Chapter 21

What a wonderful day after all.

Mme Giry came over to their side of the lake slowly and quietly docked the boat. Carefully she disembarked so she would not interrupt the important things taking place so vibrantly in Erik's bedroom off to the right of where she had docked. She was awe struck to see how instinctually Erik responded to Christine's every need. He was as gentle with her as he could be ruthless with someone he didn't know. Mme Giry was so bowled over that he came to this naturally, as no one had ever shown him that kind of tender care and compassion himself. This was not a learned response, this came from his heart. It was then that she realized if he had lost Christine it would have been his destruction. From that moment on she would work just as hard as they had to ensure Raoul did not get Christine from him. This resolved, Mme Giry alerted the two to her presence at last. "I am here. I brought the clothes and some food. I also took the liberty to bring something for you to wear, Erik as I noticed your outfit got destroyed today. I cleaned up your mask a bit and brought the bandages and salve for you and Christine." Turning her attention to Christine, Mme Giry began; "My dear child, how are you doing? I was so happy to see you alive."

"Mme Giry, I don't think I ever really realized how much you meant to me until today. I knew with an immature knowledge that you had saved me when I came here to live so long ago. I was grateful for that. But now that you saved us risking great personal harm in doing so. I am so overwhelmed with gratitude to you; I realize that you are more of a mother than any in my memory. I am sure that you already knew that, but I childishly didn't realize it until now. Thank you and I am so happy to see you again." With that Christine rose from the bed and taking a few steps, Mme Giry crossed the space between them and hugged her dear child. So like Meg in some aspect of temperament, and so different in matters of social issue. She was well suited to Erik.

The whole time this exchange was happening Erik was watching two women who meant the world to him interact and it made him feel overwhelmed with the knowledge that they were here on his behalf. This is the first time anyone has cared this much and here there were, two of them at the same time. This day was becoming more and more of a special event for them, rather than the tragedy it could have so nearly become during the daylight hours. Had that horror really preceded this fine gathering of his dear old friend and his lover. Yes, he winced slightly at the movement forward; his pained body was testimony to that. He moved to Christine's side and helped her sit once more on the bed. She gratefully accepted all his attention and never once felt it was excessive. She was in so much pain that she wished she had something to deaden it a bit. Seeming to read her mind, Mme Giry proceeded to speak of what she had brought them to eat.

"I found some lamb and almond dressing. I got you some very good alcohol to deaden the pain for tonight. I told Meg and Gina that I would be staying out tonight. I am here to allow you to both get some undisturbed and well needed sleep. You both have some healing to do and I helped Erik when he was a child, of course it follows I would do that for him now. I shall stand guard across the lake and allow you two to have a night of undisturbed, healing slumber. We shall all imbibe in the anesthetization of the alcohol however. I love Pinot and brought two chilled bottles with me. Erik, you do have some glasses, don't you? Oh, yes, I have also brought some salve; this should tend to things well for you."

Erik looked at Mme Giry with renewed affection and gratitude. He had been in some considerable pain, especially where he had broken his rib, and he needed to be able to trust someone else to stand guard for a bit, so he could recover himself. He didn't want Christine to know that he was in such pain; he hid the bruise on his chest where they had squarely landed a boot mark with some makeup, though he covered the rest of his bruises with his black velvet robe so she would not concern herself with such trivialities. After they got Christine to rest for the night, Mme Giry would minister to his injuries. They both knew it, so they set about the task of uncovering the food and pouring the wine.

"Christine, you can stay there, we shall just bring the food over to where you are now, and it can be eaten there as easily as anywhere else." Erik said as he went to move the table by his bed out for her. Then there was the matter of getting the bench he composed on, and the chair he painted in. These gathered and brought over; the three of them sat down and began to eat in silence, each lost in thoughts of the day past.

"Erik, why would Raoul want to hire those horrible gypsies to guard this area? I never thought that he would bring himself to that level. Surely he is losing his mind if he thought that he could control them. They are so mercenary that they would have sold him to you if you had offered them more than he had for you. Have you ever considered that as a way to get him?"

