To Alicebrabbit: I wish that you were a member so I could PM you this but alas you are not. First of all thank you. I love hearing from new readers and thank you for pointing that out. I do not mind at all when readers point out any errors on my part, in fact it means that you care enough to point it. Although, in this case, I assure you that I already knew that there is no language called 'Canadian'. I assume that you were referring to where I used the phrase 'Canadian Dialect'. A dialect does not denote a separate language it is a divergence in speech between two regions for example 'gas' and 'petrol'; the British say petrol, North Americans say 'gas'.
Anyhow on with the show… I sure wish that I had more reviews, favorites etc. They inspire me to go on. I have not been as inspired lately but will soldier on.
Chapter 51.
The carriage arrived at the Waverly Hotel and they all alit. Then the driver removed the women's belongings and placed them at the door of the hotel. Moments later a bellman came out to escort them in, but he perused the three of them and halted.
The bellman looked at the Girys disdainfully, and then at Aaron, informing him, in English, "Mr. Brown, I am shocked that you would bring those sort of women here. This is a reputable establishment and we do not allow ladies of the night to work here. Please find a more suitable establishment for your girls. If you do not know of them there are plenty of them by the waterfront, where the ships dock."
Aaron glared, in indignation, at the bellman and replied, "Look at them closely! Do they seem like those sorts of women? They are a respectable mother and daughter and they have just arrived from France to work to teach ballet to aspiring young ladies. The younger one is a famous ballerina, and the older one a well regarded instructor from the Opera Populaire in Paris. Tell me does the old women look like a prostitute? Who would use her services?"
The bellman looked at Antoinette, and then back at Aaron, and shrugged, "I guess that you are right. I only saw the younger woman and she is gorgeous; the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen, here in Halifax at least. I did not even look at her mother, but you are right she is a real hag. I apologize for jumping to conclusions, but we are one of the nicest hotels in town and we do not normally have women dressed in rags staying here. You would not be the first to try to smuggle that sort of woman into this establishment. This is after all a port city and men will be men. Please accept my sincerest apologies."
Aaron was mollified, or at least decided to be. He was not eager to look for new accommodations. He was not all that familiar with Halifax, and he had a feeling that any reputable hotel might jump to the same conclusions. Thus he said more kindly, "I accept your apology. These ladies are my charges and I must get them situated. I suppose that their clothing will not do. Is there a dressmaker here in town that might be able to make more suitable clothing for them? They would have to be made rather quickly as we are leaving for Quebec City in two days."
The bellman replied, "There is a very reputable dressmaker near the corner of Granville Street and Sackville Street near the Telegraph Office who might be able to help you. My wife has gone to her for years. Her name is Mrs. Jenkins, and as I recall my wife told me that she is very accommodating. She is from Liverpool, just like my wife, and comes from a long line of dressmakers and tailors there. Tell her that Sam Evans sent you," he added.
Aaron thanked the bellman, who then took the women's suitcases to their room, without any further objection. Aaron had already checked them in earlier in the day. He had arrived in Halifax two days ahead of the women, just in case the captain of the Numidian decided to speed up its crossing. Aaron knew that the various ship lines were constantly competing on their westward Atlantic crossings over which ship could cross the fastest. The Cunard ships normally won, but it did not mean that other ships did not try. It was important to Erik that the ladies be met at the pier, just in case someone had followed them and to keep them safe in a rough port city such as Halifax, where the language spoken there was mostly English, not French as in Quebec.
Aaron had been instructed to keep an eye out for anyone who might look suspicious and Aaron had done so and saw no one suspicious walking behind them. Erik himself had not come as far as Halifax because he did not want leave his family for that long. He of course told Aaron that his reason was that he did not want to risk being found out just yet by the ladies but Aaron could clearly see behind the subterfuge. Although Erik had trusted Aaron to do many jobs for him over the years, and his own life experiences had trained Aaron to look out around for dangers as well. Even before meeting Erik, growing up as a Russian Jew had forced Aaron to look out of the corner of his eye to avoid any potential dangers. The Russian Authorities seldom protected the Jews from harassment. They would look away pretending that there was no trouble occurring right before their eyes, so Aaron instinctively knew how to spot trouble before it could happen. Erik had enhanced the boy's already impressive ability to do so, even teaching him a little about the Punjab lasso. Aaron knew that Erik, even after all of these years, could not believe that his current state of good fortune could last forever. He was ever fearful that his family would be snatched away from him at a moment's notice should he stay away too long; and perhaps his friend was right. Aaron's own family had been snatched away from him without a moments notice. It was for that reason that Aaron understood Erik's paranoia completely, he would feel the same exact way.
