Chapter 8

Claudia, Jeanette, and I began to run through the tunnels every day. More than once we frightened some unwary guest by coming out of nowhere at them, and I caused one very distinguished lady to faint by appearing out of a seemingly "solid" wall. I described the incident to the girls and had them laughing helplessly within moments.

After my demonstration with that one irritating little peacock, the men left the mademoiselles alone. Whenever one began to look at them too closely, all it took was my presence and glare to get them to think of other matters. We spent our time together, often avoiding the guests as much as we chose to startle them, and we began to feel quite happy and confident in our freedom.

I should have known that it was too good to last.

After seeing the girls to their room one evening, I returned to my bedroom to find that a fabulous costume and mask had been laid out for me. Jacques was there, looking quite upset.

"Oh, at last, monsieur!" he cried as I walked in. "Madame asked me to bring this to you an hour ago, and she is getting quite impatient."

"Well, she shall have to learn patience," I remarked dryly. "What the devil is that doing here?" I asked, indicating the costume.

"Madame wishes you join the masked ball tonight, and it is already underway," he explained, bowing. "You shall be very late if you do not hurry."

"Perhaps Madame Delphine and the other guests are all early," I said facetiously. "But if my not going means you shall have an aneurysm from the stress, my friend, don't worry, I intend to go."

He thanked me and bowed repeatedly while I sent him out, telling him I had no need of help to dress, but I had been too sure of myself. Everything on that wretched costume tied, and they were ties that were almost impossible to reach on one's own. It took me fifteen minutes to dress, and once dressed, it took five minutes to get the mask and hat on correctly. Once I was ready, I regarded myself in the mirror, seeing a man garbed in black and silver, with a mask made of a tiny mosaic of mirrors. Interesting. I would be sending everyone's reflection back at them. Hmm.

I went downstairs to a scene of absolute riot. Everyone was already drunk or under the influence of other substances, and for a moment, I recoiled, knowing how idiots behaved when such materials were used, but I pressed on. I would make an appearance, perform a little sleight of hand, and go. I did not have to stay.

Madame Delphine spotted me straightaway and made right for me. She gabbled in my ear about how fabulous I looked and how wonderful it was that I could come. I fought down a snort of derision. Since when had I had any choice in the matter? Trapped by her pinching fingers, she led me around the room, circulating amongst all of her guests. I saw devils, harem girls, angels (how inappropriate!), old fashioned ladies and gentlemen, clowns, beasts, royalty, a priest (highly inappropriate!), and costumes that didn't resemble anything I knew. Perhaps they were from the artists' dreams? I couldn't say.

I was trapped in a mindless conversation about the latest idiot in the tabloids when I saw two visions approaching. One was dressed in a wedding dress, complete with veil, orange blossoms, white satin, gloves, lace, and bouquet of white roses; while the other was dressed in a gorgeous cloud of fabric that was the same pristine white as the orange blossoms. To complete the little vision, she also wore a crown of the same blossoms on her head, lace gloves, and little silk slippers. The bride and her attendant were none other than Jeanette and Claudia.

"Ah, my daughters, at last!" Madame Delphine said, hugging the both of them. Claudia looked very confused and regarded her mother as if she were a stranger. Ten to one, she probably was.

"Thank you for asking us to come to the party, Mamma," Jeanette said prettily. "And thank you for the lovely costumes."

"Oh, you are quite welcome, my dears," she gushed, smiling and showing all of her teeth. Why was it I had never noticed her crooked teeth before?

"Jeanette looks like a bride, Monsieur Erik," Claudia said, smiling. "You look like a groom. What am I, if you are a groom and Jeanette is a bride?"

I fought down a smile. "You are a vision," I told her, deadly serious.

Her entire face lit up, and she pulled on Jeanette's hand in excitement. "Did you hear, Jeanette? Monsieur Erik says I am a vision!"

Jeanette flashed me a grateful smile from behind her veil. She was not at ease at the party, and keeping Claudia safe and happy was all that mattered. I stayed by their sides the entire time, and as we passed mirrors, I realized that what Claudia had said was true. We resembled a bridal party. Despite the ties and sumptuousness of the costume, it did resemble a groom's tailcoat and top hat. All I needed was a boutonniere and I would be ready to say my vows.

The ridiculousness of it made me smile beneath the mask. I, married? Certainly not! I had learned my lesson well the first time. There would not be a second.

We circulated the entire night, and as it was nearing midnight, Madame Delphine called us all to gather in the next room. As soon as I walked in, I realized that I would have to perform after all. There were seats set up, with a central aisle down the middle of them, and a clear space for a stage in front. Cursing the short notice, I began to limber my fingers.

