my side as a flour sack fell off the table, covering me in its white powder. I hated flour; it always made me choke when I inhaled it. I held my breath as I began brushing it off me. Suddenly a handful of flour hit me in the eyes. My vision blurred and I couldn't see anything.

"Tell us." Cook hissed.

"Get your filthy hands off her you scum!" I knew that voice. It was Raoul. I felt his familiar arms grip my shoulders and pull me up off the floor. I held my hands out in front of me. "It's all right Meg." He said. "I've got you."

Raoul tilted my head and I felt cool water on my face. I washed the flour out of my eyes and felt for a cloth. Raoul pressed a cloth onto my face and dabbed at the water. I blinked and found Raoul's worried face a few inches from mine.

I stepped back, "thank you Mr. Chagney."

"Meg."

"Is there something that you require sir?" I dropped a curtsy just to aggravate him.

It worked. "Confound it Meg!" He bellowed. "What's gotten into you?"

"Meg?" I spun around to see Christine there. She froze. "Raoul, leave her alone."

"Stay out of this Christine!"

"Meg! You're all doughy!" I looked at my dress to see indeed that the flour had clung to the water in a pasty substance.

"Those two witches attacked her!" Raoul said.

"The little whore got what she deserved!" Tilly spat.

Raoul spun around he stalked towards Tilly his hand raised. I gasped and grabbed his arm. "Raoul don't!"

I groaned as my rib hurt and I clutched it. Raoul spun around and caught me just as I was kneeling down on the ground. "Meg?" He pulled my hand off my rib and gasped. "Oh dear God! Christine get Erik!" I looked down and saw blood streaming down. I whimpered and gasped as a buzzing filled my ears. "Meg?" Raoul's voice sounded far away. "Hold on." I reached for Raoul just as the world grew dark and silent.

"Erik!" I shrieked.

Sour notes came from the piano and Erik cursed. "Christine!"

"Erik! Meg is hurt!"

He groaned and went towards me. "Where?"

"The kitchen!"

Erik was ahead of me. "Go get my medical bag."

I ran down and tripped over the bag he'd left by he door. I picked it up, vowing to get him for that. I came around the corner to see Raoul holding Meg's limp form in her lap. He'd already unfastened the buttons on her gown and he'd pulled it down around to reveal blood on her.

Erik growled. "What happened? Did you hit her?"

"How could you think that?" Raoul shouted at Erik. "Help her!"

Erik loosened the shift and pushed it up to her chest. I winced as I saw a huge splinter in her side. Erik dug in his bag for his tools and extracted it. Meg moaned and stirred as he poured something on the wound.

"Keep her calm." Erik ordered. "How'd this happen?"

"Those….witches." Raoul spat. "You two are fired!" he shouted at them with anger so similar to Erik's it made me jump.

"What?" Tilly screeched.

"Get out!" Raoul said. "Now! Before I loose my temper completely."

Tilly and the cook ran out of the room quickly.

"Raoul?" Raoul instantly jerked his gaze back to Meg. Her eyes fluttered open. "Oh, what happened?"

"You fainted."

"Bandages Christine."

I handed the roll to him and he began to bind her wound. I studied Raoul, he was so concerned with Meg it made me smile and bring tears to my eyes. Meg reached up and touched his face with a finger. "It's all right."

Raoul kissed her finger. "I'm so sorry."

"Please," she begged. "Don't fire them."

"Meg."

"Please."

"No!" he said. "I'd do anything for you, except that! I can't do that. They hurt you Meg!"

"Done." Erik said snipping the bandage. "Help her up."

"No." Meg said pulling her arms into her sleeves. "I'll be fine." I buttoned up the back of the gown. "Thank you." Meg knelt on her knees and resumed scrubbing the floor.

"Confound it Meg!" Raoul said picking her up in his arms.

"Mr. Chagney, put me down!"

"Raoul!" I cried.

Erik gripped me by the shoulder. "Let them be Christine."

"But."

"Its their affair, not ours." He said.

"But Erik."

"Christine," he said. "Raoul's in love with her. But like you, he just doesn't know it yet." His eyes danced. "His actions prove it. But like you, he's going to need a little help.

"Erik," I warned. "You've got that look in your eyes again. What are you planning?"

"Me?" he said innocently as he bent over and picked up his bag. "Nothing at all."

I swatted him and he spun around and gripped me around the waist. I laughed at him as he picked me up and swung me over his shoulder.

"Erik!" I shrieked. "Put me down!"

"I don't think so!" he said walking out of the kitchen to the parlor.

"Erik." I hissed as Mr. Chagney and Mr. Ormanni stared at us. "Put me down."

"No!" he said setting his bag on the table. He addressed the two gaping adults. "I'm kidnapping Christine for the afternoon. Don't expect us back."

"Erik!" I pounded him on the back. "Put me down."

"Erik," Mr. Ormanni said. "The baby."

Erik immediately swung me into his arms. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." I assured him. "Honest."

"Are you sure?"

"No! I'm at death's door!"

Erik groaned and walked outside. "The carriage is ready. I'm taking you out. Tonight phantom of the opera is closing with our understudies."

"Don't tell me." I said. "Box five is waiting for our use right?"

"Correct." Erik said. "Now, I'm taking you out for supper."

"Erik! Raoul fired the cook."

"I'll find one and send it home." Erik pushed the carriage door open and set me down. He slammed the door shut. "Now will you shut up and pay attention to me?"

I barely had time to squeak, "Yes sir!" before he kissed me.