Paris, February 1881

Lisette was finding herself growing increasingly frustrated with the new managers as the weeks progressed. While Debienne and Poligny were far from ideal managers of the opera house, they at least let the opera house function on its own through each of its staff. However, she now found Richard and Moncharmin at nearly every rehearsal, commenting on practically anything Reyer and Gabriel had to say. Gabriel's face seemed to constantly be the same shade of red as his hair and more than once she had caught Reyer chewing on the end of his baton to hold his tongue. Carlotta had also returned, by the insistence of the new managers. They claimed that Christine's success was only passing and that Carlotta was the only one who could keep the opera's success during this transition between managers.

Shortly after Carlotta's return was announced, Christine had disappeared. Lisette had asked Meg and Sorelli if they knew her whereabouts, but they were both as clueless as she. Sorelli was in a bad mood because the count had left Paris and wouldn't be back for a few days. Apparently the young viscount had disappeared as well and Philippe was determined to find him before he got himself into trouble.

What had surprised Lisette the most was that Erik had remained strangely silent through all the changes and intrusions the new managers had made over the last few days. There were no spiders in Carlotta's wigs, no pranks on the stagehands, and even the ballet rats seemed at ease as they moved around backstage. Usually they were clinging to each other in fear, looking about as if the Opera Ghost might attack them at any moment. Lisette had also not seen another page of Don Juan Triumphant since before she left for Germany and there had also been a cease in organ lessons. She hadn't even gotten the chance to tell Erik the good news about her position at the Conservatoire!

"It's all gone wrong!" Sorelli had groaned after a particularly difficult rehearsal. "The new managers have no idea what they're doing! If we didn't know any better, you would think Carlotta had been placed in the role of manager!"

"Poor Maman is about ready to break her cane over Moncharmin's head," Meg added. The three women were sitting in Sorelli's dressing room, enjoying the distance from the rest of the company and orchestra as they undressed from that afternoon's rehearsal. Lisette was reclining comfortably on the divan as Meg and Sorelli changed from their costumes into evening attire. The three had made the impulsive decision to treat themselves to the local restaurant for dinner.

"The orchestra is about ready to go on strike," Lisette said. "Did you know Richard fired our third trombonist and replaced him with a friend who's never even studied music?"

"He can't possibly be that horrendous," Sorelli said, applying powder to her face.

"Do you remember how your entrance was too early tonight?" Lisette asked.

Sorelli's face flushed at the memory. "What about it?"

"That wasn't your fault. The third trombone played his cue a page early!" Lisette groaned. "The man can barely read music, let alone count!"

"Well, I can't read music and everything's been just fine so far!" Meg declared.

Lisette couldn't help but roll her eyes. It was times like these that Meg's youth and naivete shone through.

"Yes, my dear," Sorelli said, placing a hand on her young friend's shoulder. "But you're not the one performing in the orchestra."

Meg shrugged her hand away before turning to Lisette. "And I'm surprised we haven't heard from the Opera Ghost!"

Lisette stiffened at her words. "Maybe he's observing… try to figure the new managers out."

From the corner of her eye, she saw Sorelli raise an eyebrow at her comment. Lisette merely shrugged.

"Well, I never thought I'd say this, but he's certainly taking his time! I'm rather anxious to see what tricks he's up to in order to put these two men in their place!" Sorelli huffed. "Come on, dears, we're going to be late for our reservation."

They made their way through the streets, mindlessly gossipping as they blended in with the many Parisians in the midst of the social season. Lisette kept her head down to avoid the stares she'd usually encounter. As they made their way into the restaurant and were comfortably seated, Sorelli let out a gasp.

Phillippe had entered the restaurant, dressed smartly and deep in conversation with a server by the door. There was no one else with him, and Lisette glanced at Sorelli, who decidedly turned away, focusing on her water glass a little too intently.

"Aren't you going to invite him over?" Meg whispered.

"He didn't tell me he was back!" Sorelli said. Lisette could sense the bitterness in her voice.

"Well, if you won't, I will!" Before Lisette or Sorelli could object, Meg rose from the table and darted to the entrance. The count seemed shocked to see her and something almost like fear came across his face when Meg pointed out their table. However, his face relaxed into a smile, taking Meg's arm and coming over to them.

"Bonsoir mesdames," he said cheerfully. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Aren't you here to sit with someone else?" Sorelli asked accusingly, not bothering to hide the poison in her voice.

Philippe glanced at her, clearly amused. "In fact, I was here to meet an old friend, but he never showed. What a pleasant surprise to find the opera house's most talented prodigies here!"

Lisette glanced at Sorelli, who was fiercely staring at her wine glass and didn't respond.

"We'd be delighted if you joined us," Lisette said at last.

"Were you able to find the vicomte?" Meg asked once they were all properly seated.

The count blinked at the question, but his expression softened when he saw the curiosity on Lisette and Sorelli's faces. "I was," he said at last. "Apparently he decided to take a short holiday to Perros."