"Oh, ho! He's nervous!" one of the many fops shouted, having spotted my flying fingers. I resisted the urge to wrap them around his scrawny neck. Instead, I began planning my program. Perhaps a little fortune-telling to begin with. . .More than one person was chuckling. What was so damned funny?

Herve ushered me up to the front, saying in a loud, drunken voice that there was nothing to worry about. More laughter. I tripped him and he fell flat on his face, eliciting more laughter from the crowd taking their seats. Only then did I notice that Jeanette and Claudia were not at my side. Where had they gone?

Herve lumbered to his feet and escorted me the rest of the way, muttering that I had nothing to worry about and that it was all right. I ignored him, trying to get my fingers in a working condition. As I got up to the front, I noticed that there was a table set up with a cup and plate and a book, but not much else. Well, I had created better illusions with little else. I just hoped I could think of one. . .

Everyone grew quiet as they sat, and they watched the front of the room expectantly. How to begin when most of them were too drunk to appreciate art? It was insufferable to perform for imbeciles!

That was when the music started. One young man disguised as a demon had sat down at the piano and began to play a very creditable Kyrie. I stood there, struck senseless. What on earth was going on?

That was when Klaus sent Claudia up the aisle, carrying her own little bouquet. She looked radiant, and she smiled at me as she reached the front. I made to go to her, but Herve held me back and placed a boutonniere in my lapel, telling me to patient.

I'd had it with being patient! "Either you tell me. . ." I began, but I was struck dumb at the sight of Klaus escorting Jeanette up the aisle towards us. At last, I understood. It was a mock wedding ceremony. Everyone was applauding and complimenting the bride on her outfit when they were not singing the Kyrie.

"This is outrageous," I muttered, glaring at Herve. "I am not about to be made a fool of!"

"It's only a game," Herve muttered back. "Play along."

I did not find mocking church ceremonies amusing.

Jeanette reached the front of the aisle, and I took her hand when prompted to by Herve.

"Is this a game?" Jeanette whispered, looking very nervous. "It is you, isn't it, Monsieur Erik?"

"Yes," I whispered back. "What's wrong?"

"Mamma's often tried to trick me into marrying one of her wretched friends, to get rid of me, she said. I just wanted to be sure that this wasn't one of those times."

I chuckled. "Not to worry, ma petite," I promised her. "We'll amuse the common folk and then we'll go back upstairs and read a chapter of Paul et Virginie before you both go to bed. It will be nothing but twenty minutes."

I was wrong. A guest dressed as a priest stepped forward and began to speak to the crowd. He was very long-winded and kept on going on about how wonderful marriage was and how we would be spending all of our lives together. I resisted the urge to slap him, and Claudia began to look very bored and to pass the time, began to play catch with her bouquet. Only a sharp word from Madame Delphine made her stop.

Gloria in excelsis Deo followed, as did the credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. The "priest" continued with the ceremony, and the vows began. I began to protest at the game, but Madame Delphine insisted. We exchanged rings, and I heard the "priest" say, "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may exchange a kiss."

"I'm not about to inflict that on the mademoiselle," I said dryly, turning to the "priest." "The game has gone on long enough."

"Custom must not be outraged, monsieur, not giving your bride a wedding kiss," he said, reminding me of a pool of oily water. "You'd best kiss her, but won't you take off your mask and allow the bride to see your face?"

So it was a trick to get me to take off the mask!

"Let's see your face, monsieur!" the other guests began shouting. "Yes, let the little minx see what she's married!"

Now I was furious on Jeanette's behalf! How dare they insult her so!

"What do you mean?" Jeanette said. Despite how quietly she had spoken, everyone had heard her, and the majority laughed in response.

"Why, it's your wedding, my dear," Madame Delphine said, sounding supremely satisfied. "I told you I would have revenge on your father for forcing me to bear you, and here it is: I have married you to a monster as awful as he was! Enjoy your marriage, child!"

Now, Madame Delphine was no longer beautiful. A savage smile spread itself over her face, and her eyes began to blaze. "He thought he would punish me with a child, but look! I've managed to punish you! I hope he writhes in his grave tonight!"

"Bravo, Madeleine! Well done! So, you've finally got revenge on that old man after all," the lady known as "Olympe" said.

"You mean it was real?" I demanded, turning on the priest.

"Of course it was," he said, sounding offended. "Madame Delphine asked me here to wed you both, and that's what I've done."

"But we're not in sacred walls," I began.

"Yes, we are," Jeanette said, sounding immeasurably sad. "This is the chapel, Monsieur Erik."

I was shocked. Married? Against our wills, and all to satisfy Madame Delphine? Oh, it rankled. I wanted nothing more than to kill that woman, but the girls' presence denied me that pleasure.

