CHAPTER 38
During the ride to the de Chagny property in Fontainebleau, Erik and Nadir discussed their passenger inside the carriage.
"He'll just be in the way, Daroga. You and I are perfectly capable of handling this. He's no good to us. Did you not notice his injury? How is he to take up a pistol?" Erik questioned incessantly.
"He's here because of Meg, Erik. He will defend her to the best of his ability, should it arise," Nadir stated.
"I don't want him near Christine!" Erik argued.
"He knows you and Christine are married. He doesn't care for Christine beyond friendship, my boy. He obviously cares a great deal for Meg. I think more than he realizes," Nadir insisted.
Erik snorted as he came upon the gates of the de Chagny property.
Nadir jumped down and opened the gate as Erik drove the carriage through.
Reaching the front of the home, Raoul stepped out and took his keys from his pocket.
Nadir surveilled the outside of the home while Erik and Raoul made their way inside of it.
Raoul checked the study and the sitting room while Erik rushed upstairs. He could smell her. His keen sense of smell would rival any bloodhound. There was no doubt they had been there, not too long ago in fact.
Coming to the guestroom, Erik opened it and saw that the bed was unmade. Upon closer inspection he noted the dark crimson upon one of the pillows and a few strands of long brown curly hair. "Christine!" Erik thought with panic as he picked up the strands of hair from the pillow. He now realized who the owner of the blood belonged to.
As Raoul made his way upstairs, he was quickly shoved aside by Erik.
"Out of my way, BOY!" Erik growled as he fled out to the front to meet with Nadir.
Affronted by Erik's rudeness, Raoul followed him as he ran around the corner to confront Nadir, who was crouched over a patch of dirt, tracing it with his finger.
Nervous anxiety riddled Erik as he addressed Nadir. "Daroga, they were here and…"
Nadir waved his hand to stop Erik from speaking any further. "They left for La Rochelle," he spoke positively.
Raoul walked up to them as he heard the Persian mention La Rochelle. "Chateau de la Fontenelle?" Raoul questioned.
"It appears so. It seems to be written here," Nadir pointed out.
"Stop being so cryptic and explain to me what is in La Rochelle at this Chateau de la Fontenelle!" Erik demanded, staring at both men.
"My brother would go there often in his youth for entertainment," Raoul said cautiously.
"What do you mean for 'entertainment'?" Erik asked on edge.
"It's a bordello, Erik," Nadir said, standing from his crouched position.
Erik's face turned to stone as he clenched his fists. The sounds from his leather gloves were unnerving to both men. Trying his best to calm himself, he suggested they leave at once in order to catch up to them.
"They shouldn't be too far ahead of us, but we must leave now!" Erik commanded as he swiftly ran back to the carriage.
Nadir and Raoul followed behind him and quickly took their positions. Erik took up the reins and fueled the horses at a maddening pace.
There was a fork in the road, yet both paths lead to La Rochelle, one route being quicker than the other.
"Which do we take?" Marcel yelled behind him.
Alphonse stepped down from his seat and opened the carriage door to address his master. "They wish to know which road we are to travel on, Comte."
With much thought Philippe decided, "Let them take the longer route. We should not travel this close beside them."
Nodding to his master, Alphonse closed the door and climbed back into his seat. He drove up to Marcel's carriage and told him they would be parting ways from here, until La Rochelle. He motioned to the route on the right, and then waved as he took the Comte down the left path.
Nodding in confirmation, Marcel took up the reins and they made their way down the path, in the opposite direction.
Halfway into their journey, Nadir noticed Erik dozing off a few times. "I know you didn't sleep last night, Erik. Let me take over. You will be no use to anyone if you continue in this manner," Nadir stated.
"How do you expect me to sleep during this?" Erik asked, annoyed.
They came to a fork in the road as Nadir answered, "Trade places with the Vicomte and I will bring us through this leg of the journey.
Erik hopped down from the carriage hesitantly as Nadir questioned, "Which route should we take?"
"If they both lead to La Rochelle, take the fastest route possible, Daroga. You do know where you're going, do you not?" Erik answered as he opened the door to the carriage and pulled Raoul out by the arm forcefully.
"What's going on?" Raoul demanded as he tried to catch his balance after abruptly being removed from the inside of the carriage.
"You can keep that boorish oaf company," Erik said as he slammed the door of the carriage in the face of the Vicomte.
