A small historical note: in 1874 the construction of the Opera Garnier had not been completed. That occurred in 1876. There was probably not a parkway behind the opera house with a bridle path and green lawns.

Chapter 5 Gillian

The little girl was struggling with the broken laces of her dancing shoes. She sat on the floor with one leg pulled to her chest as she fumbled with the ties. Desperately, her arched back and small hands shook with the effort to repair the damage. The shoes were old, and this was bound to have eventually happened. The fact that she was alone here and completely vulnerable was causing her to panic. As her fear escalated into terror, she began to drown.

He will come now. He will come and take me away.

She tore at the laces, and tried to remove the tattered shoes. Anything to free her feet so that she could run down the empty hallway and join the others. Her whimpering became a moan and tears followed. Shallow sobs escaped from her chest.

Quiet. He will hear.

But her sobs had a life of their own and wouldn't obey her.

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Jade walked the halls of the opera house after another night of long, delicious sleep. It was Sunday morning and near the lunch hour. She was taking an indirect route from the staff quarters to the opera café as she familiarized herself with her new home. Today she would explore the network of back passages that skirted the main areas of the building. Once there, she would be completely alone without the distractions of people and their curiosity.

Yesterday, she had been alone as well with the exception of her brief conversation with M. DuChant about the horses…

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"Now, tell me again, what it is that you wish to do with the horses, Mademoiselle." DuChant's face had a look of disbelief, as if her proposal was too extraordinary to comprehend.

"M. DuChant, I am requesting that you allow me to exercise the opera horses whenever I have free time. I have been riding since I was a child, and I have a good seat. I believe I can handle any horse here that is saddle trained. You seem to be short staffed in the stable area. I could be of assistance by offering this service without charge to the management. If you have any doubts as to my abilities, I would appreciate it if you would allow me to demonstrate my riding skills to you."

She looked at him calmly as if this was a perfectly normal and reasonable request. There was no point in acknowledging or working around his disbelief. He was obviously laboring under the notion that women didn't do this sort of thing. Well, she would be doing it, with or without his permission. If she needed to take a horse out in the dead of night, she would do it. But it would be easier if he agreed.

DuChant looked at her, coolly assessing the situation. He was short staffed in the stable area. The horses were not being used much at this time except to pull carts and the occasional carriage. A handled horse was more docile and better for work. But, if she took an animal out and broke a bone, Pierre would be furious with him. He was like a mother hen around this one, so protective. There was also the fact that she was a woman. Women weren't used as exercise boys. Then again…

He made up his mind quickly.

"Alright, Mademoiselle. I'll meet you at the stable tomorrow at one o'clock. You can show me then."

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It was nearly eleven. In two hours Jade would be meeting with DuChant. Hopefully, it would be relatively easy to convince him that she could be trusted with the horses. She wondered how long she would be able to use Pierre's influence to get what she wanted from her employer.

She approached the ballet rooms. The place was deserted since everyone was at lunch. The large hallway was silent except for…what was that sound? There it is again. A faint hiccoughing sound, as if the owner was trying to hide it from the world. Curious, she slowed down as she came closer to its source. To her left was a large room that looked like a ballet classroom since it had very little furniture but several large mirrors on the walls. In the corner was a small figure bent over, frantically pulling at something near her feet. The child was softly sobbing, and shaking from her efforts.

Jade stepped forward a few feet, then spoke to the child in a clear, calm voice.

"My dear, what is the matter?"

Startled, the little girl quickly looked up. Her mouth rapidly opened and closed as if she was trying to scream, but couldn't. Her eyes were wild. As they settled on Jade, within a few seconds she began to calm down. Her shoulders shook with a quivering sigh, and she weakly rose to her feet.

Jade approached her with a gentle smile. Reaching out her hand she touched the top of the little girl's head, and softly stroked her hair, which was flaxen and nearly white. The child looked up at her, and moved closer as if she hoped for reassurance. Jade bent down, and surrounded the girl with her arms. She felt the small body shudder in her embrace and knew it was a final release of the pent up fear. She continued to stroke her hair, and then quietly spoke to her.

"What are you doing here by yourself, my dear child?"

Sniffling, the girl pulled away briefly to look up into her protector's face.

"I, I…they left, and my shoe broke, and, and, I had to fix it…" Then she buried her head again into Jade's stomach.

"Let me see," said Jade.

A small foot was pushed forward with the broken laces that were soiled and wet. Jade knelt down, undid the laces, and removed the ballet shoe. Then she rubbed the tight little feet that were swollen. Looking up into the girl's eyes, she smiled again, and the child responded with an openness that softened her features. Her breathing was returning to normal, and her face was losing its high color.

