DISCLAIMER: Please refer to Chapter Two
"How dare you show your face here?" the mystery man whispered in a low growl, "come with me."
Erik knew the voice very well. Not wishing to make a scene, the two men faced each other and smiled. Raoul gestured Erik to follow him, and the two men walked to the library.
Raoul closed the large wooden doors. Erik was standing in the middle of the room gazing at the thousands of books piled on the shelves.
"How interesting Monsieur, I never would have expected that you actually knew how to read," Erik said with a sarcastic tone.
Erik knew that Raoul was angry enough, but he had to push the limits. After all, Erik was no afraid of him. In fact, Erik grew more and more agitated by the minute as Raoul's face began to turn bright red.
"I will not let you take her from me. She made her choice!" Raoul shouted.
Erik looked at him rather amused as he heard the distance hum of the orchestra. He wanted to chuckle at Raoul's rather chivalrous demeanor. It would be so easy for Erik to get what he wanted at that moment. His Punjab lasso sat safely in his jacket pocket. All he would have to do is string up the sensitive and fair Vicompt and hang him to dry like an ordinary piece of laundry. Erik knew though, deep down inside, that he did not have the heart to hurt Christine again. Not when he knew the truth behind the feelings she harbored for the Vicompt.
"Do you find me to be an idiot, Monsieur Vicompt?" Erik inquired as he approached Raoul who was now trembling under the powerful malevolent eyes of Erik.
Erik was impressed that Raoul was holding his ground. Erik had always thought of the Vicompt, and most men of upper status, to be overly sensitive and finicky. In fact, he found that many of them acted a great deal like their spoiled wives and daughters. The mere thought of the Vicompt acting like an equal to Erik made him instantly chuckle with sheer delight.
"Do you really think I came here tonight to steal away your precious wife? Have you not pondered that if I were to indeed take her completely from you, I would have done so before you said your vows? Or, do you not realize that I could have killed you already and stolen your bride before you even had a chance to figure out that I was even in attendance?"
Raoul's face was stone-like and silent. Besides the hum of the orchestra, the room was completely silent. Erik walked closer to Raoul and withdrew his Punjab lasso.
"So, you are going to kill me now?" Raoul questioned as he drew his sword and pointed it square between Erik's eyes.
"No, Monsieur. I am merely withdrawing my weapon. I wish to speak with you as a gentleman, not as a foe. Trust me, if it was my choice I would fight you right here and kill you before anyone out there knows we are missing. However, as a man in love with your wife, I shall hold back my transgressions and explain to you why I have indeed come here this night."
Raoul kept his weapon steady as Erik sat down in a chair and removed his top hat. Erik handed his Punjab lasso to Raoul, and once Raoul placed it into the rubbish bin, he too sat down.
"I am told that you have close relations with Madamoiselle Deveraux," Erik began.
"She is like a cousin to me. In fact, she was engaged to be married to my cousin. We speak often."
"Then I am sure you have been told that she has taken a suitor."
"Yes, however, she has not indulged me with enough information to know who this man is."
"I am her suitor."
Raoul grew angry once again and exclaimed, "What is the meaning of this? Are you trying to kidnap her as you did Christine? Have you seduced her with your demonic ways in order to take from her what you can only hope to take form Christine?"
"Monsieur. I have done nothing of the sort. I have treated Madamoiselle Deveraux with respect and kindness. She is the only reason I am here tonight. I did, however, speak with your lovely wife and gave your union my blessing. While Christine and I were walking back to the party, Madamoiselle Deveraux saw us together, and I am sure inferred that I had somehow won back Christine's affections. When you stopped me at your front door, I was in pursuit of Madamoiselle Deveraux to tell her the truth."
Erik stood up, gathered his hat, and buttoned his jacket.
"Now, Monsieur Vicompt, if you shall excuse me, I have a beautiful woman to run after, and you have a lovely wife which is in need of her first dance as a married woman."
Erik and Raoul walked toward the front door. Erik turned around once more to face Raoul before he left.
"I did ask your wife if she loved me. I had hoped that she did, but alas, she claimed her heart belonged to you. I wanted to take her away with me. However, I am only a mortal and it is not my power to toy with love. Please take care of her, and let her sing. For you to deny her the one thing that makes her happy, you will be no better than me. Christine is not a bird that can be caged, and I know that she would make a fine addition to the new Opera Populaire. Au revior, Monsieur."
Erik closed the door as Raoul stood there for a moment absorbing what he had just said. With a smile creeping to his face, he turned and spotted his wife. He rushed over to her and passionately kissed her in the middle of the room.
Erik walked into the snowy night and happened to catch a glimpse at his horse standing with a small boy near the stables. Erik knew what a good woman Cecilia was. He knew that no matter what horrible things he did, she would always still ensure his safety.
He flipped a franc to the small boy in the stables, mounted his horse, and galloped to Cecilia's manor. He arrived just as the snow had stopped falling. After securing his horse in the stables, he walked back to the manor. Just as he reached the door, Pierre popped his bearded head out of the downstairs window.
"Monsieur Fournier. Please stay there, I will be down in a moment," he said as Erik watched him rush out of the room.
Erik grew agitated that he would have to wait in the cold, but nonetheless knew that it had something to do with the events which had transpired at the wedding.
"Madamoiselle Deveraux requests that you not enter the manor tonight sir. She has ordered me to prepare the guest house in the back of the property for you to stay tonight. She asks me to tell you that there is a piano there, and that if you should require anything, just ask me."
Erik's heart broke once more as he realized that Cecilia no longer wished him to be in her home. He found her to be quite charitable though to allow him to live in her guest house. Attempting to hold back his tears, he nodded at Pierre and walked to the small cottage in the back of the property.