I must be out of my mind, I thought as I packed my belongings. Which didn't amount to much. Mainly, my clothes, toiletries and what I had written so far of my opera.
The Phantom had left so abruptly that I didn't even know when I would hear from him next. Perhaps he was just playing a game with me and didn't intend to follow through with our deal. And having slept on the matter, my fears about the whole arrangement had multiplied. After all, I was no stranger to the cruelty of men and their promises.
And the Phantom of the Opera had a lifelong sentence of loneliness. Such a state made him so desperate that he had fashioned a life-like doll of Christine Daae, had kidnapped her several times, perhaps had killed. What made me think that I was immune to his violence? Just because of our shared love of music?
A knock on the door startled me.
"Yes?" I squeaked, peering out.
Madame Gavreaux, the woman who ran the boarding house, stood before me, tapping her foot impatiently, holding a very large bouquet of red roses. I could not help but gasp at the perfection of the roses which she held. The petals were a beautiful shade of bright red. Although I was no gardener, they looked very expensive to me.
"For you, mam'selle," the landlady announced, shoving them abruptly in my face.
Gavreaux was a buxom woman who looked as strong as an ox, bright red hair piled on top of her head. While I was grateful that she had allowed me to rent a room here, I found her exceedingly rude and unpleasant.
As I took them, I asked who they were from.
"How should I know, mam'selle? Am I your maid?" she sniped. "Looks like there's a card with it, not seeing as how I could read it. I'll leave that to you high 'n mighty adventuresses."
"I see."
"Look here, I don't think it's a good idea to have your gentlemen friends sending you flowers and what-not here. I don't need nasty rumors going on about this establishment."
"Of course, I'll see to it."
"Also, your monthly bill was due yesterday. Payment must be made within a fortnight. Otherwise, I'm going to get someone who can pay on time."
"Of course. It shall be taken care of at once."
After she bustled off, I collapsed against the door in dismay. Just how my rent would be taken care of, I wasn't sure. I was in desperate straits with just enough money left from my inheritance to pay the rent, but not enough to feed myself during the same month.
In my distress, I had almost forgotten about the beautiful bouquet. Distractedly, I looked at the attached card. The writing there was in a florid script.
For the Lovely Mademoiselle DuBois,
My apologies for my insolence of yesterday.
I am quite looking forward to creating our opera together. I do hope that I have not scared you away.
As for my retainer, consider my payment merely the pleasure of working with you. For further incentive regarding our bargain, I will require no payment for room and board from you during your stay. As I understand it, this boarding house can be quite expensive.
If you are still willing to resume with our partnership, meet me in front of your apartment at midnight tonight.
Your obedient friend and partner...
The note indicated that he not only knew of my money problems, but could possibly be responsible for exacerbating them. While Madame Gavreaux was a coarse woman, she had never been a threatening bully before. Did he have a hand in this new attitude of my landlady? The thought was unnerving. I was coming to him willingly enough. He didn't need to try to manipulate or stalk me.
Was I in over my head? Should I seek help? From who? The reminder of how I had lost everyone in my life that I had ever cared about stung. Yet, it strengthened my resolve at the same time. My dreams were really all that I had left in my life. Without them, I had nothing. I didn't know where this journey with the Phantom would take me, but it had to be better than where I had been.
It was midnight.
The cobbled street was deserted except for an occasional drunk or prostitute wandering about. I tried to stay hidden in the shadows in order to avoid being accosted by some delinquent. I took care to wear as much black as possible. Also, I had pinned my mass of unruly blonde curls underneath a dark veil. Hopefully, I was inconspicuous enough.
The Phantom arrived right on time, shrouded in darkness, on a jet-black horse.
"Good..." he said as he alit from the fearsome-looking beast. "You have packed lightly."
"Are you expecting me to ride with you on that?" I cried out.
"Well, it would hardly be wise for me to go about attracting attention in a carriage now, would it?"
I couldn't fault him for that logic, but I didn't like it.
"Don't tell me you're from the South and you've never ridden a horse!"
"Well, I rode a pony once when I was a little girl." And the experience had scared me half to death. The thought of riding that huge mean-looking snorting giant was making me ill.
Although it was dark, I thought I saw him shake his head in disgust.
"Well, there's no help for it. It's best for you to ride astride behind me and hold on to me for balance."
He tied my valise to the back of the horse, then bent over to boost me onto the monster.
I was deeply humbled after failing to seat onto the horse properly at least three times. Finally, we had managed to get me on the horse, although I was struggling to stay balanced on him. And I wassure the Phantom was enjoying a good show as my skirt was riding all the way up beyond my knees and my veil had torn completely off, my long tresses all tumbled about my shoulders and back.
"Hurry up and get on this thing!" I shrieked, holding onto the saddle for dear life.
"Aaahh...one more detail..."
He waved a blindfold before me.
"Isn't it bad enough that I have to ride this monstrosity without having to wear that!"
"I must insist on secrecy, Mademoiselle, or the bargain is off."
"Damn it!" I cursed as I hurriedly tried to tie the cloth over my eyes and not fall off the horse at the same time.
"Such language!" the Phantom gasped, mocking me. I could feel his hands resting lightly on my waist. "Don't worry. I won't let you fall."
Finally, he was on the horse in front of me.
"Now put your arms about my waist."
I did so without a second thought.
"Now hold on because we're going to ride fast."
I clutched onto him as tightly as I could.
"But I must be able to breathe, Mademoiselle, or we will both die!" he roared.
I lifted my arms so they were higher up by his shoulders.
As we started to fly throughout the streets of Paris at what felt like a breakneck pace, I literally was frozen with fear. But once I got used to the rhythm, I started to relax a bit. As I was deprived of my sight, my other senses came into play. I became aware of the Phantom's exotic scent, of the hardness of his body before me. I shifted a little closer towards him.
Maybe this strange journey wouldn't be so unpleasant after all...
