(Disclaimer: I don't own the song "The Lady's Paying" by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black , and Christopher Hampton; but I did make up the variation I used for the title of the chapter. I own M. and Mme Courtois, or the shop attendant, or Sarah de Chagny. See previous disclaimers.)

(Editor's Note: Hi, Mersang here. I'd just like to warn you all that the timing of futureupdates will be a bit erratic, as it's now exam time for my friend and myself. Sorry about that.)

3. "Well, All You Need To Know's The Phantom's Paying."

December 27, 1881.

Elizabeth was smiling when she woke up. She had been dreaming she was riding Cesar with Erik. She wondered whether Erik would let her take Cesar out for a ride. Well, she thought, I'd better ask him instead of lying around in bed all day. She sat up and stretched. When she had awoken the day before she had found on the foot of her bed the costume used by the countess in the opera Il Muto. Today she found a dress that was much simpler, but was definitely more elegant. She put it on and hurried into the other room where Erik was waiting with breakfast.

They chatted a bit while they ate, and Erik told her about the opera he had been to see the night previously.

"Tonight's performance will be Faust, by Gounod. Would you like to see it?" Erik asked abruptly.

"Yes..." Elizabeth replied hesitantly.

"You don't sound too sure."

"It's just..." Elizabeth paused, trying to phrase her thoughts in a delicate manner. "Wouldn't the lady you frequently mention, Mlle Daae, be a better companion for you?"

"Christine Daae will be singing the role of Margarita, or you may be sure I would most certainly have asked her to accompany me." Erik snapped. Elizabeth opened her mouth to snap back at him, but shut it again just in time. For a few minutes they glared at each other across the table. Then Elizabeth bent her head over her toast and continued eating. Erik did not. He sat thinking for a while. He was surprised that sweet, easygoing Elizabeth had come so close to snapping at him. But gradually through his surprise a new thought emerged. Christine would not have snapped at him like that. Come to think of it, he thought, I don't believe I have ever seen Christine angry before. Sad, yes. Afraid, yes. Hurt, yes. But angry, no. It almost seems a bit unnatural. Everyone gets angry sometimes.

"Elizabeth," he said aloud, "I apologise for my behaviour just now. I should not have addressed you that way. I'm sorry." And he suddenly found that he was sorry. Elizabeth looked up at him and smiled.

"I accept your apology, but it was unnecesary. You told me the truth and I should not have reacted so to it. I apologise too."

"I accept you apology." Erik said. "Now, if you're to go see an opera, from the best seat in the house may I add, you will need some decent clothes."

Elizabeth looked down at the table. "Oh." She said in a low voice. "In that case, I'm afraid I can't come. You see, I have no money for clothes."

The Phantom reached across the table and took her hand in his. For his next speech he was going to require a great deal more tact than he was accustomed to using.

"Elizabth, I would consider it a great favour if you would accompany me to tonight's opera. Please allow me to return the favour by purchasing your clothes."

She looked up into his deep-set, black eyes. What she saw there gave her hope. "Thank you." She said at last. "You would more than return the favour."

"Very well." The Opera Ghost stood up. "Since you seem to be done breakfast, let us be on our way."

Erik did not saddle Cesar that day becuse he and Elizabeth would have to ride double and the only saddle he had was the wrong shape for that. He discovered that Elizabeth did indeed know how to ride. She sat behind him quite easily, and although she kept one hand on his shoulder she seemed not to need the support. Just before they started she hesitantly asked him to ride gently at first.

"You see," she said in a low voice, "my home is in the country, where no one can see me, so I learned to ride wearing my brother's clothes. I'm not very good at riding side-saddle yet."

"I see. You really are quite the young lady!" the Ghost said mockingly. Elizabeth said nothing. Apparently yesterday's good humour had been an exception rather than the norm for him. Then it occured to her that that remark might have been intended to be a joke. Recklessly she decided to chance it.

"I'm no less a lady than you are a gentleman!" she replied spiritedly. Erik laughed, and Elizabeth laughed with him. They rode out of the Opera house, but Erik didn't ride directly out into the streets of Paris. first they wnt to the stables/coachhouse at the side of the building. When they entered Erik glanced around.

"We're in luck," he said as he dismounted and helped Elizabeth down. He led Cesar over to a carriage. "The Vicompte really shouldn't leave his carriage around. He probably came to take Christine out, and now he won't be able to." The carriage was just big enough for two. "Hop in," Erik told Elizabeth, so she did. He hitched up Cesar, swung himself into the vehicle, and took up the reins.

Erik drove to the most fashionable part of Paris, and stopped outside a ladies clothing store. He decsended and helped Elizabeth to do likewise. A richly dressed lady came out of the store and swept off down the street without even bothering to glance at Erik and Elizabeth.

