Chapter 6
I walked out of my washroom in my white silk and lace night gown, drying my damp hair, when I noticed my window had been left open and the curtains fluttered in the soft, but cold, breeze. I was about to close the windows when on the sill I noticed a deep red rose with a black ribbon tied around it on top of an envelope. I picked both up and shut the windows smelling the rose. I walked over to my bed, placed the rose on my bedside table, got in bed, and looked at the envelope. In fancy lettering it read "Emily Sterling". I turned it over and opened it, breaking the unmarked red wax seal. Then I took out the note and read it.
"My Dearest Emily,
It seems I have not stopped thinking of you since we last departed. The memory of your beauty and sweet voice haunts my wonderfully. I never thought I could be this happy again. I wish you will except this invitation to meet me tonight in your garden by the fountain. Please come by eleven. I hope to see you tonight.
Yours truly,
OG"
OG? At first I did not recognize the initials, and I thought of someone I might know, then it dawned on me.
"Opera Ghost.: I whispered. I smiled at myself as I looked at the envelope again, Sterling. He had figured out my last name truly wasn't de Charbourg, then I thought of meeting him again. I felt giddy and checked the time, past ten, so almost an hour till.
I brushed my now dry hair and messed with it until in went into it's soft spiral curls. Then I changed out of my frumpy, yet warm, night gown into something I little more risqué and revealing. It was what my aunt had actually gotten me for my sixteenth birthday, telling my to save it until I got married, saying it would ensure my husband would always be faithful. At sixteen I was still naive and uneducated, so I did not know how a simple item of night wear would keep my husband faithful, but as I grew older I understood. I pinched my cheeks and looked again at the time, twenty minutes till. I was growing impatient, I just wanted it to be eleven! I busied myself with random chores in my room, making sure to be as quiet as I could. Then at about eight minutes to I slipped on my night shoes and left my room, shutting the door behind me quietly.
I crept down the stairs and into the parlor, going out the doors which had been left open to let in the night breeze after it had stopped sprinkling. I walked silently along in my white silk night shoes that were getting damp from the mildly wet grass. It was chilly and I was regretting my choice of night attire. Although my night gown wasn't that impressive it would have kept me warm.
I stood at the fountain shivering slightly and fumbling with the ring that was now around my neck on a long silver chain. I figured it I passed it off as a necklace, that would half the time be hidden by clothing, than it would not draw nearly as much attention. I wrapped my arms around myself trying to keep warm and hoping the Phantom would show up soon.
A moment later my white cloak was draped over my shoulders. I turned and saw the Phantom, realizing I had forgotten my cloak on the peacock bed. I clasped the cloak and smiled up at him.
"I am glad you came." He said quietly, though through his eyes his did not seem as glad. I tried to think why. I stepped closer to him and took his hands in my own.
"Was that you earlier? In the shadows and trees?" I asked softly, he merely nodded. I was him, that meant he had seen Christine and Raul…and Laurent. I looked down at our hands, he was wearing gloves, then I looked up into his eyes. "I'm happy to be here with you." I said, the Phantom looked deeply at me, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, then he placed a soft kiss on my forehead.
We sat down at the edge of the fountain and talked. He spoke of how for the past year he had been in hiding and how the authorities were after him, still, and how a few times they had been close to catching him. I told him how I had become fascinated with the tales of him, of course blushing greatly while telling. Then I spoke of how I had begun taking voice lessons, then I remembered; Madame Provence is gone.
I looked up at him beaming. "I was thinking… Well, my voice teacher is gone, she'll be in Spain for two months. I was hoping, um, that maybe…" I began fidgeting and I looked down at my hands, "that perhaps you could teach me…" I bit my bottom lip and blushingly I gave him a sideways glance. A small smirk was on his lips. I turned my face towards him, still biting my lip, and I felt drawn to him. He placed his hand lightly under my chin and looked deeply into my eyes. We were getting closer, I knew, I could feel his warm breath on my face.
"Emily?" My mothers voice rang through the garden. I jumped up quickly.
"I have to go!" I whispered and ran off, almost slipping a few times on the damp grass.