Chapter 7

Confidante

"Erik, when I was getting breakfast, I asked if Mademoiselle knew of anyone who could be relied on to carry a message discreetly back to Paris for me. She said she would try to contact her local acquaintance here from Paris for a short time perchance wishing to return to Paris. She said that this person would be able to find anyone for us, and is quite a good listener, very important for any information you may want to find out. She further said, usually when you send a discreet note, you wish for a discreet response, no?"

The confidante came from the most unlikely of places. They were almost finished with their breakfast, when there was a knock at the door. In a slight panic Christine looked at Erik. Erik knew what he would do if this happened, so he went to the cupboard and hid. He was expert at disappearing when he needed to, so this was a simple task for him. Christine hid some of the breakfast stuff and went to the door.

"Yes, may I …" Christine stopped talking as she looked up. It was not the person who came to the door; it was the person she happened to see walking down the hall facing the opposite direction. Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed the person at the door by the arm and firmly bid them enter her room, please.

"Oui, mademoiselle I am, rather, wondering if I may help you. My Aunt said that you needed somebody to take a confidential note to someone in Paris, I would be more than happy to, for a small stipend."

Christine closed the door behind her, and looked at this young girl thoughtfully before choosing her next words carefully. "What is your name, how old are you, my God; you look too young to undertake such a trip."

Erik was listening from the cupboard. He could tell that something had alarmed Christine enough to risk him being caught in her room. He wished she would ask the girl to come back, or say that perhaps someone a bit older would be better, as there was a certain amount of risk involved in this note's delivery. Now it was Erik's turn to risk his presence being discovered as he cracked the cupboard to see just how young this girl was.

He froze and became very uncomfortable as he realized that the young girl would certainly know of any suspicious things going on, he recognized that young girl and knew they had better enlist their own confidante as soon as possible and get out of this town quick. Trouble just kept following them. Would they never be free? He fought back the anger once more, knowing that would not be helpful, yet.

Meanwhile, Christine was trying to concentrate while all she could do was think about the person she saw walking down the hall just a few moments ago. How could that be? She had to talk to Erik; the courier decision had to be made later, so she began trying to get her out of there.

"…Dela Roux, I am 15 years old and my father trusts me enough to come here every now and then by my aunt and uncle. I feel that is a silly question from a civilian, female, traveling alone, without the protection of my father to keep you safe. What with all the weird things happening, it is not safe. I travel with my fathers trusted assistant, always…."

As she prattled on, Christine had enough and told her that she was just going to have to beg her pardon, she feared there were new health developments in Paris necessitating her return so need of a courier was no longer required. She gave her apologies and gratitude for her time and saw her out.

Once she was safely gone, Christine turned around just in time to see Erik leave the cupboard.

"Oh Erik, I am sorry for that, I had to send her away, besides the fact that she was really annoying, she was just not very responsible with that very important note. I had to bring her in to allow you to approve or disapprove accordingly, however I disapproved, so it was not necessary for that reason, however there was another reason for bringing her in as well." Christine's words fell off as she looked at Erik's face. He was concerned about something as well, did he know, did he see what she saw? She was growing uncertain about their happily ever after now. She thought to herself; just leave us alone world, please, oh please! "We will find someone else, no?"

Erik grew weary of all of this; he thought for a moment and shook his head. "Yes, we have no choice. Though I think that I may have another note to write to summon the perfect courier for this message, no questions asked."

Christine immediately figured out who he was thinking of, she was not sure she was the best either, as she had helped Raoul find the lair, thus drawing out the great emotional scene Christine last saw Raoul in. That was what had confused her, if she had not seen Raoul and how pained he was there, up against that wrought iron gate, she may not have even given fleeing with Raoul a thought, and it would all be so much easier now. Maybe….

"You intend to bring Mme. Giry into this as the confidante and courier, don't you Erik? I don't think that she is reliable, maybe we should send for Meg. I could write Meg a letter and tell her that I have escaped you both and need to see her. Just to get Meg away from Paris and the eyes that are no doubt upon her. We can have the girl, Dela Roux, was that her name, bring the note to her. We can then meet her on the way here and discuss the turn of events with her. She will listen, we are as sisters, she would not betray me for anyone." Looking down, Christine continued in a small voice, "Not even you, Erik. She knew I loved you long ago and would not discuss it with another; she also knew of my torment over you and would not draw suspicion on Raoul's behalf so I could explore you without his jealous intentions in the way. I did, you know."

"You did what?" Erik could not imagine what she meant; he was so deep in thought that he was only half listening when she roused him with the question.