The women had looked at Aaron questioningly after they had watched the bellman change from hostility to servility. They had not understood a word of their conversation, which was in rapid English; but could recognize that there was some problem by the tone of their voices and the hostile expressions on their faces. They were relieved when bellman showed them to their room, which was comfortable and well furnished. Aaron had taken a suite, with a sitting area, right next door. He asked the ladies to join him for some light refreshments once they had settled in. Both women were made to believe that it was not a request but a command. When they were done they knocked on the door of Aaron's suite and were ushered into the room.
Meg inquired, "Was there something wrong when we arrived here? You and the bellman seemed very angry at one another at first?"
Aaron replied, "Nothing that could not be fixed. The bellman was concerned about the quality of your clothing. It does appear to be rather thread worn and I am inclined to agree with him. Would you mind if I took you and your mother to a dressmaker and bought you several new articles of clothing? I would like for you to make a good first impression when we arrive in Quebec City; after all it was I that recommended you both for the job. It might reflect poorly upon me should you not meet expectations."
Meg looked at her mother with a warning glance. She knew that she was ready to object, out of a misplaced sense of pride and then replied, "We would be grateful if you did buy us a few dresses. We will repay you in time for your generosity once our circumstances improve for the better."
Aaron replied, "Undoubtedly they will. I am sure of it. The deck has been stacked in your favor."
Antoinette replied suspiciously, "What do you mean by that?"
Aaron paused and then answered, "Well your work is superb" he turned to Meg and told her, "Your dancing was sublime."
Meg blushed at the compliment. It had been a long time since anyone had done so. She had not danced in more than ten years and how she missed that world. For a moment, she felt her shattered pride return. It had been a long time since anyone had paid her a compliment and she basked in it, "You liked my dancing?"
Aaron lied, "How could I not when it was so good."
Unlike Meg, Antoinette was not taken in by the young man's words. She recognized a falsehood when she heard it, and was still highly suspicious of him, "How old were you when you saw us? You to be no older than in your mid twenties now," she declared. "You could not have been more than ten years old when Meg last danced, yet you remember it so vividly," she added clearly displaying her doubts to him.
Not bothering to hide her skepticism about everything. She had had other motives for agreeing to this, but had not conveyed them to her daughter. She did not know where her daughter's loyalties would truly lie should they be tested and so she kept her concerns mostly to herself. This boy could not be the 'Parisian patron' that the invitation had referred to.
"I am twenty five now and I was ten when I saw you perform back in the fall of '80. It was very exciting for a boy from Yelizavetgrad to go to such a fancy opera house with all of the gold and the statues. The ballet was enchanting and Madamoiselle Daae's voice was beautiful, to put it mildly," Aaron added, for good measure, "Yet despite the richness of her voice, I was most entranced by you Mademoiselle Giry."
Meg blushed at the compliment pleased that he had preferred her dancing to Christine's singing, that was so rare, "I hope that I can live up your memories Monsieur Brown," she replied with a soft smile.
"Please Mademoiselle Giry, you must call me Aaron," he replied. He could not stop staring at her large luscious breasts. He wondered what it would be like to fondle them. Like the bellman he thought that Mademoiselle Giry was one of the most beautiful women that he had ever met, with the exception of Christine. He had to admit, even though he worshipped Erik, that he had wondered how a man as hideous as he was could have won the heart of such a beautiful woman, even if he knew their story.
"How is it that you remember the names of the performers so well given that you were so very young? Antoinette quizzed interrupting them.
"I confess that I did not know for many years; but I was able to find out the names of the performers were years later by finding an old magazine from the era. That magazine told me everything that I needed to know." He replied.
"Did that magazine also tell you anything about the Phantom of the Opera? He lurked about the theatre back then. Christine Daae was his protégée," Antoinette probed by watching his reaction closely like a predatory cat.
