Chapter 28 –

Elizabeth arrived back to find the school in an uproar again. Some parents of students had arrived early to the school and no one knew what to do with them. Elizabeth had enough on her mind rather than have to deal with a group of bored and overly wealthy parents.

"Elizabeth! Where have you been you cannot run off on the busiest day of the year." It was Meg. "There are too many people getting in the way, and our friend Erik seems to have disappeared leaving the entire vocal class unattended."

"We have lunch staff to attend to them."

"Unfortunately they've learned not to listen to anyone except you and your precious music teacher."

"I don't know where he is."

"Typical opera ghost…"

"Meg Hartford, we have been friends for a long time, but I do not know if I can forgive you if you finish that statement." Elizabeth threatened. "Please?" She added. Meg shut her mouth. "I'm sorry about the students I'll talk to them, as for the parents I'll round them up and send them away from another six hours."

"Mr. Erik is here Elizabeth." Mr. Colvin called as he hurried to the auditorium.

She turned and caught herself before she accidentally sighed and let everyone know of her fragile state. Erik knew right away. "You need to sit, possibly take a break for an hour or two."

"I can't do that and you know it." She replied. "You could help me though, I need to send all the parents who've arrived in the last hour away. We cannot get through this afternoon with anymore distractions."

"That I can help with. People often avoid me."

"Erik…"

"Don't worry I know this is neither the time nor the place."

"It is never the right time or place for that. Now help me get them all in one area."

After settling down their overly excited cast and finding all the adults Elizabeth had them all crowded into what was used as the math classroom. "I am very sorry," she tried to explain to the angry group. "I understand that you have not seen your children in months, but we cannot have everything prepared for this evening if we don't get them to focus on that rather than seeing you."

"Ma'am, we understand that this is very important to you, but no one will worry that this won't go perfectly. There just children, who would care?"

"They would!" Erik replied, until that point he had been silent. The looks he was getting from parents were not going unnoticed. "You're children have worked harder in the last months than most professionals do for a production, it will break their hearts if something goes wrong tonight in front of their families."

"Who are you sir? I do not remember you from our meeting in September." One father asked, sounding as unfriendly as possible.

"I am the vocal teacher; I have been here since early December. I accompanied in the Christmas concert, which you would know had you come to see your daughter Caroline in it." He knew it was her father; she was a picture of this man.

"I do not appreciate being talked to in that manner by a man like you, sir." Lord Henson replied.

"What may I ask do you mean by that statement?" It was Elizabeth.

"You both know what I mean."

"Lord Henson, Caroline adores her teacher, and he has helped her to excel even more in her music. I would be happy to talk to you about it at another time. For now, everyone, I really do need you to go elsewhere for the next few hours until the show. I shall even offer my own home for your services if you'd prefer, my staff would be happy to make you a late luncheon." Soon most of the parents had left, now all that was left were Lord and Lady Henson.

"I think I would very much like to discuss my daughter's education with you Miss Bennet."

"Lord Henson now is not the time…"

"I was ensured at the begging of Caroline's education here, that she would receive only the best in education, at your school. I do not believe that I shall have her continue here if you are to keep certain staff members."

"First of all, Lord Henson, Caroline will not attend my school after this year because we only take students up to the age of twelve at the start of term, and as she is thirteen now, she cannot come back next year. Therefore my second point would be that your opinion of my staff is not important at this time. Besides, if you were to ever talk to your daughter you would know she and Erik work well together and she is a much better performer because of him. Have you even spoken to her today?"

"Of course I have."

"Really, because she has not left her dorm because she is ill, and no person who is not a student is allowed in the dormitories, I would know if you had seen her. Sir, just go out for the afternoon, I can call ahead to a friend in town who would be glad to offer you a nice meal if you would rather eat there than at my home. Now please, I have a show that needs to be prepared for." He was furious, she knew it, and Elizabeth was almost positive he would forbid his daughter from performing, but she felt a huge weight off her chest. She hated that not single family member paid any attention to Caroline and they needed to be put in their place for it.

