(Author's Note: Here's Chapter four, sorry for the wait. I hope this chapter makes up for it. I own the family, but I think I already said that in a previous disclaimer. See previous disclaimers. Oh, and I don't own the quotation I used for the title; ALW, Richard Stilgoe, & Charles Hart do.)

(Editor's Note: This is set about mid-novel, before the Masquerade ball.)

4. "Did I Not Instruct That Box Five Was To Be Kept Empty?"

December 27, 1881; 9:00 in the evening.

"Good Gracious, Erik, you can't seriously be expecting me to wear this! It's hardly decent!" Elizabeth exclaimed. She hadn't noticed certain things about the red dress Erik had bought for her to wear that evening to the opera, but when she laid it on her bed to look at before she dressed she realized that it was extremely...well, revealing. Yes, it had long full skirts, but it was sleeveles, and the neckline...

"You call that a neckline?" Elizabeth asked the dress with a snort. "It doesn't go anywhere near my neck!"

"That kind of dress is the height of fashion. You will be dressed just like all the other ladies there, and better than some. Now put it on, we have to leave soon," Erik ordered. Elizabeth obeyed, grumbling. She soon found a way to get back at Erik for the embaressment he was causing her. She had put on most of the petticoats, the chemise, and the corset. Normally she only wore a lightly laced corset, for she had a very good natural figure, but this dress required a slimmer waistline than that.

"Erik," she called, "can you come here a moment? I need some help."

"Comming." Erik replied. He came in reading a sheet of music. He looked up. He started and did his best to blush. "What on Earth..." He trailed off, unable to complete the question.

"Would you help me do up this corset? I can't quite reach." Elizabeth asked him pleasently. Erik just stood there. What could he do? Every particle of his hard-won gentlemanliness revolted at the idea of laying hands on a woman in her underwear! And yet...who else was there to help her? Unwillingly he walked over to her.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked helplessly.

"Tighten the laces." Elizabeth told him sweetly, though her voice quivered slightly with mirth. Erik didn't notice. He tugged at the laces.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake! Pretend the laces are a Punjab Lasso, and I am Piangi's neck." Elizabeth ordered. That got results. The corset was perhaps a little tighter than it needed to be, but that was perfectly fine as far as Elizabeth as concerned. Once she was dressed properly (at least by Erik's stadards), she donned her cloak and Erik took her across the lake. It was only when they entered a brightly lit hall that she noticed Erik's clean, neatly pressed suit, shiny shoes, immaculate white gloves, and clean cloak.

"My, you look nice." She said, frankly admiring.

"Thank you." Erik replied, pleased by the compliment. "I had to make some token attempt, so I was not completely eclipsed by you." Elizabeth flushed slightly, but otherwise took the extrvagent flattery gracefully. Erik offered her his arm and escorted her to Box Five. The orchestra had just finnished warming up when they arrived. Erik led Elizabeth to the front seats in the box, where they had a completely unobstructed view of the show, and where the rest of the opera-goers had an unobstructed view of them. Soon the word had gone around the hall that the Ghost was in Box Five. It took a little longer for Elizabeth's presence to become known about, because many people were sceptical about the idea that the Phantom had a companion. Christine, when she heard about it, was so surprised that she didn't notice Carlotta's snide comments about it. She wondered if it had anything to do with the incident on Christmas Day...

The opera was very good; both Elizabeth and the Phantom enjoyed it very much. During the intermission they went for a stroll through the Opera House and Erik showed Elizabeth all the fine furnishings of the part the public saw. Outside Box Five Erik was not so recognisable as the Phantom, so nobody paid them much attention. As the end of the intermission drew near, they made their way back to the Ghost's box. When they arrived they were quite surprised to find it was already occupied by a man, a woman, and two children. Erik puased at the door and said in a menacing drawl:

"What do you think you're doing here?" The man turned aroun and said irratably:

"We were trying to watch an opera before you so rudely interupted us. Kindly go away, we missed the first half and we don't want to miss any more."

"Kindly go away?" Erik repeated incredulously. "Monsieur, this is my private box, and you and your family have no business here. I will thank you to leave, before I have to get nasty."

The man gazed levelly at Erik for an instant. "Are you threatening me? You did not object to us occupying this box the other night. Why this sudden change in attitude?"

"You sat here the other night? You were permitted to sit here? How dare those fools who call themselves managers allow my private box to be occupied?" Erik was working himself into a murderous rage. Elizabeth decided to intervene before he got too angry to listen to reason.

"Erik, does it really matter? They're not doing any harm. And if you weren't here to notice that they were here the other night, why do you mind their presence?"

"Don't try and sweet talk me into letting them get away with this, Elizabeth" The Phantom growled beginning to pace toward the family. Elizabeth stepped in front of him.

"Give me a good reason to allow you to do this, and I will." She said quietly.

"Get out of the way." Erik ordered. Elizabeth didn't move.

"Just one reason, Erik. If you don't give me one, I will assume you don't have one, and are therefor not going to do it." She didn't have to specify what Erik was planning on doing to the family. She looked Erik straight in the face for a couple of long minutes. Finally it was Erik who looked away. Without a word he turned and left the box. Elizabeth took a step after him but he turned and snarled:

"Stay away from me!" So Elizabeth waited untill he was gone before walking slowly and sadly away. Why did I push him? she asked herself. Why did I have to go and spoil what could have been the best night of my life? Yes, it would have hard to watch an opera at the side of a murderer, but I could have done it. And now he hates me...I can't bear it! And with that thought she sat down on the floor in a dim corner and started to cry softly. She just couldn't seem to stop crying, so she cried untill she was so exhausted she fell into an uneasy doze.

It was well past midnight when Erik found her slumped there with tear stains on her cheeks, looking like a broken doll that someone had thrown away. It was quite tricky to pick her up without waking her up, but Erik managed it. As he walked back to his lair he asked himself why he bothered. He was forced to admit to himself that he didn't have a reason, just like a few hours ago in Box Five, when for the first time someone had challenged him and had not only been right, but had gotten out of the incident alive...