"Yes, Mme Giry, though I have to say, I do not trust them any more than I trust our dear Vicomte, so I will not entertain any notion of turning their loyalties. It would hold a certain tempting irony, though it could backfire too easily. No, I prefer to capture the Vicomte my way, on my terms."

"Have you given thought to how you intend to accomplish this? I wish to volunteer the help of some formidable friends of my late husband. They are loyal and owe me their loyalty until their deaths. I could send word and have them here to help you if you need some might behind you. Just try to accomplish this without bloodshed, please. There has been more than enough of that already, no?"

Christine spoke up here saying that she had elicited the same promise from Erik some time ago, though in light of the circumstances as they stood now, it would be hard to hold him to that promise any longer. Raoul was sinking to new and dangerous lows to try to win; it was as if it was not about her anymore. It had become a personal affront to him.

Mme Giry was impressed with the thought as Christine spoke it, she was thinking wisely for one so young. Erik was decidedly good for her; she would surely become an astute lady with his continued patience and tutelage. She smiled warmly at Christine then, and they toasted the arrival of another days end with them all intact and at least fairly healthy.

Christine took her glass up to her mouth to sip and Mme Giry saw her finger. Suddenly realizing that was what they should be toasting next, she took a swig of her wine and told them to hurry and do the same. Erik looked at Christine as she did to him, both with a puzzled look on their faces as to why in the world that was so important. They did as Mme Giry bid them do and moved the glasses from their mouths. Then it was time for Mme Giry to formally notice Christine's ring and examine it closer.

"I, er, happened to notice something and was rather thinking it needed toasting to as well. It would seem my dear Christine, someone may have asked you a very important question, and from the looks of it, the answer was yes. Am I right?" She held up Christine's left hand as she said the last line.

Christine blushed and smiled a shy smile, Erik proudly looked from Christine to Mme Giry and back at Christine again. Moving off his bench over to the bed right next to her, he took her left hand in his and proudly proclaimed that yes they were in fact engaged. With childlike pride he smiled at Mme Giry an even bigger smile, if that was possible, and said, "Gigi, I actually proposed, me, and she said yes."

Christine looked at Erik with a big grin as well, a bit puzzled by the name Gigi. Erik began to explain that Gigi was an affectionate name Mme Giry had allowed Erik to call her when they first became friends. So long ago, when she released him from his torturous life with Javert. He called her Gigi and she called him Erik. Neither one knew why they came up with those names, it was just the name they felt fit for each other. From that moment on, neither one of them ever cared to change the name for the other one, nor correct them with their birth name. Over the years of her marriage and parenthood, she had garnered the staunch name of Mme(or Madame) Giry, it had been longer than she could remember since Erik had called her by such an affectionate name. She got a tear in her eye and quickly wiped it away.

"Of course, you fool, she would. She loves you. Well, do we toast you two or do we sit here stating the obvious all night?" With that the three of them lifted their glasses and Mme Giry said simply; "Here's to one of the greatest loves I believe I have ever known! May you live a blessed and peaceful life where people shall see how wonderful you are and respect and love you as the two women here tonight do, Erik. You, my dear Christine, may you be blessed with the happiness and contentment I am certain only Erik can give you. In my humble opinion, I do believe you have made a wise choice! Now, let us drink."

After they emptied the two bottles of wine, Christine said bonne nuit to Erik with a soft kiss on the lips, careful on both of their behalf as well as a hug for Mme Giry. Then Mme Giry and Erik walked out of the bedroom, Erik promising Christine he would be along in a few moments.

Before they would go to bed, Mme Giry and Erik set out a pallet and some bedding for her to sleep on. They knew she would want to get some rest and there was no question of her being uncomfortable. So they found what they needed and made a soft place up for her near Erik's beloved pipe organ which was damaged, Erik feared, beyond repair. This way she was afforded privacy as well as they, no need to go over to the other side of the lake.

"Before I retire for the night would you help me with this wound here, Gigi? I can't see it and don't know how deep it is bruised, but it feels like a rib was broken, I have been in great pain all afternoon, but I don't want Christine to know."

"Oh Erik, why not?"Mme Giry said, exasperated with his pride.