To Aaron's credit he kept a straight face and was prepared to return the favor. Erik had anticipated that question and therefore they had a scripted answer designed in turn to dig out answers from Antoinette. It was a question that he would have asked if Antoinette had not done so before him. He needed to gauge her reaction to the mention of the 'Phantom'. If it were hostile in any way then Erik might abort the whole enterprise and have his family remain safely tucked away in St. Etienne.
"Yes of course, who hasn't heard of him? He was a hideous and murderous monster that lurked under the Palais Garnier from what I know of him. He killed a Comte as I recall," Aaron replied blandly, as if the story meant nothing to him.
Antoinette smiled coldly replying, "Yes of course you are exactly right, Monsieur Brown," she added, purposing ignoring his entreaty to dispense with formality. She glanced at Meg, who blushed profusely at the mention of the Phantom and then back at Aaron. She continued, "Of course Monsieur magazines seldom tell the whole story, the true story. There was more to Erik than just murders and mayhem. Perhaps you do not realize that was both a composer and an architect, and that beautiful music that you claim to have heard was coaxed out of Mademoiselle Daae due to his teaching. Sadly she proved to be ungrateful to him for all that he did for her. Much of what he did resulted from her rejection of him. She had seen the hideous face behind the mask that he wore and then spurned and betrayed him for a younger and more handsome man. Then again who wouldn't have spurned such a man when they could have riches and a handsome man instead."
Aaron who knew the whole story from both Erik and Christine's prospectives nodded as if it were all new and unknown to him, "Yes, I suppose. I believe the French newspapers reported that the Phantom's body was found not too long ago with a suicide note. You must have been relieved that the whole matter was finally over and that it had a proper ending."
"I am not sure that it will ever have what you would call a proper ending Monsieur. Many lives were affected by the Phantom and his actions, most of them not for the better. Some people died like Mademoiselle Daae and others were broken and betrayed."
Aaron looked at Meg, who looked uncomfortable, "Was that why you were unable to marry the Baron? Did the Phantom derail your engagement?"
Meg looked away in surprise but answered in almost a whisper, "No, Monsieur I did that to myself. I betrayed the Baron with another man and he did not take kindly to it. He married someone else instead."
Aaron replied sympathically, "I am sorry Mademoiselle. Yet you no longer dance. Did you marry this other man? If so where is he?"
Meg replied evasively, "I would rather not say Monsieur Brown. We are not very well acquainted and some things are just better left unsaid. What I have done these past years is my own business and only mine."
Aaron smiled, "I did not mean to trouble you. I was merely enquiring about what you have done, since you no longer dance; but you are under no obligation to explain it to me. Forgive my curiosity", he turned to Antoinette I mean both of you."
Antoinette replied in agreement, "No you are not Monsieur Brown. Sponsoring our employment here does not give you the right to know what we have been doing with our lives since our 'retirement' from the Opera Populaire. Suffice it to say that it has not been easy. Perhaps that is why we are not blessed with a wardrobe that meets your satisfaction."
It was Aaron's turn to be embarrassed and apologized again, "I did not mean to hurt your feelings ladies, if I have done so then I am terribly sorry. I only wish you to be comfortable and wanted to help facilitate that end."
Antoinette smiled coldly once again, "Our feelings were not hurt Monsieur. We have endured far more pain than that which you have inflicted upon us. You are only twenty-five years old. You could not have had the chance to experience too much loss or hardship in such a short life."
Aaron glared back at Antoinette, "You know nothing about my life so I ask you not to make any assumptions about me. I lost my parents when I was only ten years old, when they were murdered. I am not a soft man. I have endured great loss and suffering but a very kind very helpful man and his wife, helped me back onto my feet. They watched over me, as if I were their own child. He was my guardian angel. He still is."
Antoinette seemed not to be surprised at the answer. She then replied with a more than hint of the animus that she felt towards the world, "Be careful of who appears in your life as a so-called guardian angel. I have seen and experienced the loss and betrayal of putting my fate in the hands of one who has promised much to me and then turned away from me when I needed him the most. Christine Daae, who was my foster child, put her faith in such a man, someone that she called her angel. Yet now she and her young husband are now lying at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean somewhere off of the coast of New Zealand. They are both dead, because of her fear of that very same man that she had once believed that she was safe with; who she too called her 'guardian angel'. The same might happen to you Monsieur. Your affections might be misplaced in the hands of such a man."
