XXXIX
Antoinette stood to the side while Monsieur Lefevre tried to get the attention of the cast. She hushed her dancers and after a few moments the excitement died down. Monsieur Lefevre cleared his throat to get the last few people to be quiet.
"Yes, I am sorry to interrupt this final rehearsal but I have an announcement to make," he said, "the next opera that he Opera Populaire will be Chalumeau's Hannibal. You may go back to your rehearsals now, I hope tonight's performance goes well."
"Come on girls," Antoinette said, clapping her hands, "back to work!"
With a few heavy sighs and small moans the dancers reformed their lines and got ready to go on. They had already gone through their ballets twice and were now waiting for Carlotta to be happy so they could leave. Unfortunately that always seemed to take forever, and she never did end up happy, just frustrated enough to leave.
"That was awful," Meg groaned as her and Christine re-entered the dormitory, "honestly, how many times can you get the same verse wrong?"
"Apparently a lot," Christine replied.
"Yeah, apparently, lets just hope she doesn't get it wrong again tonight. After all we have been practicing for a month."
"I have to go, Meg," Christine said after putting her Pointe shoes away, "I'll be back in a bit, alright?"
"Oh, sure, James, Meghan and I are going out later. Do you want to come?"
Christine bit her lip as she tried to think, "No…I don't think so."
"Alright, see you later then."
Christine smiled and waved as she left the dormitory and made her way to the chapel. Upon entering she knew that her Angel was there. She was now used to his unseen presence.
"Hell, Christine," he said warmly, "how are you?"
"I am fine," she replied.
"That is good."
"The theatre is going to perform Hannibal," she commented.
"I see…would you like to learn the parts of the lead?" he asked.
"Ellisa's parts?" Christine asked, "I- well, La Carlotta is playing Elissa. So why would I need to learn the part?"
"Would you like to learn the part, Christine?" he repeated.
"Yes, of course," she replied.
"Very well then. Let us begin…"
Christine fell back on her bed and let out an exhausted sigh. Soon Meg's face appeared in front of her, "Tired, Christine?"
"Yes," she moaned, "I'm exhausted."
"Really? I didn't think rehearsals were that hard. In fact they've been pretty easy."
"They aren't," she replied, "I guess I just haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately…"
"Why not?" Meg asked, sitting on the corner of the bed, "have you not been feeling well, Christine? If so you should tell maman."
"It isn't that…I actually feel very good, I don't even know why I can't sleep. I just can't…I must sound foolish, but its true."
"It doesn't sound foolish. Maybe you're excited about something," Meg suggested.
"Yes, that might be it," Christine replied softly, thinking about her lessons and the upcoming performance.
"I guess you don't want to go out then," Meg sighed, "James and I were going to go to the café."
"No, I'll come," Christine said, sitting up, "it should be fun."
"You sure, Christine? After all, it is almost dark out," Meg teased.
"I'm positive," Christine replied, "I'm tired of lazing around here every night. Lets go."
Erik sighed and tapped the pen against the table as he stared at the note in front of him. He didn't know what he was going to write, he had already used considerable threats and 'accident' to try and rid the theatre of Carlotta and none of them seemed to work. Monsieur Lefevre was just too good at grovelling for it to work. Some how he managed to get the stupid diva to return every time.
"Perhaps I should take a different approach," he said, smirking, "if threatening her does not work, then perhaps threatening someone else will…"
He gave a small chuckle and started to scribble a note of the paper in front of him. This time he knew it would work. After all, Monsieur Lefevre had always been terribly afraid of him.
He signed the note quickly and sealed it in an envelope before making his way up to the theatre. He was lucky to find that Monsieur Lefevre was talking with Monsieur Reyer on the stage, most likely about the upcoming performance. So he dropped the note and left.
Antoinette sighed heavily as the rehearsal ended. Rumours had been flying around the theatre that Monsieur Lefevre was planning on retiring, though he had never said it himself. She believed the rumours though, the man had been looking ill over the past week and had spent more time in his office than usual.
"Monsieur Lefevre!" she called as she approached him just as he was leaving.
"Oh, Madame Giry, how are you today?" he asked, a tense smile forming on his lips.
"I am fine, and you?"
"Oh, you know, just fine…is there something that you wanted?"
"I have heard that you are thinking of retiring. I just wanted to know if the rumours were true."
"Retiring?" he repeated, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his watch, "oh, where have you heard such rumours?"
"They are all over the theatre, especially in the corps."
"Oh…" he murmured, glancing down at the watch, "well that is very interesting. I must go, Madame, I have a meeting I have to attend."
"With who?"
"Oh, just a pair of gentlemen…good day, Madame Giry," he said, stuffing the watch back into his pocket.
"Oui, au revoir, Monsieur Lefevre."
He gave another tense smile and hurried out of the theatre. Antoinette waited for him to be out the door before bending over and picking up the note on the floor. It had obviously fallen out of his pocket when he had gotten the watch, and she recognized the writing on it.
She glanced over it and frowned, very nearly stamping her foot as she turned and stalked back through the theatre. No wonder the poor man was acting so strange. Most people who had been threatened by the Opera Ghost didn't just go about their day.
"Erik?" she called once she entered the chapel. She knew he would still be there, she had passed Christine as she went down.
"Yes?" he replied irritably, "could I ask you to be a bit quieter, Madame?"
"So now you are threatening the manager?" she demanded, ignoring his question, "how appropriate of you, Erik. If you cannot get rid of the diva get rid of the man who seems so intent on keeping her. Is that it?"
"So you found out?" he sighed, "I should have known…I suppose my answer would have to be yes. Though you must agree, this theatre has been under the same management for much too long."
Antoinette sighed irritably and massaged her temples, "There is no point in arguing with you, Erik. But I have to ask, do you really expect the next manager to be as complying as Monsieur Lefevre?"
She heard him sigh, "I cannot guarantee it…but I have a feeling that he will be."
"I see, and who do you plan to replace Carlotta with?" she continued.
"Who else?" Erik began, "Christine."
"She could take over that position?" Antoinette badgered, "she is talented enough?"
"Of course she is!" Erik snarled, "now if you do not mind, Madame. I have business to attend to."
Antoinette sighed and nodded her head, "Au revoir."
"Good day," he replied curtly.
Antoinette left the chapel and rubbed her temples again. She could already tell that the entire affair was going to become one very large headache.
A/N: Well its been a very long while, hasn't it? So sorry about the long wait, I promise to update again soon. This was the second last chapter...though there might be an epilogue of sorts. Anyways, please review!
