Author's Note: Okay, I have all my work done for right now and I know some of you really want to know what happens to Christine so I am going to submit this new chapter. I hope that everyone likes the direction that I am going with this story.

Chapter Sixteen: Deception

Erik guided Midnight through the rolling hillside, fighting to keep the carriage in sight. Suddenly, without warning, Midnight reared up on his hind legs, knocking Erik to the ground. He quickly made his way to his feet, trying not to lose sight of the carriage.

To his relief, the carriage was still in sight.

He grabbed Midnight's reins and calmed the horse down. Once both horse and rider were calm, he mounted Midnight and took off after the carriage.

Several minutes later, the carriage finally pulled to a stop, near the base of a massive oak tree. 'I guess they are going to have a picnic,' Erik thought.

Pulling Midnight to a halt, he fought to see what was going on without being seen. Several minutes had passed but neither Christine nor the Vicomte had emerged from the carriage. "What's going on in there?" he whispered.

"Our new home?"

Raoul smiled. "Yes Christine. This is going to be our new home. Far away from Paris, the opera house and 'him'."

"You can't keep me prisoner here! Erik will find me!" Christine shouted.

"Ah yes. Erik. I am prepared for his arrival Christine. But don't you worry about a thing now. Everything is taken care of."

He placed a hand on her back and pushed her towards the house. "Now come along darling. Let's go inside."

Christine tried to resist, but to no avail. Raoul took firm hold of her arm and pulled her along.

They reached the entrance to the mansion and entered the massive house. Elizabeth stood in the hallway, just inside the entrance. "It's good to see you Vicomtesse!" she said upon seeing Christine.

Christine looked at Elizabeth, her eyes pleading. Elizabeth turned away, doing her best not to meet Christine's gaze.

Raoul pulled her into a nearby room and shut the door. "Now, Christine, let me tell you the rules of the house. Number one, absolutely no singing. If I as so much hear a note come out of your mouth, you'll come to regret it. Number two; you must stay inside the house at all times unless I am with you. Only when I here you may go outside. Do not try to escape and flee back to Paris. I will find you and bring you back here."

"You can't do this Raoul! You had an agreement with Erik!"

"Number Three. Never, EVER mention that name in my presence again. Erik does not exist in this house. Am I understood Christine?" Raoul said, his voice rising.

She nodded, looking down to the floor. "Where is my room?" she asked quietly.

Raoul snapped his fingers and Elizabeth suddenly appeared. "Elizabeth will show you to your room. You will join me for dinner promptly at 6 o'clock. Please do not be late."

He turned his back to her and stared out the window.

"Come Madame. I'll show you to your room now," Elizabeth said, gently pulling on Christine's hand.

She followed Elizabeth up the grand staircase and into the upper level of the house. They paused at a room in the middle of the hallway.

Elizabeth opened the doors and stood back so Christine could enter the room. It was beautifully decorated. A massive four-post bed stood in the middle of the far wall. The wardrobe stood off in one corner. But the room's beauty seemed lost to Christine.

"Vicomtesse, I know how much you don't like this arrangement. I will try to make it as comfortable here as I can. Is there anything I can do for you?" Elizabeth asked.

Christine looked up. "Actually, there is. For one, please don't call me Vicomtesse unless the Vicomte is in the room. You may call me Christine. Second, if I gave you a letter, can you make sure that it got to the opera house? Someone has to know what Raoul is up to. He won't get away with this!"

"Of course, Christine. The Vicomte monitors all mail going in and coming out of the manor but I think that I can get a letter out of the manor. Just let me know when the letter is ready."

"Thank you so much! I will never forget you for this!"

She threw her arms around Elizabeth and gave her a huge hug.

"Now, Christine, we must find you a dress to wear for dinner."

Christine looked at all the dresses that Elizabeth had laid out on the bed, but her mind was a million miles elsewhere, back at the Opera Populaire.

Erik had been staring at the carriage now for the past half an hour. "Something's wrong," he said aloud. He knew that he had to act. He had to find out what was going on.

He crept towards the carriage and opened the door.

No one was inside.

"What is going on?" he said, enraged.

Moving around towards the front of the carriage, where the driver sat, he also saw that there was no driver sitting in the front.

"Where are you Christine?"

Okay, there is something to quench your reading thirst until I am able to write a better chapter when I get home tonight. I will elaborate more when I have more time. Right now I am at work and I have an hour and a half until I get off and I am able to go home and power up my laptop and write a much better chapter. I hope that you guys will like this chapter and submit reviews. I have over 30 reviews now! I'm so happy. Keep them coming guys! I love reading them!

Sarah