"I could have defended myself Miss Bennet." Erik said from the corner.

"Yes, but I don't believe your defense strategies are the best tactics for angry parents. We should go see Caroline, see if she is feeling better. Her parents are probably home by now trying to decide what they will do with her next year when she cannot attend here."

"Lead the way." As they walked Erik seemed to have something on his mind.

"What are you thinking?" Elizabeth asked.

"Doesn't Caroline's family live in town?"

"Yes."

"Then why would you offer them a meal at a restaurant, I am sure they have staff who can cook."

"Because they spend no time at home, the staff are the only people who live there full time. It's the same reason Caroline has a dorm at the school when her home is only a short walk away." He nodded.

The two reached Caroline's room and rather than knocking, Elizabeth took out her master key and unlocked the door and opened it slightly, motioning for Erik to stay back, it was improper. Caroline was sitting on her bed looking a little better than the morning drinking something. "Hello dear."

"Miss Bennet!" the child whispered. "I'm whispering to everyone so that I don't lose my voice again."

Elizabeth opened the door fully deciding that it was alright for Erik to come inside. "Hello Mr. Erik, I'm terribly sorry, it wasn't cloudy all day yesterday, I assumed it would stay that way at night."

"Are you at least feeling a little better?" He asked kindly.

"Yes, if I hardly move all afternoon, by the time for warm-up I should be alright." She replied. "This tea really seems to be working. What kind is it?"

"It's just an herbal tea from the kitch…" Elizabeth began.

"I made it myself, it's my own concoction, it usually works." Elizabeth glared at him.

"What if she was allergic to something you put into it?"

"I'm not allergic to anyt…" Her whispers were cut off.

"I would know if she were allergic to something in it." Erik replied sounding insulted.

"My kitchen staff are good at their job Erik and they will not be happy to find out you replaced their tea."

"They won't know, Mr. Erik came up here…" She was cut off again

"The tea is made specifically to help her sore throat and to give her more energy; your staff could not have made it."

"Miss Bennet, Mr. Erik, I'm not sure that this is really an important…"

"If you had given them the recipe, they could have double checked that there was nothing in it to harm her."

"I knew there was nothing in it to harm her. I am her teacher I know her better than your chef."

"Please be quiet, both of you!" Caroline finally said in as loud of a whisper as she could. "You're giving me a headache and that was the one symptom I didn't feel this morning. Can I just finish my tea and go back to sleep?"

Elizabeth and Erik both opened their mouths to apologize but both said nothing. Instead they hurried out of the girl's room. As they reach the stairway they looked to each other and both almost burst into a laugh. "That was probably the most immature conversation I've had in a long time." Erik finally said.

"Yes, even when I am talking to five-year-olds I have more self control than that." Erik pulled her towards him and gave her a kiss on the forehead as he pulled her into a hug.

"Oh, Miss Bennet…" it was a young vocal student who was now beet red. "Um, Mr. Colvin is looking for you, he needed something, but I can't remember what. I need to… go." The boy ran off.

"Now the entire instrumental class will know about us." Elizabeth said sounding almost miserable.

"It's not the worst thing in the world is it?" He asked as he lifted her head to meet his gaze.

"No, but any other day would be much easier."

"Go fix the problem in the instrument department. I have a group of students to talk to and give them an inspirational speech."

"You inspirational? I cannot believe that for a minute." She replied with a smirk.

"I will show you inspirational Miss Bennet, when you are least expecting it."

"I look forward to that moment." She flirted.

"Tisk Tisk, this is not an appropriate conversation for a children's school." Erik taunted.

"Then we will have to continue it later."

"Now I am looking forward to later." He kissed her cheek once more then let her go.