"I explored "you" Erik, once you showed me the way to where you lived, I had to learn more about you, you are such a genius, I went down there often, sometimes you were there, composing, I would stand there and sing for you, you would seem to look at me, but you never "saw" me, so I continued to visit you. I was entranced by your talents and honored by your attention to me. Later, when I found that you loved me, I was more bold about coming down by you, I was a bit nervous, but I thought that if you continued to think I was in your dreams, as you did with me, I would be safe and could learn more about you somehow. Once I watched you sleep, nearly laying next to you, though not wanting to disturb your slumber. Then I came to realize that Raoul was in love with me, as well. I thought that it would be a better life with him, so I went with him for a time.

There was nothing of the sense that all would be well with him, he was charming but he was not very talented nor interesting, after meeting you, monsieur, how could that keep me? There is simply no other man who could keep me from boredom for very long."

Erik smiled a faint smile, now his thoughts were busy trying to recall a time when he actually registered her presence. In those days, he toyed with the notion that he was going insane, he thought that he was simply thinking about her so intently that he brought her to life in his imagination. Erik thought that he could smell her beautiful essence, but again, the mind. To hear that he was not losing sanity when he dreamt of her singing his works in his lair, that just added an yet another erotic dimension to his evolving and deepening feelings for her. He spoke half to himself and half to her; "Well then I must ensure that I no longer have to confuse your real presence with my imagination ever again. I shall redouble my efforts to ensure our safe escape."

"Still, I don't know what we shall do to try to make sure that we can all survive this mess intact."

"Christine, I don't know if all of us will be intact when this is over, I only promise you that I shall not kill Raoul, as you have asked. I shall neither hurt you nor allow Raoul to harm you. If he injures himself, that shall have to be on his head, not mine. Even if I draw him to that point, it is the fair way to end this, I have to be predatory or he will be the victor. I cannot let my guard down; you do understand that, don't you? I could not bear it if you were not clear and you did not understand what I am trying to say." Erik broke off, fearing he knew the end of this all, but refusing to put the words out there to be scrutinized.

"Erik, I know, it does bother me as Raoul was a good man, before this battle began. Now I am not so sure that he would do the honorable thing any longer. Believe it or not, I feel that you are the saner of you two at this point. I just feel the anger and madness as if an actual presence." She thought of who she saw moments before in the hall outside their room and shuttered to herself, should she tell Erik who she saw. No, it was not time for the confrontation. It was obvious that he had not seen the person striding down the hall; it should be kept that way for now.

Figuring that he would be unwise to extol the less than virtuous attributes of the Vicomte de Chagny at this time, he simply nodded and looked out towards the horizon. He didn't want to fall into one of those feminine traps that he knew from his childhood to be deadly. His sensibility would be what would preserve his sanity in this insane game they were playing. He walked that line of sensation and loss of reason once before, and he damned near lost his Christine for it. He was not willing to do so for a second time, he would not let go of his intricate awareness again. He nodded and shrugged with his back still turned gazing out to the horizon.

Now it was time to ponder the other point that was weighing heavily on his mind, what to do about the girl who was sent to be their courier. Obviously, he could not have the head of the Paris Gendarme's daughter courier any letter that could lead to suspicion. They certainly were in a mess. How could they have known it was his sister running this Pension?

Christine took his nod for agreement, though she was puzzled by his sudden aloofness, she worried if she had maybe told him too much, letting him know of her visits to the lair. She drew back in silence and picked up the quill and parchment, beginning to write her letter to Meg.

Dear Meg,

I am writing to let you and Mme Giry know that I am alright, I escaped the Opera Fire. It is with heavy heart that I ask you not to tell anyone about this note, it is very important that you keep it confidential. I need to talk to you Meg, and I fear returning to Paris at this time, in case one of them should be looking for me, you know what I mean.

I apologize if this note is enigmatic, it needs clarification when we meet, which I assure you I shall give it. Meet me at the

"Erik, where should we meet Meg? I know that we should find a good spot, secluded, however I am not sure where that would be, are you?"

"Actually, I think that we are best if we say the rear entrance to the Opera Populaire, at the stroke of 12 midnight. That way she shall believe you are still in the city now, and we can stealthily watch to see if anyone else begins to look for you in the city for a day before we meet with her? What do you think about that?"

"Oh Erik, that would let us know for sure whether she is trustworthy or not, in the shortest timeframe allowed. I like that, ok, I shall do that. With that decided she finished the note,

stroke of midnight at the rear entrance to the opera house. I shall await you there, we will talk.

Remember, Tell no one!

Love, L.L.

"Oh Erik, I am getting frightened, I know that we can not disappear forever, unfortunately someone will always be looking for us. Erik, can we survive this, I feel such despair at the huge undertaking we have chosen."