"Because she worried enough about me, she offered her life for mine to be spared, do you believe that? I could not make her think I was injured any more than she was able to see already." Erik took a cloth and got it damp with the water from the pitcher he fetched earlier and set out to warm a bit for Christine's wounds tomorrow morning. He began to clean off the makeup he had placed over the bruise and Mme gasped when she started to see it. She then reached into her bag and pulled out a small silver flask with alcohol in it.

"Here, drink this; it will help you through the pain." Erik took the flask and drank a swig, he decided he would appreciate a few more, so he capped it and kept it in his hands.

"Tomorrow you just have to be careful." Mme Giry proclaimed as she looked at him and said that he should remove his robe. He did so and she saw numerous cuts and bruises around the sides of his body and back, she was so upset by this. She fixed him up and told him that he was free to leave her and go to bed now.

Uncharacteristically, no doubt the effect of the alcohol taking control Mme Giry thought, Erik went over to her and gave her a quick hug. "Thank you Madame for giving me a life many dream of and are not fortunate enough to find. Your gift of freedom so long ago has brought me to this point. You are my angel of freedom and I shall never forget you for that, nor shall Christine and I forget you for today and your gifts tonight. Sleep well Gigi, bonne nuit." He began to give her a chivalrous bow, when the pain in his ribs stopped him short. "Well, you shall have to imagine my chivalry for the night." he said sheepishly.

Worrying for Erik's safety Mme Giry watched him walk over to the bedroom and draw the curtains around the bed. Pausing to lift Christine's velvet robe, he smelled it and placed it back down gently, smiling at the scent of flowers she always seemed to have. God how he loved that smell. He removed his black velvet robe then, and gently placed it over Christine's earlier discarded robe. He reveled in the intimacy he had discovered. He slipped between the black satin curtains after he was done.

Madame Giry was sure he didn't know anyone saw that, but she was glad she did, he was not going to break from this reality. Christine had loosed the man in him and he was the most wonderful man Mme had met. It made her feel so relieved that she had saved him then. This world would know such sadness if he had not been allowed to live free.

At last Erik had blown out all but one candle around their bed and the night was drawn to a close. Mme Giry had remembered the mask, they had not needed it at all since she arrived which was good, for Erik needed to have his wounds breathe air to heal properly. She went over to the table he used to paint at and laid the mask quietly upon it. Then going over to the pallet, she lay down with her late husband's musket at her head. It was loaded, and ready in case anyone tried to enter and cause any trouble. On further thought, she decided it would be a bad idea to have the musket loaded so she removed the shot and laid it down next to the gun.

When Erik lay down on the bed, as cautiously as he could, he caused Christine to stir. She shifted over and looked at him sleepily; the wine was having some effect upon her as she was not in so much pain, she reached for him and he carefully moved over to her. She was smiling and said "Would you please let me hold you tonight, my angel of music?" While Mme Giry and Erik were talking of his wounds, she was awake enough to hear an adequate amount of what they said to know that her beloved was in some pain too. She was not sure where or exactly how but she needed to hold her angel and help him heal. He drew up next to her, kissing her tenderly and chastely yet again on the lips.

She murmured "I know you have some cuts and bruises on your beloved face, I fear maybe there are some pains elsewhere on you my darling, it is time for me to help them heal for you. Let me hold you and we shall heal together." Erik smiled gently, as she reached her hand up and laid his head down upon her. He was just below and to the left of her injury, over her heart and he thought surely this is what it felt like to be cradled in God's merciful hands. Then she softly held his face with her hand and sighed a contented sigh. She ran her fingers down his cheek very tenderly, caressing the broken skin and making his face tingle with the warmth of her touch. She said quite simply; "Erik, I love you." She let her fingers come to rest on his shoulder. Her last conscious thought being how beautiful he was.

With that secure and warm sensation and the alcohol in his system taking its toll on his senses, he relaxed and the pain in his rib became negligible as he drifted off to sleep. She was just the medicine he needed to get better.

They were all in peaceful sleep when there was a noise at the other side of the lake. Mme Giry woke up and struggled to look over to the other side of the lake to see what it was. She grabbed her musket and loaded it. She just had a feeling someone would try to encroach on their slumber.