This is the second Part of the Chapter.

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews.

Thank you for following me and I hope you will enjoy this instalment.

I do not own anything by Gaston Leroux, Susan Kay or Andrew Lloyd Webber, everything else is my own work.

A Cute Fat Cherub Paddywhack.

As the ladies were purchasing half the blooms in Paris to remove the smell of Garlic from the lake house; back at Angel Architecture, Nadir was trying to concentrate on the accounts; and was not succeeding, since a constant stream of loudly grumbled curses in several languages was emanating from Erik's office. Erik had been in a foul mood since he read a letter, that morning, from a client asking for some very un-Erik style additions to his commission and like a true Diva, after throwing a massive tantrum, Erik was still not taking it very well. However, the client was paying a princely fee, so Erik was not so stoically making changes to the design to incorporate the new requests.

It was when Erik returned to cussing in Persian for the third time in half an hour, that Nadir gave up and getting up from his desk went to attempt to quieten the cussing so he could concentrate.

Opening the door to Erik's office however, left Nadir adding his own curse words to the situation when the stench of excess cologne and second hand Garlic assailed his nose.

Taking a step back from the now open door to Erik's office, Nadir spluttered "Good grief, this office smells like a mortuary in the middle of summer!" he declared, tears forming in his eyes as he held his handkerchief to his nose.

"What are you moaning about now you puerile Persian?" Erik grumbled as with his back to Nadir he scribbled some calculations on the side of the drawing on his drafting table.

"Just how much of that salami did you eat yesterday?" Nadir mumbled suspiciously through his handkerchief, as Erik continued with his calculations, before slamming his pen down.

"What are you muttering?" Erik demanded as he turned around.

"I said…" Nadir started, stopping as he actually took in the mess that was once Erik's office, "What the hell?" Nadir yelled, "Another temper tantrum Erik?" Nadir questioned.

"Erik does not have temper tantrums!" was the vehement response.

"What would you call this?" Nadir asked waving his unoccupied hand around the disaster zone, "Books and plans thrown every where and that ink will not come out of the curtains!" he cried.

Erik surveyed the same scene, "I had an architectural outburst, caused by the stupid request of the client to have cute fat cherubs carved into nearly every piece of stone work!" he retorted with a grimace.

"Fat cherubs did not wreak this office!" Nadir pointed out, "Nor do they smell like they marinated in cologne with a large dose of Garlic!"

Erik drew himself up to his full height and turned to face his friend full on, his arms ominously folded over his chest, "What is it with everyone and my eating garlic! Are you suggesting I stink?"

"Of course not!" Nadir replied fervently,

"Good!" Erik responded, his honour satisfied with Nadir's seeming assurance,

"I am telling you that you stink!" Nadir added.

If the look in Erik's eyes at Nadir's remark could have gotten any sourer it would have curdled milk… in Belgium.

"We had this discussion after the first time you kidnapped your wife and she complained about the horrid smell, you cannot eat large amounts of garlic and remain a sociable person!" Nadir complained bitterly.

"Since when have I ever been a sociable person?" Erik retorted,

"You have a point there!" Nadir responded.

ooo

Back in the main office, not only the sounds of another bickering session but also the pungent aroma had reached Gilen's desk and with a handkerchief over his nose the clerk left his work and crossing the room he silently shut the door to Erik's office and went to resume his paperwork.

The front door of the office opened, and a happy looking Thomas entered, "Eww what is that smell?" he asked as Gilen looked up to greet him.

"Monsieur Erik has eaten too much garlic!" Gilen answered before returning to his work.

Thomas listened for a moment, "I take it they are bickering again?" he asked.

Gilen nodded as he finished what he was doing, and putting his pen down, looked up, "Yes they started about three minutes ago," he informed Thomas, as both young men listened.

"Are they really arguing about… Garlic?" Thomas asked,

"Yes," Gilen replied as he got up, "Coffee?" he asked, heading off to the kitchen in the back.

"Yes please!" Thomas answered

ooo

The two young men sat and listened to the continuing bickering match in Erik's private office whilst sipping their coffee, when Thomas piped up, "They sound like an old married couple!"