"Perros?" Lisette said. "Do you have acquaintances there?"

"No," the count said, shaking his head. "But Mademoiselle Daae does."

"Christine?" Meg said. "Is she back as well?"

"Yes, yes," the count answered with a smile. "Both she and my brother are accounted for."

"It sounds like your brother followed her there," Sorelli said, still not bothering to make eye contact.

Their conversation was momentarily interrupted as their waiter placed their food in front of them. Lisette bit back a smile as she watched the interaction between them all. Sorelli looked about ready to dump her glass of wine on the count's head, the count looked as if he was being interrogated by the police, and Meg seemed completely unaware of any tension at all as she dove into her plate of food.

"It seems as if my brother is quite smitten with Mademoiselle Daae," the count continued once the waiter had left. "They were childhood friends, you see, and were finally able to reconnect the night of Monsieur Debienne and Poligny's retirement gala."

"I didn't know Christine had any acquaintances outside of Paris," Meg said thoughtfully.

"Her father is buried in Perros," the count said.

"That was nice of the vicomte to join her," Lisette said. "It's quite a long journey to Perros from here."

"Yes," the count said, poking at the duck on his plate. "The lad has been in a poor state since he returned home. Blinded by love, I supposed. He keeps ranting about a ghost and a violin in the graveyard."

Lisette's fork noisily clattered onto her plate, causing all three of them to look at her.

"A ghost?" she said softly.

Sorelli rolled her eyes. "You're becoming more superstitious than Poligny, Lisette!"

"Yes," the count said, ignoring Sorelli. "Christine claims to have heard the ghost of her father at his tombstone."

Lisette could feel her blood begin to boil. She had been aware of "The Angel of Music" Christine so naively believed in. She had never thought this was right of Erik to use Christine in such a dishonest way. But she was appalled at how far Erik was taking this deception. She knew him to be a superb violinist and had no doubt that had been him in the graveyard. Is this why Erik had also been missing for the last few days?

Lisette barely spoke for the rest of the meal, her mind barely able to focus on anything other than Erik and his schemes. Lisette was neck-deep into his ploys at this point and she was beginning to want a way out.

"And to make matters worse," the count said after Sorelli had filed her complaints against the new managers, "One of the opera house's prized horses has been stolen!"

Meg, an animal lover, gasped in horror. "Which one?"

"Cesar," the count said. "The black one. If any of you happen to see him, please let me know. I would like to think the stagehands are playing a silly trick on us, but I'll admit that there have been some strange occurances the last few weeks that make me highly suspicious of something else…"

The count did not need to finish his sentence for everyone to understand he was referencing the opera ghost. The count excused himself, bidding them all goodnight, before the three women were left staring at his empty seat.

"I just know he was here to see another woman," Sorelli said, throwing her napkin on the table. "Why else wouldn't he have let me know he was back in Paris?"

"Don't overthink everything!" Meg declared.

"I don't have to," Sorelli said, standing up. The three quickly bundled themselves in their coats before heading back out to the city streets. Thick snowflakes were beginning to fall and they all had to don their hoods, making them look like foreboding priests as they made their way back to the opera house. Lisette had to continuously blink away the snowflakes that kept entangling themselves in her eyelashes.

"It was only a matter of time," Sorelli continued after they had walked along in silence for a few minutes. "How could the Comte de Chagny possibly have any serious affection for a young ballerina? Particularly one with no connections and no prospects for the future."

Lisette listened silently. As ashamed as she might be to admit it, she had been wondering the same thing.

"But that shouldn't matter if he loves you!" Meg said.

Sorelli smiled softly at her. "My dear, I envy your ignorance sometimes. You heard his disappointment at the vicomte's interest in Christine! Why, if the prima donna of the Palais Garnier isn't good enough for his brother, why would I be good enough for the Comte de Chagny?"

"I still don't think it's fair to condemn him for tonight before he has a chance to explain himself," Lisette said.

"We all know you're soft on the count," Sorelli said. Apparently Lisette's comment had only added fuel to the fire. "Don't get your hopes up either! Even if your salary is greater than mine, he still won't want to associate himself with your crowd in the long run."

While her words stung, Lisette was thankful Sorelli hadn't been coarse like Carlotta had been so many times in the past. This would have been the perfect opportunity to bring up her face as a detraction for a courtship, but there was no mention of it. Even though Sorelli was not always as open and honest as Lisette would've liked, the pair had truly become friends over the last several months. She could tell that Sorelli saw her as more than just the prima pianist.

"Find him in the morning," Lisette said as they arrived at the street corner that led to her apartment. "Philippe truly is a nice man and I'm sure his intentions are far more genuine than we'd like to assume."

Later that evening, when Lisette was tucked into her bed with a hot cup of coffee, she couldn't help but wonder if she believed her own words. She had seen the way the count had been with her only months before and wondered if he was preparing to do the same with Sorelli. Besides, what was this man doing chasing women half his age and far below his rank? There was more than one thing about the count that wasn't quite adding up...