"Where are your other shoes?" The child shyly pointed to a corner as she nodded a silent yes. Jade fetched them, and then put them on her.

"There. I think we're ready for lunch. Don't you?"

They left the classroom together hand in hand. By now, the girl felt light hearted enough to make a slight skipping motion as she walked. Jade looked down at the bobbing head with affection.

"My name is Jade. What's yours?"

The child gazed up with a smile. "I'm Gillian. Do you live here? I live upstairs in the dormitory. I hope we get a dessert today. I love dessert. Especially pie." The child chattered for the next couple of minutes.

"Well, Gillian. I would like to know why you were upset back there in the ballet room. Did something frighten you?" Jade watched for signs that talking about the incident would upset her. She didn't want that look of terror back in the child's eyes.

Gillian hesitated, and then decided that she could tell her new friend her troubles.

"I, I, didn't want him to come and take me away."

"And who would do that, my dear?"

"The Opera Ghost. He takes away children, and hurts them."

"Who told you that, Gillian?" She was beginning to recognize another version of the boogeyman. Some unkind older child had probably made up a story that she could use to dominate, and terrorize the younger children.

"Mademoiselle, everybody knows about the Opera Ghost. He lives here. He hurts people when he's mad." Gillian's light chatter had taken a turn towards the serious. She looked up at Jade, and nodded her head with emphasis. "He started the fire that hurt people. He made people leave. He took the pretty lady away."

Well, this is a little more complicated than the boogeyman story, thought Jade.

As they continued to walk through the opera house, the child entertained Jade by reciting all the attributes of the Opera Ghost. He could walk through walls, he lived beneath the opera house, he could fly, he didn't have a face, etc. Jade suppressed a smile as she listened with a serious face. The child was completely relaxed and really enjoying the tale, now that she didn't feel threatened. What an imagination, thought Jade as she laughed to herself.

They arrived at the café. Jade took Gillian to the adjoining eating area where most of the staff and cast took their daily meals. The room was only half full since there were still many positions at the opera house that needed to be filled. Across the room was a large table where the ballet children were seated. There were approximately twenty tiny ballerinas squirming in their chairs, and talking excitedly amongst themselves. In the midst of them sat a woman who was in her mid twenties. She was busily sorting out the plates and silver ware when Jade and Gillian joined them. The child took a seat next to a friend who squealed with delight when she saw her.

"I found one of your charges alone in the classroom. Did you miss your lost charge, Madame?" Jade looked hard at the woman with tight lips, and waited for a reply.

The woman glanced at Gillian, then back at Jade. A slow blush covered her face. She shook her head in embarrassment, then got up, and walked to Jade's side.

"Thank you for bringing her to me. I have been very negligent. I should have known that she was missing. I took this position three days ago, and I'm still trying to remember all their faces. But that is no excuse. It's my responsibility to keep track of each child. I am very grateful that you found her, and brought her to me."

She blushed a little more deeply after her speech, and looked sincerely sorry for her mistake.

It was an unfortunate error and hopefully it would not be repeated. But there was no intentional unkindness or thoughtlessness here. Jade nodded her head briefly. Perhaps a word later to the woman about the child's fear would help her memory. Gillian was settling in, talking with her friends, and eagerly filling her plate.

Jade sat at a table by herself, and ordered her lunch. The café had a pleasant, noisy air to it, with a mix of staff and cast. She needed to ask someone when rehearsals would begin. She was interested in watching the ballet. Did they use the child dancers or were they only in training? Jade looked again across the room for that small face. Their half hour of communion was over. The little girl was safe now, entrenched in her routine. She doesn't really need me, after all, she mused. With that thought, she felt a sad little tug at her heart. Then, turning to her meal, she smiled when she noticed that there was pie for dessert.

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Paul Rascon, the stable manager, and DuChant were standing near the stable entrance as Jade walked towards them. Neither noticed her, which gave her the opportunity to study both men. Rascon was talking, and making large, descriptive gestures as he spoke. His hands cut through the air with quick and sharp motions. He appeared to be an impatient man. His arms were well muscled, and he had a medium build. DuChant was listening to him with a look of respect.

Together, they glanced her way. If DuChant had any curiosity in what she was about to do, he hid it well. His eyes showed a noncommittal disinterest as he greeted her. Rascon regarded her with controlled disdain as he met her eyes. As she drew near to him, he straightened up to maximize his height, and stared down at her coldly.

"Good day, Messieurs," she said lightly. Boldly, she walked past them into the stable, and helped herself to a bridle. Laying it on a barrel, she went to the trunks, and searched for the leather breeches that she had used the previous day. Finding them, she also took the small work shirt that completed her outfit. Stepping into the chestnut horse's stall, away from their view, she changed her clothes without so much as a backward glance. As she left the stall, the two men were looking at her: DuChant with surprise and Rascon with a cold glare.

