Chapter 2- Confidante

Christine wasted no time dashing out of the house after Raoul had left on business that evening. To think that they had caught Erik, that they had him locked away in a tiny cell, was enough to drive her stir crazy trapped inside alone.

She literally ran along the cobbled streets of Paris, ignoring the shouts of irritated walkers as she bumped into them. Right now she just simply did not care, she couldn't. She couldn't think of anything but Erik, he was filling her mind, she had images of him shackled in a cell, cold and wet and being beaten by guards. She stopped and leaned her hand against the nearest wall, dropping her head and gagging at the picture of him in her head. She coughed and swallowed a mouthful of vomit back down, which did nothing but make her feel worse.

A gentleman and his wife had stopped to ask her if she was okay, she had assured them that she was fine and feeling a little under the weather. The kind strangers had offered to walk her home, almost insisted, but she declined almost too politely and walked in the opposite direction.

Her feet carried her automatically, she didn't think about it, they just took her where she needed to go. The cold of the evening was settling hard on her chest and her breathing was becoming laboured. Still, she did not return home. As she rounded the next corner she found several familiar faces smiling at her and she forced herself to smile in return. It was difficult, they were friends of Raoul's and no doubt the sight of her flustered face would be enough to have the gossiping for centuries.

It was another five minutes before she arrived at her destination. The door was tall and oak and the perfection of it's colour always made her smile. So deep and powerful, it reminded her so much of it's owner. Her hand lifted and knocked the door three times before she stood back, wrapping her arms around herself and waiting for an answer.

'Christine?' Madame Giry said, as she opened the door and ushered her inside. 'What on earth are you doing here?'

'I need to speak with Meg,' she said softly and avoided making eye contact with the ballet mistress. Madame Giry nodded and gave a quick call to her daughter, who appeared almost immediately from the sitting room.

'Christine!' she said and ran to hug her friend, who held her tight in return. 'How wonderful to see you!'

'Yes, Meg,' Christine said and the smile which followed seemed natural. 'So good to see you too.'

'Oh you must tell me how you've been!' Meg gasped as she stared at the ring on Christine's finger. 'It's been a month and I've seen nothing of you! Tell me everything.'

And with that Christine swallowed the lump in her throat and followed Meg to her room.

She had a lot to tell her.