Chapter 16: Visitations

Raoul stepped out of his carriage and gave his hat, cloak, and walking stick to the attendant waiting from front of his building. The attendant looked flustered and spoke to Raoul as they walked inside Raoul's office building. He hurriedly followed Raoul listing his daily duties for the day,

"Monsieur, Dentoir's office called again and requested a conference with yourself. Also, there is a Monsieur David, here to see you. Some personal business?"

Raoul stopped and then regaining his composure, continued the trek to his office. "Alright, merci, and please tell the gentleman I will be with him in a moment." Raoul walked into his office and closing the door sat at his desk. He assumed that it was the opera singer but he could not imagine…

"Ah, he is probably seeking more funding for their upcoming productions. I cannot believe he, the star, would be roped into that. They might at least try to charm me with that beautiful Austrian soprano…"
He heard a knock at the door and told his secretary to show Monsieur David in. Erik entered the room with faux confidence ignoring every impulse to pummel Raoul into the group. He observed the Vicomte. He seemed older and more worn. Raoul had grown a mustache and slight wrinkles were beginning to appear near his eyes.

Raoul was overwhelmed by Monsieur David's appearance. He was clad in a dark suit complete with a long winter cape, a walking stick, and fedora. He almost… Raoul shut his visions of his masked enemy out of his head and smiled politely at his guest. They shook hands with the politeness of two enemies and Erik sat down.

Raoul sat back down at his desk, "Monsieur David, how wonderful to meet you in person. I believe you met my wife, the Countess, on our last visit, we attend performances at regularly as we can and are very much impressed with your talents."

Erik smiled behind his mask of civility, thank God Raoul did not have a musician's hear or he would have certainly recognized the timbre and tone quality of Enrique's musical and speaking voice and found it to match that of the cursed Phantom. Thankfully after Erik's surgery the alterations to his nose had not changed the sound of his voice.

"Thank you, Monsieur le Vicomte, it was an honor to meet your wife at last. I remember hearing about her great accomplishments at the opera about a year or so ago, which is why I am here actually."
Raoul lifted his eyebrow in curiousity, "I am not quite sure what you mean, Monsieur."

"Well Monsieur," Erik lied, "I am here representing our managers at the opera and they sought me out to try and negotiate Ms. Daae's return to the opera."
Raoul tried to remain calm as he addressed Enrique, "Madame de Changy cannot sing for she has duties of the home which she wishes to fulfill instead."

"Well I do know a child takes up some time, Monsieur, but her rehearsal schedule would be modulated to fit around her, as is always the case with Prima Donnas."
"I was under the impression that the Opera was not in need of another Prima Donna, since the lovely Madamoiselle Kramer joined the company."

"Well due to some extraneous circumstances I have a feeling that Madamoiselle Kramer will be leaving soon." Erik felt the tension increase, his plan was working and now he had something to barter with.

Raoul faultered a bit, "I am not sure what you mean, Monsieur."

Erik stared straight into Raoul's eyes and maintained the airs of a self-absorbed opera tenor, "Well, certain rumors about Madamoiselle Kramer and a married aristocrat are bound to surface soon forcing her to seek work elsewhere. Or perhaps you have not heard the rumors?"

Raoul's fists clenched into the desk… how had anyone heard about him and Katharina. It was only one time that they were together and he knew it was a mistake but it was before he and Christine had been formally married. He could not imagine anyone knew, Katharina had sworn never to tell anyone.

A month after the incident in the cellar of the opera house, Christine had left the Opera House, and agreed to become engaged to Raoul. She had barely spoken to anyone since the event and Raoul was prepared to give her whatever time she needed to get over the effect of the tragedy. He was growing impatient, however. A man could not be expected to wait so long. He attempted to control his urges and be a good fiancé.

Christine asked him to go to the opera for her to collect her final belongings from her dressing room. Raoul would not have wanted her to go retrieve them anyways. There was an enormous amount of chatter when he returned; rumors and gossip had spread like wildfire around the chorus and staff of the opera house about what had happened in the basement of the opera. The most absurb being that the Phantom had raped Christine. The idea.

Raoul absent-mindedly burst into Christine's old dressing room and shockingly realized he had walked in on a woman dressing. The woman shrieked in fright. Embarrassed he muttered an apology and began to close the door. The woman slipped on her dressing gown, "Wait, Monsieur, please, you startled me is all." She spoke with an accent that he could not pick out but her French was still beautiful.

He could not help but admire this stranger, her hair and face revealed her foreign nature along with her exotic accent. She had a creamy rose-leaf complexion and shockingly bright blue eyes that reminded him of the ocean. Her hair fell to her waist and made her look like Aphrodite. Raoul attempted to control his urges but he could not help but be attracted to her.

She smiled, "I am Katharina the new soprano here. May I ask what you wanted?"
"I…errr… forgive me, I am the Vicomte de Changy. It is a pleasure to meet you." He bowed as was the custom. Katharina seemed embarrassed.

"Oh dear, a Vicomte…Verflucht noch mal.." she cussed under her breath. Raoul had no idea what she said but was entraced by her native tongue.
"Please forgive me, I just had to retrieve some belongings of the old opera diva, but it seems that there is nothing else here."

Katharina looked confused, "Yes, she came a couple days ago to retrieve her things. She looked so young to be an opera diva and homely too. I must say, I am happy to be here." She eyed the Victome, "You French men are so… how does one say…attractif… if I might be saying so."

Raoul smiled, "Thank you, you too are attractif." What was he doing?
She began to dress behind a screen and Raoul turned his back by default, "I should really get going now Madamoiselle…"

"Please, I am enjoying your company… I am wondering if it is custom for me to ask if you would like to get a drink with me. I am not knowing many people in the city and I must work on my French if I am to be fitting in."

Raoul was about to say that he could not, but decided there was no harm in helping a foreign lady learn about the language. Unfortunately his weakness for women got the better of him, and combined with alcohol lead to him going back to her apartment. She promised not to tell anyone but she later would find out that he was engaged.

Who knew she would tell Enrique. He had been under the impression that they were lovers, "Well Monsieur, I was under the impression that Katharina was your woman."

Erik clutched his walking stick with the knowledge that Raoul had tangled with two woman that he had cared for at one point. He had no intention of letting Raoul get away with this that easily,

"Now I know a man such as yourself would not believe the rumors that the opera house puts out to sell more tickets? Although it is difficult to discern which rumors are true and which are not, no?" Erik had Raoul squirming in his seat.

Raoul was not willing to risk his reputation even if this pompous suit was merely toying with him, "Alright, you may tell you manager that Christine will sing again." Raoul stood up and Enrique followed the gesture. Erik bowed curtly,

"I am glad of your decision; the opera will once again be filled with beautiful music."

Raoul nodded and Erik left the office triumphantly. Now how on Earth would Enrique get Katharina out? The Phantom would have an easier more guilt free idea, but Enrique would have to be clever and smooth. No more murders could occur in that opera house.