It's not unheard of now for an aristocrat to marry a ballet dancer. After all, didn't Raoul de Chagny marry Christine Daae last year? Of course, Americans are a different matter. They can do whatever they want without making a scandal.
The Opera Populaire is rebuilt. Monsieurs Andre and Firmin stay on, hoping for better luck. Carlotta leaves, much too heartbroken over Piangi's death to sing again, and goes back to Italy. Little Giry becomes the new star of the rebuilt Opera House, and when Philip Carlyle comes to visit, chaperoning the two Barnum girls, he cheerfully agrees to become the new patron. It's just another business venture. And the Phantom has left the opera house, after all.
XVX
They are introduced, and he likes her dancing-Caroline is overjoyed upon meeting an actual professional ballet dancer and insists on watching every ballet rehearsal-and she likes his smile. It's nice, friendly. Meg asks her mother, and Madame Giry agrees to let the Barnum girls stay at their house.
Caroline and Meg become friends. They have much in common, after all, and Helen reminds her of a bouncing ball, always dancing around and never sitting still. Philip takes walks with her when she's not dancing or performing, and they become friends.
She gives him advice on his plays, how to make them better so people will watch them. He takes her advice, uses it, and Meg is shocked when he writes a play for her. Just for her. She remembers the last time a man wrote something for a girl he loved. But Philip Carlyle is not the Phantom, and she is not Christine. This is not Don Juan Triumphant, which is a good thing. The story is lovely. It's a play with songs, like a opera, but in English. ''It's about a princess and a seamstress. When the princess is kidnapped by her mother's loyal advisor, the seamstress must pretend to be the princess.'' Philip explains. ''You will play the seamstress, Edeline. I'll play the princess's suitor, King Dominick. Thinking Edeline is the princess, he falls in love with her, but he finds out, and at the end they marry.''
''Who will play the princess? And who asks the seamstress to pretend to be the princess?'' Meg asks.
''Perhaps we could bring the Comtesse de Chagny back to the stage. Just for this one.'' Philip suggests. ''If she says yes, I have an idea for the second question.''
XVX
So Meg broaches the question when she sees Christine, the other girl having invited her over for tea. Christine hesitates, and nods. ''I should like to. Raoul- he knows how much I miss singing for people, and this could be just what I want.''
Meg brings Raoul and Christine to meet Philip, who when they come in, is rehearsing a-well, it looks like a fight scene.
''Is there swordfighting in the play?'' Meg asks, and Philip says no.
''Actually, believe it or not, it's a wedding scene. I think it would be romantic for the couple to get married during a fight.'' Caroline giggles.
''He wants to call the heroine Meg.''
Philip glares at Caroline for a moment, and turns back to Raoul and Christine. ''It is a pleasure to meet you. It's not everyday you get to meet an opera singer.''
''You met Jenny Lind.'' Helen points out.
Caroline starts. ''Say, Helen, if you were to compare the Countess to our father and Jenny Lind, she looks-looks, mind you, like she could be their child.''
''That's a compliment.'' Philip assures.
''Of course it is.'' Caroline smiles. ''Jenny Lind was wonderful.''
The chat soon turns to Philip's play, The Princess and the Pauper. ''So, I would be playing Princess Anneliese, correct?''
''Yes, you would. Now, about the second question Meg asked me. How about this?'' Philip spreads his hands apart to illustrate an idea. ''What if the princess has a friend, who's been in love with her for a long time, and after the princess is kidnapped, he turns to the seamstress for help, as he suspects the queen's advisor of kidnapping her?''
''So who would play that part?'' Christine questions.
Philip smiles. ''Your husband would play the part quite well.''
''I've never-I couldn't.'' Raoul protests.
''I'll be playing the seamstress's love interest, and I think it would be very sweet if the princess and her love interest were played by a married couple.'' Philip explains. Finally, after a bit of persuading from his wife, Raoul agrees, and rehearsals start the next day.