Mme Giry opened the door in her evening wrapper to see a smiling Christine (once again dressed soberly in her accustomed manner) bouncing happily on her threshold. This alone unnerved the good lady, not considering the late hour. "Good evening, Christine, are you…"

"Is Meg there, Madame? I have such news!"

Hearing her friend's excited voice, Meg dashed into the foyer, also in her evening clothes. Poor Mme Giry was nearly bowled over when Christine exuberantly ran to embrace Meg. She was acting so much like a regular seventeen year old that Mme Giry guessed the occasion and only waited to hear the young man's name.

"Meg, you will never guess who just visited my apartment today."

"Who?" Meg had never seen Christine in such a state.

"Monsieur Raoul deChagny! He came to congratulate all the people auditioning – which it turns out is just Carlotta and me – but he ended by asking me for a date…"

Meg squealed and began bouncing with her friend, too happy for Christine to feel any jealousy. "He didn't!"

"He did. And here's the best part. To be proper, I need an escort. Will you be my escort, Mademoiselle Giry? To Le Chateau Anglais?"

"Of course I will. And, you know we have to go shopping. Maman? Has Christine got any money this month?"

"I suppose that's Christine's business, ma chere."

"Why do we have to go shopping?" Christine puzzled.

"You need at least a new dress. And some combs for your hair. And a necklace. Oh Christine, you can't go out on a date as though you were studying in the library!"

Christine relented with only a little more convincing. Immediately after commissioning a servant to carry her polite, "I would be honored to join you for dinner," to the deChagny estate, Christine was whisked off to find a suitable toilette for her date. Though her choices were more modest than modish Meg would have preferred, she finally picked a green dress, silver combs for her hair, and a pretty mock-sapphire necklace. Meg took full advantage of the unusual chance to fuss over Christine, acting as her lady's maid. When hair, jewelry, and dress were perfected, the two girls went to the lobby to wait.

Raoul was also dressed for the occasion in fine evening wear. He smiled to see Mlle. Giry sitting with Mlle Daae. The two were obviously inseparable friends and the picture they made together was sweet. Before speaking a word, Raoul presented Christine with a corsage of white chrysanthemums, which she pinned to her shoulder.

"Good afternoon, ladies," He gently lifted and kissed their hands. "The carriage waits outside. I trust you are ready to go?"

Meg giggled and nodded, blushing. Christine smiled that small, reserved smile of hers and dipped into a delicate curtsy.

"Of course, Monsi…I mean, Raoul."

The carriage was a small, but luxurious, four-horse affair. Raoul stepped in and offered his hand to assist the ladies. Meg took her place with the assistance of the footman to assure that the Christine and her beau did not sit scandalously close to one another. Christine scowled at her briefly before climbing in.

The rest of the evening passed with fairy-tale dreaminess. He sat across from her, smiling and joking lightly, smiling each time he caught her eye. The food was delicious, the conversation very proper, and the atmosphere lively. Christine found that Raoul preferred light conversation and avoided weighty topics. He was unerringly polite, taking especial care that Meg not feel ignored. Christine smiled at him more and more easily as the night passed. When dinner was done, Raoul offered Christine his arm, and walked her to the carriage.

As she stepped in, he asked, "Did you enjoy yourself tonight?"

"Oh yes, Raoul. Thank you. Everything was splendid."

"I'm glad. Would you like to take tea with me at our estate this Sunday after Mass?"

Christine would have happily accepted, except that she felt a sharp elbow digging painfully into her ribs. Meg interrupted and took control of the situation.

"Mme Giry and I would like to invite both you and Christine to take tea with us in the Opera parlor on Sunday after Mass." She lowered an eyebrow and cast a dark glance over the eager young man. "I hardly think it would be proper for Christine to come to your home, M. deChagny, when there are no Lady relatives present. "

"Of course, Mademoiselle. It will be a pleasure to take tea in the company of such lovely ladies. Adieu." He had the goodness to look a bit shamefaced over his improper invitation. Meg was entirely correct.

As the carriage pulled away, Meg giggled and tugged Christine's hand. "Can you imagine! Asking you to his home after just one date…how gauche! I suppose he thinks you are just some loose Opera coquette. Well, we'll show him exactly what a Lady you are."

"Am I, Meg?" Christine was not so sure an orphaned opera singer counted as a Lady.

"Of course you are. Maman and I have been watching the patrons come and go for years. We will show you how to handle the M. deChagny without a single misstep. You must, above all things, keep your honor or he will not be interested in you any more, and your reputation will be ruined."

Christine had not considered her reputation. Currently, she was well known for her Quakerish modesty, and her reserved demeanor. Women in the Opera who allowed their reputations to slide often found themselves without jobs. If the managers didn't shift them quickly enough, the Opera Ghost did.

Erik!

If she did not behave with perfect decorum Erik would abandon her, and the mere thought of losing his regard pained her.

"Thank you, Meg. I wouldn't want to be like Marie Lecroix." The giggling girl from the night before was gone; in her place sat the old Christine, studious and contemplative. When she spoke, it was to change the subject entirely. "It is only a week until the audition, Meg. I haven't heard a peep from Carlotta. Do you think she has decided to play nicely?"

Meg thought about it. La Carlotta was never one to be quiet about a perceived slight, and the managers' decision to hold open auditions definitely qualified as a slight. No one had heard any complaints from the bilious woman. Meg thought Carlotta seemed more shifty-eyed than usual, but that was not the sort of thing one told one's anxious friend. "I don't know, Christine. Watch out for her, but if she's going to do something, I'm not sure anyone could stop her."

Christine's cool gaze cut towards Meg, "Someone could."

Meg slowly raised her hand to her mouth. The one person of whom the fiery little woman was frightened was her competitor's voice teacher. Christine's Angel might well provide some protection against anything Carlotta might dream up. But what would he do to Carlotta? Christine was settled comfortably in the carriage seat, staring out the window at the lights of Paris, her expression unreadable. Meg hoped for everyone's sake that La Carlotta quietly conceded the victory to Christine.