Chapter Seven - Their First Betrayal

When rehearsals ended and the young women of the corps de ballet hurried off to coffee and fresh croissants from the theatre's commissary, Meg went to find Christine.

When she didn't see her friend in the dormitory or the dressing room, she knew of only one other place to look.

She found Christine in the chapel, sitting alone by the stained glass window. She was still dressed in the frothy white dressing gown of the previous evening. Her hair was wildly disheveled, her feet were bare on the cool stone floor.

She looked up when Meg called her named.

She was pale and Meg could see the salty residue of tears marking her pretty face.

She hurried over to Christine and sat down next to her. Mercy, what could have happened to her…what took place in that strange grotto on the underground lake…

She knew…instinctively and surely…that Opera Ghost had not harmed Christine.

She had seen the passion and frustration in him. In his voice, in his every gesture.

It had been so clear and strong, even from her vantage point, trespassing behind the portcullis.

But she had also seen the almost religious reverence with which he treated her…whoever he was, he was not capable of hurting her.

"Christine," she said as she gently put her arm around Christine's shoulders, "are you all right?"

Christine said nothing, only idly smoothed the lacey sleeve of her dressing gown.

"Christine, please…are you all right? I was worried about you…"

"I'm fine, Meg. Only…only the Gala…it was too much for me. I was too excited, I couldn't sleep. So I came down to the chapel and stayed here all night."

Meg felt heartbroken at her friend's lack of trust. They had been friends since they were children, little ballet rats together. This was the first time Christine had ever lied to her.

But she couldn't tell Christine the truth now, either. She couldn't confess to her what she had seen and heard…that she had followed her, that she had witnessed.

It was their first betrayal.

She stood up and took Christine's hand. Pulling her friend to her feet, she led her to the door.

"You should rest then. Come, we'll got find Maman."

They met Madame Giry in the narrow stone passage that led from the chapel.

"Meg, go upstairs at once and wait for me in the foyer."

As her mother took Christine's arm and led her away, Meg caught a glimpse of a black-edge envelope tucked in her mother's bodice.