Chapter 16: Apprehension and Conclusions
For many weeks, Count Philippe had been checking on his little brother. He had had his heart ripped and wanted to be sure that he could handle whatever else the world had to offer him.
He would check up on him every other day for signs of madness, stress, and/or depression. Heavy indications, at least. Raoul was a mess the first week but had come out of it as easily as it could have been. Philippe had suspected Raoul's consumption of alcohol but he really wasn't the drinking type.
The day came for Philippe to check on the young Viscount and his life, so to speak. His trip, as always, would start early in the morning so he could effortlessly be back to carry out the family duties.
When he arrived, the house seemed still. Too still. He checked with the main housemaid, Margaret.
"No, monsieur. I haven't seen him since he left yesterday evening. Early evening to be exact. We haven't seen or heard from him since then. Probably out to look for Christine and try to convince…"
The Count was aware of Christine and Erik's situation. Evidently, Raoul kept his personal life to himself and his brother. "There is no way to have Mademoiselle Daaé come back. She has found, well, rather went back to her 'true' love."
The Count de Changy knew about 'The Phantom of the Opera' and about Erik but never made the correlation that they were the same person. Raoul didn't share that with his brother and didn't plan to do so.
Philippe started toward Raoul's library to see of any trace of him or where he could have been. He found nothing out of the ordinary. A few books were out of place and he searched through them and found nothing. He went strait to his room next. Once again, nothing out of the ordinary. He did find the journal that he had given the young Viscount to collect his thoughts in and read it:
'…I have been a wreck on the inside for the past, oh, about a week now. I haven't gotten over the fact that Christine had gone to his home and plans to live there. She has broken my heart and I'm going to go there and break hers. I will kill the bastard Erik and have her all to myself!' Raoul! He would never do such a thing but, then again, love makes you do wild things.
The Count then searched Christine's former room. The window had been smashed for some time now and he did want to repair it before Raoul hurt himself with it. Or, at least, had the chance to do so. Christine's wedding ring had been rescued by, no other, than himself because Raoul didn't want to let go of her just yet. He was furious that day and had to rid her of his mind for that day, not the rest of his life. He stared at it for a while and thought about his almost sister-in-law.
She was a very beautiful woman and had a matching soul. A voice of an angel's and her father was a very noble man. She could be very opinionated some days and quiet others. She had a very good career at the Opera Populaire until that lover of hers had to take her down…lover!
That's it! Erik is the Phantom! He loved her and that was the only other person that would take her in as a husband that she knew. Raoul went back and killed the beast. Or at least tried to gain Christine back.
'Raoul, I hope you didn't kill yourself.'