Whilst Catherine and Erik were having the time of their lives, Christine had returned from her carriage ride with Phillippe and had a wonderful time just as much as her sister was, she was also taken by surprise. It turns out, Phillippe was a childhood friend of Christine's and Catherine, although Catherine was too young at the time to remember him, whilst they worked for his family for a short period of time. The two then spent their whole time together reliving fond memories of each other and confessed how much they had missed each other since the day they parted. After a boat ride and a stroll through a wooded area, Christine began to feel anxious because she and Phillippe have been out for a long time and Catherine would be back at the Opera House now, worrying about her. She asked Phillippe to take her home, which he happily obliged and soon they were on their way. When they arrived, they bid each other goodnight with a kiss and parted ways.
Christine quickly made her way towards her and Catherine's expecting her to be there but found Carlotta instead.
"Oh, Madame" she said in surprise as she curtsied.
"Don't be frightened. I simply had to see your sister, but it appears she is not back yet. She was so... fantastic tonight" she commented as she walked closer to Christine.
"That is exceedingly kind of you Madame. I am sure my sister will appreciate your compliment" said Christine.
"She was so fantastic that I couldn't sleep. I could only think about her. So, this is where you two have been living?" said Carlotta as she surveyed the room.
"Yes, it is just, um, temporary" said Christine nervously, fearing she and her sister were in trouble for living where they were.
"Dear, there is something I can't quite understand" said Carlotta.
"Yes?" said Christine, encouraging the older woman to continue.
"How did Catherine learn to sing like that?" asked Carlotta, coming straight to the point.
Christine was taken aback by her question and remembering the promise to her sister she said nothing and moved away from Carlotta, towards her bed.
"Because technique like her's simply does not come naturally. So, who has been teaching her?" Carlotta explained before repeating the question again.
"I can't say" said Christine as she sat down on a chair next to a small table where some small items were resting.
"Can't say?" asked Carlotta in a shocked tone as she sat down on a chair across from Christine.
"I gave my word" stated Christine as she moved some items on the table around.
"To whom? Your sister? Her teacher?" asked Carlotta.
Christine did not speak but nod her head to answer 'yes'.
"I see, her teacher said to her and you, don't tell Carlotta who I am?" asked Carlotta, her tone became angrier as she spoke.
"He said not to tell anyone" explained Christine in a nervous tone.
"You think I am anyone?!" exclaimed Carlotta, feeling insulted.
"Please, Madame!" begged Christine, she did not want to speak about Erik anymore out of loyalty to her sister.
Silence fell over the two and by now Carlotta's anger was at boiling point.
"So, this is how you repay my generosity?! Letting you stay in these magnificent quarters, against all regulations rent free!?" Carlotta shouted as she rose from her chair and walked a few steps to the right to emphasize the space of Christine and Catherine's living quarters.
"Alright! The last thing neither I nor Catherine want to do is appear ungrateful" she exclaimed at first but then spoke more calmly.
"I would hope" sneered Carlotta.
"But you must swear never to tell another soul" begged Christine.
Carlotta approached her, kneeled down in front of her and took her by the hands to reassure her.
"Oh, you have my word" she said softly with a smile.
"The truth is, Catherine and I do not know what his name is. Her Maestro never told us it" Christine stated with a soft tone.
Carlotta's smile dropped; the statement made her confused.
"Well, what does he look like?" she asked.
"Not sure" said Christine.
"Not sure?" asked Carlotta feeling more confused.
"We have never seen his face" stated Christine.
"Dear, I am afraid I do not understand" said Carlotta.
"He wears a mask" explained Christine.
These four words shocked Carlotta to the core and made it feel as though the blood in her veins had frozen.
"Mask?" she whispered with a wide-eyed expression.
She knew right then and there who Catherine's mysterious teacher was, The Phantom.
Suddenly they heard the door open above and footsteps coming down the stairs.
"Christine?! Are you back yet?!" said a familiar voice, it was Catherine.
When she came into view, she saw Carlotta kneeling down in front of her sister.
"Oh, good evening Madame" she said in a surprised tone as she curtsied.
Carlotta rose up from the floor then walked towards Catherine.
"Good evening my dear. I just wanted to congratulate you more. Now it is late, and I must be going. Goodnight" she said, giving Catherine a kiss on both cheeks.
She then walked around Catherine and made her way up the stairs. The Daae sisters watched as she left and jumped when they heard the door slamming shut at the top of the stairs.
Catherine turned to look at Christine.
"Whatever was all that about?" she asked.
Christine was overcome by guilt after revealing their secret to Carlotta but didn't want to tell Catherine this, out of fear it would upset her, so she shrugged her shoulder making it look as though she was confused. She then folded her arms and had a suspicious look on her face.
