Chapter 4
For the first time in months, she lost herself in her drawing, careful to sketch each detail. To her it seemed as if time had frozen, just leaving her with her drawing, but all too soon, there came a soft knock on the door. Setting her sketch where it wouldn't be bumped or seen, she went to the door and opened it.
Madame Giry was waiting at the door, and gave her a small nod. "Philippe is asleep, I take?"
"Yes, he is. Hopefully, I'll be back before he wakes up. This shouldn't take long." Madame Giry just nodded, took the recently occupied chair, and pulled out a book. Catherine stopped just long enough to glance at the mirror, something about it stood out, but she couldn't tell what just yet.
Catherine looked down the hall trying to discern which direction she had come from. Finally, she noticed a painting that she remembered passing to her right. She took that turn which, thankfully, was the correct one.
She stepped out into the entrance hall, and found that Monsieur's Andre and Firman were already waiting for her. She stepped up behind them and cleared her throat to get their attention. They looked rather surprised that she had been in the Opera house, but tried to mask it.
"Gentlemen, I must apologize for my tardiness."
"No, no you weren't tardy, we were early."
She nodded, "Alright, well lets attend to business then, shall we?" Catherine began walking toward the exit, knowing that they would follow. The two men hurried after her as though afraid of being left behind.
It wasn't until after she had reached the sidewalk that she had pulled Philippe from just an hour ago, that she stopped. Monsieur's Andre and Firman were out of breath when they reached her.
"Why did you take off like that Mademoiselle?"
"I'm sorry, but I believed that if we were to be doing business together, you would wish to know my name. However, that is information that would probably not be safe to mention where the Phantom may hear us."
The two managers just stood there in shock. This woman knew of the Phantom, and for some reason did not want him to know her name.
"Since you have mentioned it, what is your name?" Monsieur Firman asked to break the silence.
"My name is Lady Catherine De Changy, and yes Raoul De Changy, your former patron, is a relation to me, my brother. Now you can understand why I didn't wish to state my name back in your office, and why I know of the Phantom. Now that we have covered that, let's head to the bank as I have other, rather pressing, issues."
Firman and Andre were in so much shock, at what she had just told them that they just nodded and once again found themselves following her like sheep, as she headed to the bank.
The transaction went off without a hitch, and they were back in the entrance hall sooner than she could have hoped. Monsieur Andre was the one to ask, "What is it that you wish to be called while you are here?"
Catherine gave him a look, like she was almost proud of him for thinking of that without any prompting. "You have brought up an excellent point, so as long as I am in this Opera House, you may call me Lady Catherine De Montressor. It is a title that I inherited from my mother."
The two managers just nodded, rather unsettled by her abrupt manner. "Good day to you, gentleman." She turned to leave, but Firman stopped her.
"When are you going to make the announcement?"
Catherine looked back toward them, "Call all the staff to the stage an hour or so before tonight's performance, I shall tell them there."
The two just nodded (they do alot of that), as she walked back toward her room. She arrived to find the room empty. She stood frozen to the spot, as terror swept through her. She noticed a note on the dresser.
Catherine,
Philippe woke up a few moments after you left, and started crying so I took him to the kitchen. Hopefully, a good meal will get his mind off things. Please don't be too worried, we'll be back soon.
-Madame Giry
Catherine sighed in relief. She should have known that it was only something like that. In the mean time, she would go back to her sketch while she waited for them to come back. She picked up the sketch, but her eyes refused to focus on it, instead her mind conjured up a picture she had once drawn with the help of a friend.
:Flashback:
Catherine sat in the parlor, staring out the window, waiting for the carriage to pull out of the drive. As soon as she did she pulled out the large sketch she had started on yesterday. Christine joined her shortly afterwords.
"It's very beautiful, you've captured it perfectly."
Catherine laughed, "That's only because I've had your help. You're descriptions of the place are wonderful."
Christine smiled at her, and once again began to describe that palace of dim night to her friend, and sister(-in-law).
:End Flashback:
Catherine had always enjoyed trying to capture the beauty of the world around her but had never been very successful at doing so. That drawing had been the one exception. Christine loved it but always begged her not to show it to Raoul. She had kept her promise, and now due to that fire, it was guaranteed that it would never be seen again.
She sighed, that had been years ago, before Philippe was born, and before the fire. Christine had been her best friend. She shook her head. It did not do to dwell on the past. It had become a motto for her since the fire, or at least one that she had tried to adopt.
Madame Giry entered to room with little Philippe at that moment, bringing her out of her reverie. She stood and nearly floated over to them, holding out her arms to take Philippe. Madame Giry flashed her a small rather sad smile. Catherine looked at her. "Shouldn't you be preparing for tonight's performance?"
"I may as well, after all it will be the last."
Madame Giry left the room, looking almost ready to cry. Catherine looked at Philippe. "Did you have fun with Madame Giry?" The little boy nodded. "Would you like for us to stay here?"
"Oh yes, may we please stay Auntie?" She smiled, glad that at least for the moment he had forgotten the events of earlier that afternoon.
"Yes, we can, but I'll need you to stay in here by yourself for a while tonight." She hated leaving him alone, but it couldn't be avoided, and it probably wouldn't take too long for her to make the announcement.
Philippe looked at her, rather scared. "Alone?"
That one word, almost made her want to tell the managers to make the announcement themselves, but she knew she needed to at least be present. She cast about in her mind for something that would comfort the child. Remembering something Christine had once told her, she looked at him and smiled. "You're never really alone. The angel of music is always there, and if you sit very quietly you can hear his music."
She had never heard the music herself, but Christine had insisted that it existed. Philippe stared at her and nodded, looking mystified. She smiled at him glad that he had finally calmed, and looked almost happy.
His next question caught her off guard, "Where are you going?" She turned toward him, unsure of how to answer, finally she replied.
"I'm going to an announcement. I would bring you with me, but it's for grown-ups only." She knew he wouldn't understand everything she had said, but she also knew that he had heard 'for grown-ups only' often enough that he understood there was no room for argument. He sighed.
"How much longer, until I get to be a grown-up?" She laughed outright at this.
"A year, at the very least." He flopped down on the bed. She gave him a smile, and then preceded to fix her hair and makeup, so that she could be ready. Time seemed to fly by, soon she was walking out of the room toward the auditorium, leaving Philippe starring after her.
-(End Chapter)-
ElvenStar5: We'll see, I might keep Carlotta. I understand what you're saying perfectly. Thanks for the review.
Flare Conlon: Of course they will! I came right out and said that this would be EOW. Kill Erik! NEVER! If you look, I made a reference to him in chapter 2. It's in the part where it kinda from Madame Giry's POV. He's actually mentioned by title in this chapter though. Thanks again for the review.
Author's Note: I'm back! I passed all my finals, which means I'll be able to update. Yay! I don't know when the next update will be, but hopefully it's not too far away. Please R&R. Flames are accepted, just explain why. A half-mask cookie for anybody who reviews, even if it's a flame, but then I'll probably give you a burnt cookie.