"That's Madame Courtois.I'm rather glad she didn't recognise us, or she probably would have got quite hysterical. Twice I have had to get nasty with her when she's visited the Opera House." Erik told Elizabeth while he led Cesar around to the side of the shop to the stalls for the shoppers' horses and carriages. "The funny thing is," Erik continued, "that I rather like her husband. I like to devise plots to make her look ridiculous, while giving him a chance to look like a hero." Erik led Eliazabeth into the store. A well-dressed attendant came up to them.

"May I be of assistance?" The attendant asked.

"Yes, you can." Erik said. "This lady requires clothes, for both day to day wear and for attending operas."

"Erik!" Elizabeth protested. "I only need a dress for tonight's opera. I can borrow the rest."

"You can't go around in the countess's clothing, it's not proper. Just be quiet and let me do this. I don't want you to make me look bad." Elizabeth chucled at this statement, but held her piece while Erik and the attendant discussed fashion. The attendant gave Elizabeth a couple of ready-made dresses to try on, so she didn't hear most of what they were saying. When she returned, Erik showed her a bolt of red material.

"How would you like a dress made of this? Mlle here tells me this colour is the height of elegance this season."

"Actually, Monsieur, I belive the lady would look even better in a dress made of that, trimmed with a darker colour. Perhaps a royal blue." The attendant suggested.

"You're right." Erik agreed. "What do you say, Elizabeth?"

"What can I say but thank you from the bottom of my heart? You have been too good to me."

"Oh I'm not quite done with you yet. You'll also need a riding costume for when you ride Cesar in the city." He turned to the attendant. "What would you reccomend, Mlle?"

"I believe..." the attendant rummaged around for a few moments, "that this would be appropriate." She held up an outfit that had long sleeves and did not have quite as full a skirt as the other dresses. Elizabeth had her doubts about it's being any more practical than her other clothes, but at least it would be warm enough to wear outside. She muttered as much to Erik.

"Oh, that reminds me," he said, "you'll need a warm cloak as well."

"Oh, Erik, you shouldn't!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Yes I should. I'm bored, and being generous amuses me." He suddenly remembered what he had said earlier. "And don't forget I'm repaying a favour."

"Well, you more than have. Thank you Erik, thank you very much."

Erik's eyes had been roaming around the shop. Suddenly he strode over to a stand of cloaks. He took one down and examined it. He glanced around and, seeing that the attendant was elsewhere, he pulled off one of his gloves to stroke the material. He let out a low whistle as he put the glove back on.

"How do you like this?" He asked Elizabeth. She went over and saw that he was holding a black cloak - but what a cloak! It hung off Erik's hands like a liquid, yet it was thick and oh, it was soft! Elizabeth couldn't stop touching it. It was fine black velvet on the outside, and it was silk on the inside. It had a fur collar and the hood, which was also velvet and silk, was trimmed with a narrow strip of the same fur. Erik slipped it around Elizabeth's shoulders and stepped back to take a look. She drew up the hood, enjoying the feel of the smooth lining against her cheeks. Erik caught his breath. Black wascertainly her colour. He would never have guessed it but the hood framed her face to perfection. The cloak was a bit long by current fashion, but it looked good on her. And of course it would look good if he appeared at the opera accompanied by a woman in black. No, good wasn't the right word. It would look awful if he appeared with Elizabeth in tow wearing that! He stiffled the urge to break out into one of his famous laughs. And it just so happened that the ready-made dress they had picked out for that night was red...blood red. Perfect! He thought.

"I think we'll take it." He said to Elizabeth. "What do you say?"

"Really? Why, you'll never get rid of me if you keep spoiling me like this." She teased him gently. Erik wondered what a spoilt Elizabeth would be like. He just couldn't imagine her throwing a tantrum like Carlotta, for instance.

The attendant came back and Erik told her what they had chosen. They were just leaving the shop when a lady came in. Erik started slightly but continued on. When they were outside he said:

"What a coincidence! That was Mlle Sarah de Chagny, a cousin of the Compte and Vicompte's I wonder what she thought if she saw her cousin's carriage here? Well, I hope it causes trouble for him." Erik seemed to find this idea quite amusing, and he began to chuckle. He was surprised to hear Elizabeth laughing softly also. "You find the thought amusing?" He inquired.

"The fop could use some trouble. Maybe if we're really lucky he'll grow up a bit." She answered spiritedly. This time Erik laughed out loud. As they were in the stable some of the horses shied nevously. Not Cesar, though. He just gave Erik a look that said plainer than words: If you're quite finished making that idiotic noise, I would like to go home.

On the way home the sky clouded over and it started to snow. At first it wasn't too bad, but then the wind came up. Erik glanced over to see that Elizabeth was huddled in the seat, tryint to keep warm. While urging Cesar to greater speed, he shrugged off his cloak and threw it over her.

They reached the Opera House not long after, but they were still both half frozen. Erik left Cesar in the stable for the stable boys to take care of and took Elizabeth down to the warm kitchens to thaw out.