Thanks so much for my reviews from last chapter! A couple of you new what was coming with some of the things that happen next. Hope you like it! Please keep reviewing.
Chapter 14
Felecia and Silana sat at a back table of the foul smelling Le Havre Inn. It was a filthy little hovel that was filled with mostly old drunks and prostitutes. Both girls found it revolting, but they had been told that this was the place to find the man whose services they were hoping to employ, Silvain Sordeau.
Locating Silvain had not been all that difficult. When the girls walked through the door of the slovenly inn, they immediately heard the bar keep yelling the name of the man they were in search of.
"Silvain, I think you have visitors!" he yelled.
Felecia and Silana tried to ignore the hungry stares of the grimy men who were drinking heavily in the middle of the afternoon. They noticed a large brut of man walking towards them. His hair was slicked back on his partially bald head, and it looked as though he had not bathed in weeks. He was much bigger than any man either of them had ever seen before. He was unshaven, and there was a putrid odor that surrounded him.
"Bonjour Mademoiselles, can I help you with something this afternoon?" the ogre of a man asked them.
"We are looking for Silvain Sordeau," Silana said quietly.
"Well you are in luck, because I am Silvain," he said.
"How did you know we were here to see you?" Felecia timidly asked.
"For the most part, the only people who come in this place dressed like you ladies are people who are looking to hire me," he replied with a creepy wink.
The two girls allowed Silvain to show them to a table in the back of the musty room. They sat and discussed their plans for about half an hour in which time Silvain consumed at least four mugs of ale.
"So we have an agreement?" Silana asked wanting to leave as quickly as possible.
"I think we just might, but we still haven't discussed the subject of payment. My services do not come cheap Mademoiselles, no matter how much I may enjoy my work," Silvain said with a devious smile.
"And you aren't going to kill her or anything, just scare her, right?" Felecia asked.
"That depends on how much you are willing to pay me, my dear," he replied laughing.
Erik spent the better half of the day trying to finish a composition for an opera that he had been working on for weeks. He would play a few bars on his organ, and then change his mind within minutes and have to start from the beginning. Nothing seemed to sit well with him. He was not pleased with anything he had written all day.
Erik knew why he was unable to concentrate on his music. His mind kept drifting back to Meg and the night before on the roof. Meg had given him one of the most incredible moments of his life. She had allowed him to kiss her, and he knew from the way it felt that it was not out of pity or fear.
He pictured every detail over and over in his mind. He could almost feel Meg's warm breath on his face. The memory of her dark eyes locked with his left him yearning to see her once more. Erik had never imagined that any woman would ever sustain him touching her in such a way. For the first time in his life he was granted a rare glimpse at the powerful physical and emotional connection that could exist between a man and woman.
In that brief momentMeg had begun to heal wounds in him that had been bleeding since he was a boy. She had allowed him to feel like a man, andnot a hideous beast unworthy of human contact. Now that Erik had tasted the euphoria of Meg's affection, he knew more than ever that she had to belong only to him. This time he could let nothing stand in his way.
He had wanted desperately to find out the name of the man she loved last night. Erik believed that this man was the only obstacle standing between him and a life with Meg. But he had never even made it to the point of asking her. His jealousy had gotten the best of him, and he said things that he knew had hurt and angered her, again.
Erik resolved that as soon as he discovered the identity of Meg's beloved and dealt with him accordingly, he was going to confess his true feelings to her. He knew that she would definitely not just openly tell him the man's name. Meg was no stranger to his fury, and she would realize that this would put her precious beau in harms way.
Erik cam to the conclusionthat the way to get Meg to reveal her love's identity was to find out who the woman was that he loved. Meg would not think that he would harm the innocent woman who held her love's affections, so she may actually tell him. Then through her, Erik could easily determine the man's identity. Once he was out of the way, Erik would be free to have Meg completely to himself, forever.
Erik left his unfinished composition and started for the theatre. He didn't want to waste any time.
Meg was rushing down the corridor on her way to afternoon rehearsal, when suddenly she felt a forceful gloved hand cover her mouth and pull her backwards into a dark deserted hallway. She tried frantically to resist, but her assailant was much too strong.
"Don't scream, Marguerite," Erik whispered in her ear.
When she heard his voice, Meg stopped struggling against him. He uncovered her mouth and turned her around to face him. He was wearing his white mask that covered only half his face and a very formal black jacket and waist coat.
"What are you doing… are you trying to frighten me to death, Monsieur?" she asked.
"No, I can assure you Marguerite, that I have no intentions of causing your death," he replied resolutely. "I actually came to offer my apologies for my behavior last night. It is all too often that I allow my temper to take control of my words and actions."
Meg was a little astounded at the idea of the Phantom of the Opera apologizing to her for being rude.
"I…I accept your apology," she said not knowing how else to react.
"I should not have brought up the man you are in love with, or that he loves another," Erik said trying to get her to start talking about him.
"Really, it is fine, Monsieur, but I must get to rehearsals. I'm already late."
"Marguerite, would you mind telling me who it is that this man loves? I simply can't imagine what woman could possibly win any man over you," Erik said hoping she would fall for his question and give him an answer.
He noticed Meg slowly starting to back away from him down the dark hallway making her way towards the theatre. He knew he could easily stop her, but he had not come here to upset her further with his domineering tendencies. She looked him directly in the eyes.
"Why do want to know who he loves, do you just want me to have to say it, so I can be reminded of my foolishness once more?" Meg said as her voice heightened.
"No of course not, Marguerite, I was just curious as to who the woman is that could possibly challenge someone of your talent and beauty for a man's heart," Erik replied hoping this would calm her.
"I am surprised Monsieur, that you do not already know the answer to this question. You seem to be aware of everything else that happens in this opera house," Meg replied sarcastically.
Erik was beginning to get angry. She knew that he was desperate to know and she was toying with him. It took all his self control not to just grab her and demand that she tell him.
"Marguerite, you are trying my patience. Now, tell me this instant who she is, or I will be forced to make you tell me," Erik said in a deep intimidating voice.
"Fine, if you must know, I will tell you," Meg said as her eyes welled up with tears, "The woman is Christine Daae!" she cried as she quickly dashed around the corner into the brightly lit hallways on the way to the back to the stage.
Once again Erik found himself completely astounded by something Meg had said before she ran from his presence. He stood in the dark corridor motionless while his mind raced in violent circles.
Christine, he thought. Had she really said Christine?
Erik was fairly certain that there were only two men that Meg knew of who ever loved Christine Daae. One was the Vicomte de Chagney and the other, himself. For a terrible moment Erik entertained the thought that Meg too was in love with the Vicomte. But he remembered her saying that she had seen the man she loved recently so it simply could not be the Vicomte.
The realization of what Meg had just confessed to him slowly began to wash over his mind and body like a sweet summer breeze. Meg thought that he loved Christine, and that he always would. So it was his love that she believed would never be returned. She had been talking about him all the time. It began to make sense to him why she had gotten so distraught when he had accused her of thinking of another when they kissed.
You are a blind fool, he thought.
Eventually, Erik began to walk from the dark hallway, but he had no idea where he was going. Every aspect of his existence suddenly seemed completely altered. Nothing was as it had been only minutes before. Meg loved him. He felt as if he was walking in a wonderful dream, but he feared that at any moment he might wake up.