"My darling Christine, I have not chosen this, it has chosen me, it would have been so easy to go on the way I had before I met you, but when I met you and saw those sad lonely eyes, I knew your pain, and had to comfort you. I fell in love with you when I heard you sing, that was what shocked me into the realization that I had missed, you were a young lady, not a child. Then when you willingly came with me to see where I lived in the opera house, and appeared as interested in me as I in you, that just gave wings to my desires, hope's and dreams. I lost all life but of you when I knew this, you became my life and I lived and dreamed through you. I have to say, I had some very vivid dreams of you as well, that was where the inspiration for "Point of no Return", and "Don Juan Triumphant" came from. Now, for the third time today I just want to lock the door and throw away the key and possess you the thousands of ways my mind and body have dreamt of doing. Though, I realize I will have time to do this later, I must try to keep my head clear."

Christine walked up to him and reached for him, beginning to caress his face tenderly, lovingly. He tried to turn away, tried to keep his resolve to make it through the day working out the next step and embarking on it. His mind just found itself too muddled by Christine's touch to do anything, and other parts of his body as of their own volition began to take the reigns of his control. He stood still, closing his eyes and softly moaning "Christine…"

His resolve crumbled as he grabbed her and kissed her deeply. She responded frantically, needing his strength to calm her fears of what may be lost in the near future if Raoul crossed their paths while they were all still here in the Pension together. No mention of her seeing Raoul here in the Pension was made to Erik, she was not ready for that confrontation and she was not ready for Erik to deal with this either. She felt Erik's growing anxiety and desire to draw things to a head, so she had to have a way to keep him calm and to stave off the inevitable confrontation. Better if they stay here for the daylight hours and leave under cover of the night. She had to keep him preoccupied for now, no need to explain this form of occupation, safe and secure, as well as filling the insatiable need they both had for each other.

Their coming together this time had the surety of lovers who know their desires are echoed by the other as well as a certain urgency they grew to feel. They were measured in their movements, exploring each other inch by inch, carefully undressing one another and warming each inch of skin with their mouths, while reassuring each other of their undying love and binding their needs for each other. They were confident and experienced with each other by the third time they came together, deciding that this was the safest thing to do to pass the daylight hours; night would be here soon to cover their journey to Paris. They spoke with actions of the lonely childhood's they had endured, the torment that shaped Erik's fear of being seen, Christine's lonely tears shed alone at night, having neither parent nor sibling of her own. They truly saw that the equation of loneliness was not the mask, it was fate. Fate brought them together; no one else could understand their souls as well as they understood each others. They grew still closer as Raoul's grip on any part of Christine's heart melted finally and completely away that afternoon in Erik's embrace.

Christine rose from the bed, needing to find something to put on; she reached for her underclothes, the least restrictive ones. Then she decided that she would put on Erik's shirt instead. When she reached for it, she noticed a letter fall out of the small pocket he had fashioned in the overcoat he was wearing. She picked the letter up and went to place it back into his overcoat. She stopped for it had no address on the outside, and she assumed that would mean that someone in the opera house was writing him. She turned to ask Erik what it was, but he had fallen off to sleep, rather peaceful for the time being she decided to let him sleep. Picking up the letter, she began to read,

Erik,

I hope that I am not overstepping the boundaries, where I am not wished to be to write you this letter, though I felt that you should know. When your mother died, she left her house to you to do with as you saw fit, she told me it was her repayment for the love she could not show you while in your company. She realized that you were very talented with many gifts to offer the world, that was why God brought you to this earth, and she was sorry that in her ignorance she was unable to nurture you as a child should be nurtured. She cried many a lonely night after your departure, she felt so damned by the way she had treated you. She never knew a happy or peaceful day after you left, until the day she died. She was happy to know that you would get this house, she hoped it would be a way to show you that you were worthy of love, she was sorry she did so badly at it.

Her, as well as my wish for you is for you to someday find happiness for that passionate heart and soul of yours. You have many things of beauty that lie under your surface if you let people see them. Have faith, and God bless,

With regards Monsieur Erik,

Mademoiselle Perralt.

So, was this somehow the home this Mademoiselle Perralt spoke of, under the opera house? Impossible, how could he have built around it, it could not be, so where was the house? Why would he have built the lair under the opera house if he had a home elsewhere? She wanted to ask Erik about it, though she knew she would not be able to. Maybe in time she could sort out the curious message that held his interest all these years later. This did, however show to the world evidence of his tormented soul and a clue as to why it was so tormented. He does have sentimentality after all, how could she ever have feared him. She began to weep for all the pain she had caused over the past year. It was good to feel that perhaps they could bring things to a peaceful close, though her heart feared that would not be the case.

Side note here, I am not referring to Patrick Wilson, or his singing. He is a very talented actor and singer, it is rather his character in the story, what does he do but run around singing to Christine, support the Opera Populaire, and go about keeping Christine from our Erik, right? He is not a performer nor does he show any talents, as the singing is truly supposed to be talking in their world, right? That is why I have written that, it is boring, not a very exciting life for Christine to marry into, right?