Gilen sniggered, "I agree, Monsieur Nadir really should be called Madame Nadir!" he replied with a chuckle.

"Absolutely!" Thomas agreed, "Madame Nadir and Monsieur Erik," he continued as Gilen sniggered.

Unbeknownst to Thomas and Gilen; who were so wrapped up in their comparisons of their bosses as a married couple, a nagging wife and an unrepentant husband; neither of them noticed that the bickering in the other room had ceased, and their bosses had actually opened the office door and were both standing there in the doorway, silently listening to their apprentice and office clerk making fun of them.

Emptying his coffee cup, Thomas stood up, "Another coffee Gilen?" he asked,

"Yes please, then I have some letters to deliver," Gilen replied, before sniggering again, "I can just see Madame Nadir with a Rolling pin waiting to clump Monsieur Erik around the ear for coming back to the office late!" he described with a laugh.

Thomas started to laugh with Gilen, both of them picturing the nagging that Erik would receive. Turning round Thomas then spied Erik and Nadir glowering at him and Gilen. "Erm…Oops!" Thomas groaned.

Gilen looked up wonder what the reason was for Thomas's groan, and found he was staring into two very annoyed golden eyes, "Oh No!" he declared.

Erik and Nadir looked at each other, "Well my dear wife, it appears the children are misbehaving, what do you suggest?" Erik asked,

"Well I always heard spare the rod and spoil the child, husband!" Nadir replied.

Thomas and Gilen looked at each other nervously, each picturing being thrown over their bosses knee and being caned.

"I think I had better go and deliver those letters!" Gilen stated fear evident in his voice.

Thomas placed the coffee cups on Gilen's desk, "I think I shall help you!" he responded as both young men moved like lightning grabbing their coats and the bundle of letters and running full pelt out of the front door of the office leaving Erik and Nadir laughing at the speed of their departure.

"I think that is the last time they will make fun of us!" Erik declared, still laughing,

"I have to agree with that!" Nadir replied wiping a tear of laughter from his face, "I have never seen the pair of them so scared!" he finished before sniffing and grimacing, "and you still need to go home and get rid of the garlic odour!" Nadir finished.

"You nag worse than my real wife!" Erik grumbled.

"I shall tell your real wife if you do not go home!" Nadir declared, "Do not come back until the garlic has gone!" he finished vehemently.

"Yes Dear!" Erik replied sarcastically,

"Your Christine really is a saint!" Nadir remarked with admiration, "If I was your wife, I would have asked for a divorce long ago, on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour!" he finished as Erik scowled.

"I could never be that desperate that I would ever marry you!" Erik pointed out before grabbing his cloak and Fedora, before stalking out of the office.

"Something I shall Always be grateful for!" Nadir retorted chuckling.

ooo

Meanwhile back at the lake house, the ladies had finished phase one, and sweet smelling flowers decorated every spare inch of table and desk. One large arrangement of spring Daisies, which dominated the downed top of Erik's grand piano, had caught Meg's attention.

"Those are beautiful!" she declared with a smile,

"Erik has brought me every flower I can think of over the years," Christine informed her smiling friend, "except daisies, he has never bought me these, and yet I so love their little smiley yellow faces, so much like sunshine," Christine finished, as she smiled back.

"Ahh! it certainly smells nicer in here!" Madame Giry exclaimed taking a deep breath of floral scents instead of the second hand garlic that lingered before the ladies brought the flowers in.

"Where is the garlic that caused all the issues?" Meredith enquired.

Christine walked back to the front door and lit a lamp, "Follow me ladies and do not wander off!" Christine explained as she led the curious ladies to the outside of the house and the small area to the side of the lake.

"Erik thinks I do not know about his little hiding place, but the absence of spiders, tells me that the salami is hidden in this old meat locker." Christine declared as she opened the door to the locker.

"Good grief that is pungent!" Delphine declared stepping back,

"That is just what Raoul needs, A good strong dose of Garlic!" Meredith exclaimed.

