Chapter Neuf

          Christian woke up in the middle of the night, at first not knowing where he was. He was in the bedroom that his mother had called the Red Room, due to its red and burgundy tones, but he didn't understand why. He felt a movement beside him and turned on his side, his eyes meeting the pale, beautiful face of Satine. Her dark red curls shown in the moonlight that illuminated her skin.

          She was asleep.

          Christian wished he could freeze this moment, for Satine looked unbelievably beautiful, but he realized something that made him sit straight up in the bed…the bed!!

          He remembered, now, what had happened after he walked out of his study, where his father had been interrogating him. He had come straight to Satine's room…this room, and kissed her, pouring the contents of his soul into her lips. He had closed the door and locked it behind him. He had taken his lips away from Satine's to look into her eyes. They were a piercing blue-green, like that of seawater after a rough storm and they were staring at him with uncertainty.

          He had laughed quietly and laid her gently on the red velvet quilt that covered the bed. He had lain down beside her; gazed into those oceanic eyes and he kissed her fingertips.

          "I know what has happened to you in the past is making you frightened, so I'm not going to do anything. It is your choice to kiss me again," He had whispered, the words floating through the air like a gentle breeze. Satine had smiled before kissing him with such power, such passion, that he had actually lost his breath.

          He remembered the love they had shared and the gentle caresses they had exchanged. He could hear Satine moaning his name into his lips as they reached a point of ecstasy together.

          He smiled and resisted the urge to kiss her. He didn't want to wake his angel from her dreams. Instead, he rose silently from the bed and put his discarded clothes back on. He went to the desk at the far side of the room and, turning on a dim light, scribbled a note explaining why he was not beside her. He placed it on the pillow that he had slept on and then he silently left the room.

          He was throbbing with energy, so he did not go to his bedroom. He went to his study instead and sat at his typewriter, gazing at the first few lines of the paper loaded in the machine.

          Thinking of Satine, he began to type, the words pouring, not from his mind, but from his heart.

          The sun was shining brightly through the window in her room when she awoke. It took her a while to realize that Christian was not at her side.

          She wiped the sleep from her eyes and pulled the velvet bedspread up to cover her body. Yawning, she realized that there was a note on the pillow beside her.

          She picked it up and smelt the wonderful combination of coffee and earth that scented the paper. She knew immediately that it was from Christian.

'Dearest Satine,'

          'I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you woke up, but I couldn't risk staying. I wanted nothing more then to watch the sun rise in your hair, but to stay would mean to risk getting caught. I know that both my brother and mother wouldn't mind…hell, they'd probably give us their blessings, but my father would have my head. I know that he'd also forbid me from seeing you, and that price is one I couldn't live with.

'I'm watching you sleep right now, wondering what you are dreaming of. Enjoy your dreams, sweet angel, and when you wake, meet me in my study. There is something I need to tell you. Until later, Christian.'

She smiled and folded the note back up, bringing the paper to her lips. She dressed as quickly as possible, having to find a new corset to wear. She laughed, remembering how she had learned of Christian's impatience for clothing.

After she was fully clothed, she made her bed and walked out of the room. She smiled at Ryan as she passed him in the hall, which seemed to surprise him. His jaw was hanging down to the carpeted floor and Satine chuckled.

When she reached Christian's study, she could hear the soft sound of snoring coming from the room. She smiled and opened the door, moving inside the room before locking the door behind her.

          Christian was sitting at the desk, his head resting beside his typewriter. He was snoring quietly, his dark hair falling over his closed eyes. Satine smiled and kissed him gently on the forehead. He stirred and gazed at her with sleep-filled eyes, smiling.

          "You wanted to tell me something?" She whispered, her body warming as Christian took her hand and kissed it.

          "Yeah…I…um," Christian stood, his brow furrowing as a battle raged inside his eyes. He was trying to find the words to voice something…something that was important.

          "Christian?" She asked softly, touching his arm. He pulled gently away walking to the window. She didn't follow, but stared at her back.

          "Never knew I could feel like this," He sang, his shoulder relaxing. She let her jaw drop; feeling like Ryan must have when he saw her in the hallway. Christian kept his face to the window, but she saw his profile and the corners of his eye were crinkling. He saw smiling.

"Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I love you more and more
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change, winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time.

Come what may
Come what may
I will love you until my dying day

Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste
It all revolves around you
And there's no mountain too high
No river too wide
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather
And stars may collide
But I love you until the end of time
,"

She felt tears glistening in her eyes when Christian turned back around.

"Do you like it? The song's for you," He smiled, and pulled her against his chest. She laughed, salty tears splashing down her cheeks. Christian reached up and wiped them away with his thumb.

"Do you mean it?" She whispered tearfully. He tipped her chin up and their eyes met. His were filled with an emotion that she couldn't name.

"Satine, I'm a poet. When I write, its because I feel something in here," He said, tapping his hand over his heart, "So, yes, I meant it. Every single word. But I mean nothing as much as I mean this: I love you."

"I love you, too," She whispered, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. Christian laughed, lifting her off the ground and spinning her. He kissed her ardently and, after he let her down, they just stood, staring into each other's eyes. Satine was happy for the first time in a very long time.

She was in love and the feeling was better then anything she had ever imagined.

It was around noon when Christian emerged from his study, hands locked with those of his lover.

They had sat beside the fireplace for hours, doing nothing except indulge in the feeling of being close to someone special, someone important to him.

Around ten o'clock, the family had left the house. His father had received an urgent letter from a client and his brother and mother were seeing him to the train station. Christian had refused to go, not feeling the least bit saddened by his father's leaving. In fact, he was glad he was gone.

They were leaving the refuse in the study because Satine was complaining of hunger. He agreed with her, his own stomach roaring like a starving lion.

It was the cook's day off, it being Sunday, but Satine seemed to like being able to cook. Actually, she seemed delighted to be in a kitchen, cooking a meal. He watched her, love blossoming in his throat, and then the doorbell rang.

"I'll be right back, love," He said, standing and walking into the entrance hall.

He opened the front door; at first thinking the man before him was Ryan. But the man walked into the light and Christian saw blonde hair and bottomless black pits for eyes. He had a greasy mustache and skin pasty and sallow.

"Richard?"