Chapter 36

"Othello? You don't think that's a bit advanced for an infant?" Erik shrugged, opening the thick volume regardless. Soon after they moved in he had sent her out with a list of books he "absolutely required" and she'd taken to begging him to read to her and Anika during the evenings.

"Our child is going to have a working understanding of the classics by the time she is able to read them." Christine grinned and ducked under his arm, so that it was around both her and Anika, who was cradled in her lap. Erik gave her a bemused smile. He still looked adorably lost every time she initiated contact, but at least it seemed to startle him less now.

"And if our child is not quite as precocious as you were?" It was true Erik didn't talk about his childhood much, but he mentioned learning or reading things at such astoundingly early ages that Christine knew if nothing else, it had been quite educational.

"Then she will probably be much happier." He frowned. She nestled her head into the crook of his neck, and he only tensed for a moment.

"Happier than Desdemona, at any rate." She said, nodding at the book, and he sounded relieved as he began reading instead of discussing his past. She relaxed, letting Erik's rich voice wash over her, and was soon asleep. She awoke to Erik lowering her into his bed, and she couldn't resist cupping his face in her hands. He just shook his head incredulously, his lips brushing the inside of her wrists. He turned out the light and lay down next to her, and a hand skimmed lightly down her arm, pausing at her hip for a moment before withdrawing. She rolled over to face him, quite awake. The touch had been innocent enough, but it reminded her of Raoul's gentle advances on nights he wanted to be together. She placed a tentative hand on Erik's chest, hovering over him and wishing she could see him and gain some clue about what he wanted. She felt herself go scarlet as she admitted to herself that she was more than ready to make their marriage a true one, but the last thing she wanted was to rush Erik when he was just becoming accustomed to a loving relationship. She still had to make her intentions clear every time she wished to put her arms around him, and he'd never kissed her without being verbally invited to do so.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you." He said after a long pause. Hardly a passionate love struck declaration. Even in his own bed, which she had practically forced her way into, he still thought he was bothering her. Whether or not he chose to admit it, Christine knew that Erik still wasn't certain of her feelings. She needed to be patient.

"You didn't." She said, sighing rather louder than she meant to as she rested her head on his chest instead.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She assured him more warmly. She smiled in the dark as his arm came around her. This was enough for now.

Still, while Erik might doubt Christine's love on occasion, she was gaining ever more faith in his. It was evident all over his unmasked face when he looked at her or spoke her name, and never more so than when they sang together. It wasn't just his voice, which seemed to come from everywhere during her lesson the next day and seeped into Christine like liquid fire. It was his eyes, following her as though she was all there was and all there ever would be. She hoped he could see it in her too, how much she needed these lessons, and him, regardless of the fact that her technique was almost perfect by now. He did seem more confident seated at his piano, offering her a rare, suggestive smile when the lyrics of their duet became especially sentimental. When the song ended the house rang with silence, the two of them leaning towards each other slightly and breathing fast. The spell was broken by an overzealous rap on the door.

"Mariella." Christine said with a rueful grin. "It's almost time for Anika's nap, would you mind?"

"Of course not." He said, rising from the piano bench. His mind sounded miles away. Christine watched him leave, waiting a long moment before she answered the door. She was met with luscious dark curls, plump lips and runaway Italian barreling into her home without being asked. Mariella's visits had become almost as commonplace as Angela's, but Christine still could not tell what to make of them. The woman was sweet and endearing, but also entirely too concerned with Christine's past. Christine had managed to evade any concrete connections through half truths and vague answers, but it still made her uneasy to be dishonest. She wished she could simply tell Mariella everything. The woman seemed well meaning and kind, but Christine knew she couldn't risk her family's safety because she wanted to see the best in people. Nonetheless Mariella's constant laughter and good cheer were infectious, and Christine couldn't quite help considering her a friend.

"That was beautiful." Mariella gushed the moment she was through the door.

"What was?"

"I heard you and who I can only assume is your husband singing. I was about to knock but I couldn't interrupt that. Stars above you really are them aren't you?"

"Really are who?" Christine asked sharply, the air around her going cold.

"The Swedish soprano and the opera ghost! Oh everyone laughed at me when I talked about the story in the papers all that time ago, said it was French sensationalism for silly girls like me, but I never forgot. And I thought it was you, but I didn't want to be an idiot and say anything until I was sure, but who else could have a voice like that?"

"Mariella." Christine cut her off, panicked. She was fairly sure Erik wasn't listening, as Anika's nursery was far away from the front room, and he said he had taken to barricading himself in his study when Mariella came by because her chatter hurt his ears, but if he was within earshot then the foolish woman might have minutes left to live. She spoke lower just in case. "You do not know what you are saying. Do you see how dangerous it is for you to-to think this?"

"I don't just think it. It's true. Isn't it?" Christine was sure the answer was all over her face, and if Mariella was intent on spreading her thoughts it hardly mattered what Christine said.

"If it is true, and people hear about it, that means my family, everyone in the world that I love is in danger. That we have to run away from the first place I've felt safe in so long to avoid getting arrested and exploited."

"Isn't it just him that would get arrested?" Christine shuddered, imagining Erik on display behind the bars of a cage once again.

"I would rather go to jail than know he was there. I would do anything for my husband, Mariella." Christine tried to glare at her and look menacing but was unsure if she succeeded. What exactly did she have to threaten, anyway? She didn't think she could bring herself to hurt the foolish woman, if it came to that. But would she let Erik, if it was the only way to preserve his safety? She didn't think she wanted to know the answer.

"Oh Christine, I would never tell, if that's how you feel. I swear it. I just wanted to ensure that you truly want to be with him."

"I do." Christine said fervently. "I didn't always, but now I cannot imagine life without him." Mariella sighed.

"You must tell me the whole story of how you two ended up together, it sounds wonderful." Christine shook her head.

"This is not a story, it is my life. You understand that my husband is a violent, dangerous man?" Mariella nodded, mute for once. "And if you repeat what you know, if I must choose between defending you or my family, you understand you do not stand a chance?" She nodded again, wide eyed.

"I should go." She said, her voice very small.

"That might be best." Christine said heavily.

"I promise I won't say anything. Not about something like this." Christine bit her lip, wishing she could be certain. The moment Mariella was out the door Christine fairly collapsed into a chair, feeling dizzy and convinced she had done the wrong thing by letting her leave at all. Erik rushed into the front room and she prepared for the worst, expecting a harsh lecture at least and possibly threats towards Mariella's life. Instead he dropped to his knees before her, slid a hand behind her head and gave her a warm, heady kiss that had her grasping the lapels of his jacket and sighing. He pulled back, looking stunned, and said,

"You're shaking." She leaned her forehead into his, refusing to let go of his jacket.

"You heard everything?" He nodded. "Then you know how foolish I've been. I should never have spoken to her at all." He shook his head, lifting her chin with one finger.

"There was nothing you could have done, it seems she figured it out on her own. I'll follow the girl." She felt her face fall at that. She didn't want to be the reason for harm to come to her friend either. "And I will speak to you before I do anything… rash."

"Thank you." She said, embracing him fiercely. "And please, watch out for yourself. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you."

"I'll be careful." He promised, holding her just as tight. "I have too much to lose."