Aaron replied angrily, "You know nothing about the man that I speak of Madame Giry. If you did you would never say such a thing. Just because someone betrayed you does not mean that my friend will betray me."
Antoinette looked smug, "Yes, of course because your friend and mine are completely different men Monsieur. My former benefactor is dead and buried somewhere but yours is still living and breathing. It is a good thing that they are not the same man or he would leave you poor and rotting away as he did to us."
Meg shot a warning glance at her mother, "Maman, how could you behave so cruelly. Monsieur Brown here has graciously lured us across the ocean and promised us decent jobs at a terrific salary and you would berate him in such a fashion? You have become more hateful than I thought." She turned to Aaron apologetically, "Please forgive my mother Monsieur. In her senility she conjures up old ghosts. She retains grudges from the past that have no place in the present time. Maman saw her husband murdered right before her, and other friends die and leave her in a bind. She had to pay dearly for their sins. Because of that she tends to look at everyone and everything with suspicion, even kind offers such as yours, which have nothing sinister attached to them at all. Your invitation was not the first but it has been quite a long time since we have both been out of work. The situation in Paris is not that good right now for two retired dancers. They always want younger and prettier women not women such as Maman and I who are no longer young nor in the full blossom of youth."
Aaron's anger was appeased and he then complimented Meg, "Well I cannot see where they could find someone younger and prettier than you; you are endowed with both youth and beauty Mademoiselle Giry. It is Paris' loss and Quebec's gain that you have seen fit to accept our offer and bring your talents here."
Meg sighed, "I am afraid that I may prove to be a disappointment to you, Monsieur. I am thirty years old and far past my prime. I was only sixteen when I plied the stage that night. Christine Daae and I were both so young and innocent back then. We wanted to do nothing more than dance and sing respectfully. We did not envision a future without doing so. That was a glorious night Monsieur full of magic and beauty; they say that even the Phantom himself wept at the sound of Christine's voice, that was how perfect that it was. They even praised the Phantom's genius in nurturing Christine at the same time as they were cursing him. How I wish that that night had turned out differently. That the Vicomte de Chagny had never shown up and rekindled his friendship with Christine. If only instead the Phantom had somehow won Christine's heart, despite her revulsion towards his hideous face, and had therefore never become unstable and murderous. All of our lives would have been so different and so much better Monsieur. By now I might have been a Baroness or graced the stage in my prime; and the Vicomte, Christine and the Phantom would all still be alive, and Maman happy. None of those later tragedies would have come about," she mused thoughtfully.
Antoinette snorted in derision, "There she goes dreaming once again; even after all this time she still believes that goodness exists in the world and that there is a such thing as a happy ending. Take it from me Monsieur there are no happy endings, we all die eventually and there is nothing in this world that can keep us all from that fate. The Phantom would have never won Christine's heart even if the Vicomte had never shown up. Meg's hope will prove to be her undoing, just as mine was my undoing. Tell me Monsieur are you married yet? Do you have any children?"
Aaron sighed, "I have a fiancé Rivka, who I intend to marry eventually. I am just waiting for the right time. My various jobs keep me very busy and I want to be able to stay home and raise my family. I want my sons and daughters to know me, especially since my own brothers and sisters are all dead."
Antoinette replied, "Yet how is it that they were able to bring you to Paris to see us that night?"
Aaron realized that he had made yet another mistake, revealing too much about his family. This time he was not so sure that she did not catch it. This question seemed to confirm that. He scrambled for a reply, "It was before their death. My father's business brought him to Paris and he took us all with him. While we were there we enjoyed the opera."
"Yet we were lead to believe in the invitation that you were Parisian. Now I find that that you never even lived in Paris." Antoinette challenged.
"Does my situation truly matter?" Aaron asked gently. "Why not just accept your good fortune?"
"No of course not, Monsieur. I did not mean to pry. It is the teacher inside of me. I must know everything about my pupils, or in your case, my benefactor," Antoinette explained to him.
Aaron replied, "Well perhaps in my case, like yours, I prefer not to discuss my own terrible past. Why don't we agree to discuss only the present and the future since the past is so painful for all of us"?
Antoinette nodded, "Agreed. I have no desire to stir up old ghosts any further."
Aaron smiled and replied, "Good, now may we go to the dressmakers? I am sure that they will need as much time as possible to create some new dresses for you in only two days."