"I shall unhitch the horses and leave you, Erik!" Nadir said, pounding on the roof of the carriage.
"Try it and you will find yourself before your great Allah!" Erik smirked as he pulled his cloak around him closing his eyes.
Raoul climbed up beside Nadir and shook his head. "You two are friends? Does he always act like that?"
Nadir smiled as he beckoned the horses forward. "Behind his tough exterior dwells a good man. As much as he irritates me beyond belief, I am glad to call him my friend. He takes some getting used to."
"I don't see myself ever getting used to him." Raoul said plainly.
Nadir patted Raoul on the back and continued. "We did not always see eye to eye. It was years before we bonded any semblance of a friendship."
"I apologize, Monsieur Khan, but once this is all over, I will not want to breathe the same air that so called man breathes," Raoul said truthfully.
"I admire your honesty and I understand your reasons, but you cannot blame him for the circumstances he had no control over, being treated unjustly all his life. His actions may not merit an excuse, but it was all he could do from a world that had failed to accept him. You and I will never know the cruelties he faced," Nadir explained.
"I can sympathize for his past, Monsieur, but what of his current state? I have given him a chance at happiness, for Christine's sake, but he still acts every bit the inhuman monster I have come to believe him to be." Raoul said resolutely.
Nadir chuckled at the familiarity of the man beside him. There was a time when he held similar thoughts regarding Erik.
"Vicomte, I do not expect you to change your view of Erik overnight, if ever. If anything is to come of this entire situation, we must leave that for Allah to decide." Nadir gestured to the sky above them.
Raoul looked at Nadir and nodded. "This Persian is a strange fellow, but that should not surprise me with the company he keeps," he thought as he smiled falsely back at the Daroga.
Alphonse stopped in Châtellerault at the request of Philippe. They found an inn that would tend to the horses while they dined to a late meal. During their supper, he asked if they would be staying the night. He had driven all day and would welcome the rest.
Philippe thought briefly, flattening his moustache and then decided they would stay the night. He gave Alphonse some money to get two rooms and when he returned with the keys, Philippe told him to be ready at first light. It would take an entire day's ride to make it to La Rochelle by nightfall.
Raoul suggested stopping at his personal property in Cholet, which he acquired during his time in the Navy. Nadir agreed that it would be a good place to rest for the night and that they would continue first thing in the morning for the rest of their journey to La Rochelle. As they stopped the carriage in front of the home, Nadir and Raoul climbed down wearily, stretching their limbs. Erik came out of the carriage and yawned.
"Where are we, Daroga?" Erik asked.
"This is le Vicomte's holiday home. He suggested we sleep here for tonight." Nadir answered.
"Sleep? I've had enough rest. You two get in here and I will drive us the rest of the way to La Rochelle." Erik held the carriage door open and gestured for them to get inside.
Raoul looked at Nadir in frustration as the Persian waved his hand assuring him he would handle the situation. "Vicomte, bring the horses to the stables and see to it they have plenty of food and water."
Raoul nodded and brought the carriage around to the back of the house.
"You better have a damn good reason for overriding my decision, Daroga!" Erik said with a steely glare.
"The only reason that any idiot could comprehend is that the horses need food, water, and rest, if you are to expect them to perform without fail. The same applies for the company you keep, old boy. It's been a long ride and I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not up to arguing with you, so grant me this one request and let us get some rest." Nadir looked at Erik with weary sincerity.
Raoul came back to the front of the house and placed his key into the door, opening it. Looking toward the two men staring down at each other, Raoul shook his head and continued to walk into his home. "Some tea and a light meal should suffice before we retire," he thought, trying to occupy himself.
It was some time before the two men made their way into the house. Raoul sat before a fire in the sitting room as Nadir cleared his throat. Raoul turned to his head in Nadir's direction and told him to help himself to fresh tea, fruit preserves, and crackers on the kitchen table.
"I apologize, I don't have much more to offer," Raoul said politely.
"It's more than enough, Monsieur. I thank you for your hospitality on behalf of myself and Erik," Nadir stated as Erik came around the corner and smirked.
"So sorry to intrude on such a tender moment, but I need to know if you have a library in which I can entertain myself, while you two get your beauty sleep," Erik said rolling his eyes.
"Erik!" Nadir said with disdain.
"It's alright, Monsieur Khan," Raoul said, then addressed Erik's question. "Go down the hall and turn right. There is a small library in my study."
"Messieurs," Erik bowed mockingly as he turned and left them.