"Messieurs, your time is important. I'd like to get started with my demonstration. Please show me which horse you would like me to ride."

DuChant hesitated. There hadn't even been an introduction. He was beginning to wonder if this was a good idea. He noticed the hostility that Rascon had for this young woman but he had to admit that she had piqued his interest. So he nodded to Rascon to pick a horse.

Rascon was sizing her up. He didn't like the idea of having a woman around the stable. This was his place where he didn't need to hold back or mind his manners. Even if she came in only occasionally to satisfy a whim, he would still lose valuable privacy. It didn't escape him that DuChant had come to watch her ride. There was patronage here, and it would be foolish to ignore it. His only hope to get rid of her was to give her a mount that would make short work of her ride without doing much harm. He had a particular horse that could do the job.

He led her to the white Arabian mare at the end of the stalls.

Jade smiled. This is too easy, she thought a little smugly.

Placing the bridle on the mare, she led her to the side door that opened into the exercise yard. Rascon had reached for a saddle but she shook her head 'no'. Suit yourself, Mademoiselle, thought Rascon with satisfaction. She opened the large pen, and mounted the horse.

It was an uneventful ride. There was no trick today from the mare. She settled in quickly, and followed her rider's signals effortlessly. Ten minutes into the ride, Rascon turned away with irritation. Jade finished with the horse, and changed back into her dress.

DuChant was quick enough to know that he had missed something, but was unsure as to what exactly had happened. He made the tardy introductions, then bid them farewell.

Rascon immediately turned away, and ignored her. He moved about the stable preparing feed buckets for the horses. Hostility permeated the air.

It was clear to him that she had ridden the mare before, but when? It had to have been some time when he was out of the stable in the last couple of days. DuChant said that she was new, and had only been here for a day or so.

She watched him for a moment, and then decided to leave. His trick having failed, he was definitely angry with her. The best I can do is stay out of his way. We won't be working together so that should be easy enough, she reflected.

Jade decided to stretch her legs, so she strolled down the bridle path she'd seen earlier. It would be a lovely place to ride. There were large cedars bordering the path and wide stretches of well cared for green lawns. The clouds had gathered in the sky, and were merging and separating as if performing an elaborate dance.

To come here at night and see the moonlight blanket the ground would be magical. Do the ballet children ever come here? She imagined them dancing together under the full moon in their gossamer costumes, delicate and beautiful.

On her return to the opera house, she passed the management offices. As she glanced in, M. DuChant's secretary beckoned to her, and asked her to wait a few minutes for the manager.

While sitting in DuChant's office, Jade noticed a pile of envelopes on the desk. One was half buried and had a strange seal on it. It looked like a death's head. How odd, she thought, as she stared at the grisly face.

A moment later, DuChant entered. He gave her a measured look, and sat down at his desk.

"Mademoiselle, I have been asking around since your demonstration at the stable, and have come to find out that riding that white mare is no easy task. You have the singular honor of being the first rider who has not been thrown by that horse on the first time out. Therefore, you are either an exceptional rider, or you have ridden her before."

Holding her head high, she looked at him deliberately, and then answered. "Both, Monsieur. I rode her yesterday, and she tried twice but did not throw me."

DuChant nodded his head. He was unhappy with the trick that Rascon had played on him. He had new doubts about the man. If he went to this length to subvert a simple request from management, what else would he do?

"I suspected as much Mademoiselle. Since you are a very competent horse woman, would you consider working part time in the stable? I estimate that it would be approximately a half to a third of your work time. I will speak with Mme. Truffaut tomorrow about what other work she would like you to do. You can give me your answer tomorrow."

Waving his hand to dismiss her, he turned to his desk.

Jade watched the strange envelope disappear as DuChant rearranged the stack of papers. She left the office thinking about this new turn of events.

A half hour later, DuChant's offer was still on her mind. She decided that she would need to sleep on it.

She didn't explore the back passages as she had intended earlier in the day. Instead, she went to the auditorium for the first time. Sitting in the great room, she took in the magnificence and the destruction caused by the fire. It seemed fitting that the two should coexist. After all, this was a place of great drama and high emotions.

What would it have been like to be here when the chandelier descended? She wondered. A horror for those injured. Awe inspiring for those unharmed who had the presence of mind to look up as it fell.

For the third night in a row, she retired early. As she lay in her bed, she thought of Gillian, and hoped that the little girl would feel safe tonight.

Clasping her pillow, she rolled onto her side, and fell asleep. Throughout the night, she dreamed of chestnut and white colored ponies prancing in the moonlight, with a small child dancing between them.