"And where exactly have you been Cathy. I thought you were coming straight back here after Phillippe and I left you?" she asked.
Catherine looked at her sister with a meek smile and felt her cheeks warming up. She looked down at she walked passed her sister then sat down on her bed, Christine turned as Catherine walked passed her.
"Oh, you are not getting away that easily. Now, where were you?" Christine repeated her question.
Catherine looked up at her sister as though she was shy with a beaming smile on her face and knew by now her cheeks were as red as tomatoes.
"Oh, Chrissie I had the most wonderful night" she sighed.
"It turns out, Maestro had come to hear me sing and he was so proud of me" she said, smiling gleefully as she rose from her bed.
"He insisted on taking me out to celebrate. We went on a carriage ride around the city and then walked along the Seine" she continued as she swayed back and forth a little.
"We stopped for a moment and then we heard music playing. We walked further down and saw a man playing the Accordion. Then Maestro asked me to dance. It was so breath-taking dancing under the Moon lit sky" Catherine giggled as she twirled around, reminiscing on the dance she had with Maestro.
Christine had relaxed her arms a little but still kept them folded and she smiled with a suggestive look on her face.
"Sounds like you had a lovely night dear Cathy. It sounds so...Romantic" she said with a cheeky smile on her face.
Catherine stopped twirling and froze, she looked at Christine with a wide eyes expression. She relaxed a little but started fidgeting with her hands.
"Oh, well I wouldn't say romantic. After all his is my teacher" she said as she sat down on her bed again.
"But you do have feelings for him, don't you? More than a student would have for a teacher?" asked Christine as she came and sat down beside her.
Catherine did not speak. She thought for a moment about what Christine said. Maestro had been kind and encouraging towards her from the first day they met. She enjoyed her lessons with him, his kind words to her always warmed her heart and their dance tonight was a magical moment, especially looking into his eyes, feeling as through she could see into his soul and saw kindness and gentleness.
While she was lost in her thoughts, she didn't realise her cheeks had darkened and a smile grew on her lips.
This did not go unnoticed by her sister.
"If that is how your truly feel Cathy, you should tell him" she said, taking her sister's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Oh, I don't know about that Chrissie. I mean, what if he doesn't like me in that way" said Catherine, nervously as she fidgeted with the skirt of her dress.
"Oh, I know he does. I have seen the way he looks at you" said Christine with a smirk before poking her sister under the arm. Catherine shuffled away quickly because she was ticklish under her arms.
"And what about you a Phillippe, dear Chrissie" said Catherine with a smirk as she folded her own arms over.
Now it was Christine's turn to blush and looked down at her lap feeling shy now. This reaction made Catherine giggle and Christine followed suite. Catherine unfolded her arms and pulled her sister into a hug and the two held on to each other, laughing as they gave each other a gentle squeeze and then released each other.
"Come on, it's late we should get ready for bed" said Christine.
The sisters stood up and helped each other with their dresses. Soon the two of them were standing in their shifts, hanging their dresses up and Christine removed her head dress, letting her hair fall freely.
Suddenly they heard the door upstairs slam open.
"Catherine?!" a voice called out.
"Maestro?!" Catherine called back, she and Christine quickly covered themselves with their cloaks.
"No! It is Monsieur Cholet! Ah" said Monsieur Cholet as he came in to view and walked closer to the sisters.
When he saw the sisters in a state of undressing, he stopped a few feet away from them.
"Oh, excuse me. I know it is late, but I have an exciting plan for you. Only don't tell my wife" he said with an excited tone at first but then his tone changed to a nervous one.
Catherine said nothing but nod her head 'yes' to show she understood.
XXX
Later on, Cholet had returned to his and Carlotta's suite and told her his plan.
"You've given her Margarite in 'Faust'" said Carlotta as she began to cry.
"Yes, you said you wouldn't sing" said Cholet, stating the facts.
"But I did not mean for you to give it to her" cried Carlotta as she began to remove her make up.
"She an incredibly good singer. It will be good for business" said Cholet, still defending his decision.
"She's my costume girl" Carlotta protested.
"Exactly! Can you imagine the publicity we will get?" said Cholet, excitedly.
"That's exactly what I am thinking of" cried Carlotta, she then started rubbing her lipstick off aggressively.
"Please" Cholet begged his wife to calm down, but she cried even more.
"Darling, I have another reason for doing this. So, ask no more!" said Cholet, making it clear his word was final.
The plan Cholet was referring to had been cooked up the moment Carlotta returned after speaking to Christine and she told her husband that Catherine's teacher and the Phantom were one and the same. With this new information Cholet thought having Catherine star as Margarite would give him and Inspector Ledoux the opportunity to finally capture the allusive Phantom.