"I will not be a part of his absurdities. I suggest you do the same, Monsieur Khan," Raoul said calmly as he stood from the floor and walked over to the settee. He seated himself and stretched, enjoying the warmth of the fire. "Feel free to rest in any of the rooms upstairs. I think I shall stay down here for the night," Raoul said closing his eyes.
Nadir bid the Vicomte a good night as he walked to the kitchen to help himself to some tea before getting some rest.
Erik spent half of the night going through Raoul's things within his study. He had taken up a book at first to pass the time, but he quickly lost interest as he was distracted by the shelves of family heirlooms.
Raoul seemed to live the picture perfect life. There were photos depicting a loving family as well as several trophies and awards for academic and athletic excellence. There were also several model ships that decorated a mantel, showcasing various medals Raoul had received during his time in the Navy.
Erik snorted in disgust as he turned and was drawn by a photo in the far corner of the room. As he drew closer to it, he noticed that this little section of the room was unlike the others.
It was simple.
A few seashells decorated across the surface and displayed was a photo of a small, chubby girl with long curly hair and a little freckled boy wrapping a scarf around her.
Erik took the picture and sat down on the settee beside the fire he had lit. He stretched out, making himself comfortable and then sighed. Burning the image into his mind he traced every detail with his eyes. There was no mistaking who the girl was. "Christine has held that same sparkle in her eyes, even as a young child."
Erik covered his thumb over Raoul and traced his finger across the image of the chubby girl's cheeks. Suddenly a piece of paper fell from within the frame, landing on Erik's chest.
Intrigued, he placed the picture to rest on the floor as he picked up the paper. Turning it in his hand, he realized it was a letter of some kind. He unfolded it and noted it was a torn piece from a journal, as he began to read its contents.
I will always remember that day by the sea. Christine was so young, yet even then she was beautiful in every way…
Erik paused as the pang of guilt from reading someone's private thoughts riddled him, but not as much as his jealousy wrought havoc on him from just those few words he read. His curiosity got the best of him in the end as he continued to read.
Christine made me feel like any other person. She didn't treat me kindly because of my upbringing or place in society. She was always genuine to me.
Living the life of nobility is no fairytale. I would trade it all for a regular life, without expectations or pressure of how one is to behave among the upper class. Christine was everything I wished to be. Being with her made me free. I will always love her for giving me those few moments in my youth to just be who I was. Wherever she goes, I will always keep her close to my heart. I will always be here if she needs me.
Erik paused again, on the edge of walking into the sitting room and choking the Vicomte in his sleep. He stood up and thought frantically, "He still loves her! This is all some twisted way of trying to get her back!"
The letter fell from his hands to the floor and as he bent to pick it up, planning to destroy it into the fire, a word caught his attention. Taking a deep breath he dared to finish the letter.
Christine has this great love for an Angel, a made up figure from a story her father would tell her night after night since she was born. No matter how much I tried to convince her this Angel was just a figment of her imagination, she never gave up on her Angel of Music. The love she harbored for this unearthly being, made up or not, was something I would never be able to compete with. I don't think I would want to, if it were true. When she would tell me of her Angel, I would become jealous of her unwavering devotion she had for this entity. A love like that no man could put asunder.
I consider myself lucky to have her love as a friend and if that is the way God chooses to let me love her in the end, then so be it. I only pray she remains forever safe and happy.
It was apparent that the Vicomte harbored love for Christine, who couldn't love her? But Erik realized that Raoul held no disillusions. Raoul respected Christine and as much as he loved her, he would not jeopardize his friendship with her. Raoul loved her enough to protect her and keep her safe, which Erik had seen during their tumultuous affair at the opera house when Raoul had come back into her life. Christine had no choice but to seek refuge in the safety of her childhood friend. Erik had deceived her, merely out of comfort and loneliness, but it soon fueled into madness as he became more desperate for that very love Raoul spoke of in his letter. They were both victims in the end of this great love Christine had to give.
"But she chose me and he let her go. That boy gave us the chance to live a life of love he dreamed for himself," Erik thought as he carefully placed the note back within the frame.
Placing the picture back in the corner, Erik sighed and made his way back to the settee. As he laid down and closed his eyes he thought stubbornly, "It will take more than that for you to get into my good graces, Vicomte."
Disclaimer
I'm still not affiliated with, nor do I own rights to the Chateau de la Fontenelle.