The whole group of guests escorted us upstairs, shouting crude jokes about wedding nights, and once we reached my door, deposited Jeanette in my arms so I would be certain to carry her across the threshold of my room. I carried her inside, and it was only a moment later as I set Jeanette down that I realized Claudia was with us.

"I didn't want to stay with those awful people," she said sadly, gazing at us with such pity that I felt my heart break.

Jeanette sank onto the couch and began to cry, which set Claudia off a moment later. Sitting down on the couch beside her sister, I pulled Claudia into my lap and put an arm around Jeanette, trying to comfort them both.

"It's all right," I said to Jeanette, trying to still her sobs. "It's not binding if we weren't aware it was a real wedding, and if you like, we can get an annulment."

"That's not it," Jeanette sobbed, fishing a lacy white handkerchief out of her sleeve. "She tricked us into it, that's what's making me cry! She hates us! We're her daughters, and she hates us! Only good fortune made her choose you, Monsieur Erik!"

I didn't know what to say, but Claudia did.

"So, you're going to stay married?" she asked, sounding ecstatic.

My heart was pounding painfully loud.

"Well, I can't say we're exactly married, but if he's my husband, he can protect us from Mamma," Jeanette said.

"But, don't you love him?" Claudia persisted. "You talk about him all the time, and you say how wonderful he is, how strong and kind, and how intelligent, and you always say that you'd want nothing more in a man. . ."

"Be still, Claudia!" Jeanette ordered, blushing a fearful red. "He may not love me. . ."

"I would have to be dead, Mademoiselle Jeanette," I said, raising her fingers to my lips in a chaste kiss, "Not to love you. I loved you from the moment I saw you."

As I said it, I realized it was true. I did love her, and I loved her more with each passing moment. The radiant smile she gave me in answer to my announcement sent my mind speeding toward heaven.

I fell back down with a bump. The mask, my face. . .She might very well change her mind. I had to know.

"Before you say yes, Jeanette, I would have you know everything. I am a murderer, and a thief, and my face is that of a monster. I would have you know."

I removed the mask.

Jeanette and Claudia gazed at me without a measure of fear. Jeanette reached out and brushed her fingers lightly on my cheek, and pressed her lips to mine.

"Do you think that would matter to me, monsieur, especially when I have Madame Delphine for a mother? She is not without her past, too. I still love you in spite of it, for I know the man beneath the mask."

"Hooray!" Claudia cried as I knelt on the floor in front of her sister.

"Mademoiselle Jeanette, may I have the honor of asking for your hand, and you do me the honor of wedding me in a real ceremony?"

Jeanette burst into tears again and gasped out a single "Yes!" as she flung her arms around me. I kissed her, and she smiled and kissed me back. I kissed her again, and, amazingly, she did not die! She did not die! I had been so afraid that any woman who kissed me would die, but Christine hadn't, and now, Jeanette, wonderful, lovely Jeanette, survived my kiss as well!

What was more, she was kissing me as well! It was as if she couldn't get enough of kissing me, and it was only Claudia crying "Me too! Me too!" and covering me with little pecks that stopped the proceedings from becoming heated.

Realizing that we had a small girl with us, Jeanette and I calmed ourselves and we began to make plans. We would leave Madame Delphine's house and travel wherever we wished. I had sufficient capital to travel the world over a thousand times, and we could settle anyplace Jeanette and I took a fancy to. Once we were settled or found a wedding location we liked, we would have our own ceremony. We would live away from Madame Delphine and her insidious influence, and life would be grand.

At least, that was what we hoped. In the meantime, we would fetch what the girls wanted to take with them, and we would go that very night. In the morning, we would see my solicitor and begin our journey.

The girls didn't want much at all. Each took a change of clothes and their journals, and Claudia took her doll, and I packed a spare suit in the one bag we had between all of us. We crept out through the tunnels, down to the stables, and I readied a carriage. The girls would ride inside, and I would drive. Fortunately, it began to rain, and I was able to wear a cloak to disguise myself.

But where to go once we arrived in Paris? Jeanette pointed the way to the city, but I had no idea which hotel would put up a masked man who was the object of a frantic police search. Hmm. There seemed to be nothing else for it.

We arrived in the Place de L'Opera an hour or so before dawn. Leaving the carriage a few streets away from the Opera, I led the girls inside, down into the tunnels, and through the tunnels to what had been my lair. The damage from the fire had not been very extensive to the edifice above us, and there was almost none to my former home. Adjuring the girls to rest, they settled themselves in the swan bed while I went to change my clothes and wash. A few hours later, I heard the church bells chime eight o'clock, so I went to wake them so they could journey with me to my solicitor's. We would be in a carriage out of Paris to Le Havre by ten.