Antoinette agreed, "Yes it will be a miracle if they can get them ready on time."
They then took a cab to the dressmaker, who, while harried, did think that she could get something made for them. Aaron's very generous offer of extra remuneration did much to enhance her cooperation. While the ladies were being measured, Aaron went over to the nearby telegraph office and sent Erik a short telegram,
"The ladies were picked up, all went smoothly except we have to make some unexpected clothing purchases as both ladies were dressed in rags. Caution towards both ladies, particularly the mother, is warranted. Your reunion might not be as smooth as you might want it. Will need more time to gauge."
Aaron.
Erik showed the telegram to Christine, who wondered what to make of its contents.
"What do you think that he means by saying that caution should be warranted and that the reunion might not go smoothly?" she asked, with concern.
Erik sighed, "No surprise from my point of view. It has been a long time Christine, and the last days of our relationship were hardly cordial. You remember how I was both paranoid and prone to violence back then. Thanks to the drugs that I felt compelled to abuse to drown my sorrows. I did not treat Antoinette, or anyone else, in a particularly kind fashion; not even you. Although you have long since forgiven me for my boorish behavior, Antoinette may still hold some hostile feelings towards me. My million-franc gift might not have been enough to overcome her anger towards me. Also, as unlikely as I would have thought it to be, it sounds as if she and Meg must have quickly gone through it. I am surprised because, while she and Meg always had an enjoyment of the finer things, Antoinette was always careful to conserve whatever money they had. But perhaps my gift was almost too much; some people who come into a fortune do lose all sense of how to manage one. I would have hoped that she would have kept it invested and lived off of the profits but perhaps possession of all of that money was just too much for the Girys after all."
In the meantime Aaron returned to the store, and while Meg was still being measured, Madame Giry was done and claimed to be feeling a little bit faint.
She looked at Aaron apologetically and asked, "If you don't mind I would like to walk around the block for some fresh air. The clumsy woman here tightened my bodice up too much after measuring me and I feel a little faint," she added.
"Would you like me to accompany you?" Aaron offered politely, not really wanting to do so.
"No Monsieur while that is very gentlemanly of you, it is entirely unnecessary. I will just take a quick stroll around the block and be right back." Antoinette explained, "You will hardly miss me."
The shopkeeper offered, "You may sit in a chair if you would like sir. Miss Giry should be out in only a few minutes more."
Aaron smiled gratefully, "You are most kind miss," he answered in English.
"Well you are a most generous customer. I only wish that you lived here in Halifax, then we could serve your needs all of the time. We tailor men's clothing as well," she added.
"Perhaps another time." Aaron replied politely.
"These two French ladies are very pretty; but the older one seems very sour. How do you know them since clearly you are not French?" the shopkeeper asked.
"They are the family of a friend of mine's wife. I am taking care of them for him," Aaron replied.
"Well if the old lady were my friend I would send her right back on the next ship back to France. She is truly an old battle-axe. You are a good friend to put up with her," she fumed, she then mused, "Although perhaps I am being quick to judge," she whispered confidentially, "You know that both women are covered with scars. The older lady has them all over her back, as if she had been whipped over and over again. My cousin's cousin who was a thief had the same type of scars after she spent several years in a gaol in Liverpool, where she was whipped regularly. The younger one she also has scars in many different places on her back and arms and legs. It looks to me as if someone has abused her repeatedly. It reminds me of what my late husband did to me; which is why I moved here from Liverpool several years ago. I wanted to get away from the memories even though he is now dead. That girl, who you brought, is a nice lady, although sorely used. I hope that whoever tormented her is rotting in hell like my own dead husband. There is no one worse than someone who would do something like that to the woman who they are supposed to love and protect."
Aaron pondered this new piece of information and knew that he had even more to report back to Erik. He was not so sure about either of the ladies any longer. He was sure that his friend would be distressed to hear about their suffering. He just hoped that they would not take their past suffering out on him. It had sounded to him like the older lady definitely bore him some sort of grudge and now he could understand why a little bit more, although why they would blame Erik for it, he did not truly know. The younger woman had already admitted that he was not to blame for her broken engagement so her fate at least was not the fault of Erik. As far as the older women went, he knew that Erik had left her a decent amount of money. She did defend Erik's actions at the time somewhat, which was a positive. How did everything go so wrong for them then?
