Someday I May Confess

Dinner was a blend of pleasant conversation, long content quiets and nervous smiles. While Raoul's grand confession of love had not gone quite as well as he had hoped, he counted it a success. Meg was with him, smiling and happy and gazing at him with such bright adoring eyes that he felt certain that she must love him.

And if it bothered him that she had not yet said the words, he only needed to remind himself that the words could be said without the feeling behind them. As Christine had. The thought of Christine only served to stress the precise reason that Meg was wary of this change to their relationship. Raoul could not fault her for it, as she knew better than anyone could exactly what he and Christine had shared and what they had not. He would truly be callous not to understand the very awkward position Meg found herself in now.

Thank God Christine is no longer in Paris…or Meg would certainly never allow me this chance with her.

Even as he thought it, he realized the irony. Meg believed that Raoul would have still been hopelessly in love with Christine if she had remained in the city…and it is possible that she might be right. But then, he had never been entirely unaffected by Meg's presence, even when his heart had been set on Christine. And now her affect on him was impossible to deny.

Does she know she could have me on my knees with one word…one smile? As long as she will have me…

As Raoul walked Meg to the door of the Marseille House, he felt more hopeful for his future than he had in a long while. Her request to proceed slowly was a blessing in some ways. He would have time to bring his father around to some sort of acceptance, and Meg would have time to enjoy her career. And she would come to see that his love for her was unwavering.

Taking her hand, Raoul placed a kiss to her knuckles, then turned her hand over to kiss the inside of her wrist, smiling crookedly when he heard her tiny gasp. "Will you dine with me again tomorrow evening, Meg?"

And every night for the rest of my life?

"I...yes."

Raoul's smile turned teasing. "No previous engagements then?"

Meg dropped her gaze,embarrassed now at his teasing. "Raoul..."

"Would it be overstepping our.. .friendship…if I should ask you not to see Monsieur Ranier again?"

Meg had already decided she could not continue to see Jean when her heart belonged to Raoul, and she certainly had no desire to hear more of his disheartening opinion on the subject. "I will need to see Jean at least once more. To tell him my decision."

"Your decision?"

"Mmm. I do not think I will dance again at the Opera Populaire."

Raoul grinned. "Francois will be most happy to hear that."

"Well, it might ease some of his pain at having to grant me leave after La Périchole closes."

Raoul's smile fell away. "Leave? Whatever for?"

Meg drew a breath, knowing this subject would not be an easy one. But after Raoul's confession tonight, it was even more important that Meg should see Christine again before carelessly giving in to her own emotions. "I meant to tell you, Raoul. Maman and I will be quitting Paris in three weeks and traveling to the coast to visit with some friends."

Raoul's good spirits plummeted at her news. "How long will you be gone?"

Meg turned her gaze away guiltily. "It.. .could be quite some time.. .two months at least, I think."

"Months?" An uneasy feeling of despair settled over Raoul. "Meg, must you really be gone so long?"

She drew a breath, considering how much of the truth to tell him. "I am afraid so, Raoul. Our friends, Monsieur and Madame Rousseau, left the city for.. .health reasons...and it has been too long since we have seen them. They live at some distance and a shorter visit simply would not be…practical."

He sighed heavily. "And I suppose we must be practical, mustn't we?"

Meg twined her fingers with his. "Yes."

Raoul hated the thought of Meg being away from him for so long, but he supposed it could not be avoided. "Then we shall have to make the most of these next three weeks, my love."

With that, he bent to capture her lips once again. Just as before, Meg responded, allowing him to deepen the kiss and Raoul was tempted to drag her even closer to him and allow his desire to run free. Reluctantly, he broke away from her, barely finding his breath to bid her goodnight. "Until tomorrow, sweet Meg."

"Tomorrow..." Meg responded on a breathless whisper as Raoul traced his thumb across her lower lip.

Without another word, he slipped though the door, leaving Meg yearning for something she could not fully define.

xXx

The following days passed by in perfect contentment, with Raoul and Meg reveling in their new found closeness. But Meg was ever conscious of keeping rumors and gossip to a minimum, so she insisted that she and Raoul maintain an appropriately chaste relationship when in public. Much to Raoul's frustration, they were often in public and rarely alone. When they were alone (as alone as two people could be with a protective mother just upstairs from them) they spoke of their childhoods and their parents, or of politics and art. Or of any subject that caught their fancy. Each day proving their compatibility.

The only minor stumbling block to Meg's increasing confidence occurred on the afternoon she had gone to the Opera Populaire to speak with Jean again...

"Marguerite, my dear." He clasped her hand in his and bent to kiss her cheek. "I am so happy to see you."

She pulled away from him and steeled herself for his inevitable attempt to sway her from her task. "Perhaps you had best reserve judgment on that until after we have spoken, Jean."

He frowned. "Ah…I see. Le Vicomte, is it?"

Meg was beyond denying this now. "I...care for him, Jean. And to continue this game with you would not be fair to anyone."

He grinned at her wolfishly. "I have been quite enjoying our game, Marguerite."

Meg tried her best to spear him with a haughty look. "You will soon find another means of entertainment."

Jean's smile faded and his voice hardened. "He will never make you happy."

"Perhaps not, but then, Raoul is not responsible for my happiness, Jean. I am."

"Does dancing not make you happy, that you would give it up for a life of boring nobility?"

"The only thing I am giving up at this moment is the position you've offered me. Beyond that, I cannot say what the future will bring."

"So he has not proposed, then?"

Meg sighed in frustration. "Not that it is any of your business, but Raoul and I are hardly at a point for such momentous decisions."

Jean chuckled slightly. "Is that what he told you, my dear?"

"No, it is what I told him."

His brows went up at this. "Then you do have some sense where he is concerned."

"I should have expected you would act this way! I am sorry I even came here." She turned to leave, but Jean's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Wait, Marguerite! Before you run back to him, at least let me offer you an alternative."

Meg shook her head, wondering what he thought he could say to change her decision. "We have been over this, Jean."

He smiled again, a wicked glint in his eyes. "No…" Jean placed a finger under Meg's chin and tipped her face up as he spoke, "Not exactly this."

She knew it was coming, and for her life Meg could not say why she did not stop him. She only stood passive as Jean pressed a hungry kiss to her lips. There was nothing tentative in the action, no gentle seeking or patient caress. Only a skillful demanding insistence that she accept. And for one insane instant, Meg did just that. But where Raoul's kiss had sparked a slow fire within her, Jean's sent a chill of apprehension racing down her spine, and she twisted away from him with a cry.

"Jean...no!"

His lips curled into a slow smile as he studied her flushed cheeks and wide bright eyes. She had not been as unaffected as she had wanted to be. He spoke softly and without airs.

"I have never needed to force a woman, Meg. Neither would I turn a willing one away. If you should ever grow tired of your little vicomte, you know where you might find me."

Meg shook her head in denial. "Goodbye, Jean."

As she left his office, she heard his deep voice laced with humor. "Au revoir, ma petite."

Needless to say, Meg did not tell Raoul the particulars of her visit with Jean.

A/N: I just wanted to take a moment to thank my reviewers again, especially DragonheartRAB and Erik'sTrueAngel for the constant encouragement. Glad you are enjoying the story.

Also to Lindaleriel, I am flattered my humble little story has made its way into your C2 community. Glad you like it.