He made his way down to his classroom. Ten students sat patiently for him. "Why is it that other people seem to always be complaining that you students are misbehaved but whenever I see you, you're perfect angels?" No one replied and Erik smiled. "Now, do we have any concerns about tonight?"

No one said a thing, finally Emily spoke up. "Fine, if no one else is going to say it, I will. We are worried about Caroline; will he have to use an understudy? Will we not do it at all? Hattie said that she saw her before lunch and she didn't look any better."

"I was just with Caroline and I made sure that she had a special tea that I made, she will be better for the show. I am sure of it."

"Where do you learn all these tricks and teas and potions?" Frederick asked.

"That is not a question related to tonight's show is it?" Erik asked calmly.

"No, sorry sir." Frederick replied.

"Any other concerns?" No one said a thing, and Erik turned his focus to the inspiring speech he was going to give. "Alright then, this part should be fun. As you all know I am not one for inspirational speeches, Miss Bennet can do a better job of that, but today I must." He began. "I have worked with some of the biggest professional performers in France, and I know how professionals carry themselves. You however are an entire different breed of professionals, and I respect you so much for it. I have worked with you since December and everyday you continue to amaze me. You listen better than any single person I have ever worked with in my life, you have no objections to voicing your opinions, but your opinions are usually things that I myself would take into consideration. These months have been without a doubt, the greatest of my life. I will not forget any of you and I hope that I have had as much of an impact on you as you have on me. Now we must all get ready for tonight because we want this to be great. I have no doubt in my mind that no matter what happens on stage tonight you will all enjoy every minute of it, and I can guarantee that the audience will as well. Thank you all for this experience, I have no regrets about this year. I love you all very much and I trust you more than most people on earth. You will all do great things in this world and I will watch for it in the future."

"We prepared something to say to you as well Mr. Erik, each of us." This surprised Erik.

"I'm going to go first." Emily said with a smile. Before saying anything she hurried over to her teacher and gave him a big hug which only reached his legs. He bent down and gave her a proper hug. "Well, I did not write anything because I am not a good writer but I just wanted to say thank you because you are the best teacher I've ever had, and I've had three this year. I really want you to come back next year and teach me again."

Next Jennifer and Andrew Billings got up. "Thank you Mr. Erik, Even though this is Andrews last year I am looking forward to coming back next year because you've made us all better singers as well as people."

Hattie went next. "I want to thank you for believing in all of us, especially me, because even though I complained, I really enjoy the grandmother part. And the song you made for it is so much fun to sing."

"This isn't something that children like me usually get to experience, but because you have been teaching me I feel luckier than any of the wealthiest children in the world." This was Frederick.

"I wanted to thank you for helping me break out and sing alto, because it is a lot more natural for me and I enjoy it very much. I am glad that you were able to get me to change sections." Julie said timidly.

Brianna stood up. "We are all really indebted to you because you have given us an amazing year and I am sad that I won't be returning next year." This shocked everyone, Brianna was only eleven.

"Why not?" Erik asked.

"My parents want me to attend a school for young women in society; they want me to become a proper lady." She replied. Everyone looked upset.

"Well I guess I'll go next." Jimmy said. "I am glad that I am returning next year because Mr. Erik you work really well with all of us, and I am really excited to have an entire year with you."

Aurora stood up. "I just want to thank you for everything that you've done, you saved this year for us, if you hadn't come we probably wouldn't want to come back next year. You say you love us and respect us, and we love and respect you just as much"

"And I want to thank you for letting me join your class and trying so hard to convince my father to let me stay. I know it was a hard fight for you to win, and I'm not sure why, but if you hadn't I would have to go back to my old school and I really would not want that."

Erik was surprised but so thankful for these children; he never had been treated like this before. He was so grateful for what he learned from them this year, and he didn't know how to repay them. "I don't know what to say. I don't know why you would thank me, it is you who have made this year what it is, now, we must get ready for tonight or Miss Bennet may go insane." The students laughed and they got up to finish getting ready for their performance.