"Meg Giry if you deliberately step on that raised stone and set off another trap on me, by all that is holy you will regret it!" Madame Giry yelled as Meg grinned and moved away from the small insignificant stone that clearly indicated another of Erik's traps.

"How many traps are there?" Meredith asked, as Christine shut the door to the locker.

Seventy four are left, two have been disabled since Meg set them off on her mother," Christine replied, as she turned to head back to the house.

There was much shuffling as five ladies realised that large gowns with bustles are not the best clothing for confined spaces, each lady was trying not to bump the others into the lake when a loud click was heard, which was rapidly followed by Madame Giry yelping, vanishing from sight with a splash, shortly followed by cussing more splashing and Madame Giry now dripping wet reappearing by the front of the house using the dock to try to climb out of the lake.

"Oh No!" Christine declared "who stepped on that stone?" she asked as the remaining ladies lifted their skirts to see whose foot did the deed.

"Oops! Sorry it was me!" Meredith declared, as she gingerly lifted her foot from the offending stone, with this the now missing section of the flooring reset itself and remained looking innocently like it had never moved. Meg bit the sleeve of her dress to refrain from laughing out loud, as the other ladies sniggered.

Madame Giry's voice echoed around the cavern, "When you lot have quite finished laughing, get me out of this lake!" she yelled, as Christine and the other ladies dashed to her aid.

ooo

It was quite a sight that greeted Erik's eyes as he rounded the corner of the lake from the Rue Scribe gate, Christine assisted by Delphine, Meredith and Meg were valiantly attempting to remove a soggy Madame Giry from the water. With little resistance Erik instructed the ladies to move out of the way as with a small effort on his part he wrapped his arms around Madame Giry's waist and removed her from her soggy location, before carrying her dripping into the hall of the house. Meg followed her mother and Erik, carrying Madame's cane which she had fished from the waters before it floated away.

As Christine dashed off to fetch towels for those who were wet, Erik placed Madame Giry back on her feet. Profuse thanks from Madame was interspersed with a lot of coughing.

"Maman, you cannot have caught a cold already?" Meg asked as Christine handed out the towels and Meredith went into the kitchen with Delphine to make some hot tea.

Madame Giry was so desperately trying to be polite considering Erik had just rescued her, but the now wet garlic smell was overpowering as she stood right next to him.

"Erm no," Madame Giry answered her daughter, "the cold water took my breath away." She finished as Christine wrapped a towel around her former Ballet Mistress.

"Are you okay Madame Giry?" Erik asked as Christine gave him a towel and he placed it over his shoulders.

Madame Giry nodded trying not to breath in the garlic odour. "How did you end up in the lake?" he asked, as Christine sniffed the air and realised the Garlic was back.

"Erik, we can discuss what happened later but right now you and Madame need to get into a hot bath!" Christine explained before realising that everyone had gone silent, Meredith and Delphine were poking their heads out of the kitchen door, Meg was shaking with repressed laughter and staring at the floor and Erik had a look of abject horror in his eyes, whereas Madame Giry's eyebrows had left her face and were somewhere in her chignon.

Her face turning a deep red Christine quickly corrected herself "Erik go and have a shower, Madame Giry I shall run you a hot bath in my dressing room!"

Meg handed her mothers cane back, "I shall get maman some fresh clothes from her apartment," she declared dashing out of the house a trail of raucous laughter following her.

"Ladies if you will excuse me!" Erik asked as with a blatant shudder he vanished into the bedroom.

ooo

With everyone clean and dry, tea was served. Meg, Delphine and Madame Giry sat with Christine chatting as Erik sat and listened to Meredith explaining about Raoul and how ill he was.

Asking a few questions to clarify some aspects Erik nodded sagely. "Right so he will not take medicine but will imbibe alcohol, and he has no sense of smell so I could trick him into taking some garlic medicine!" Erik reiterated, as Meredith nodded eagerly.

Erik thought for a moment before standing up suddenly, "I have just the thing!" he brightly declared, "it will mean a sacrifice on my part, but it will work!" he finished as he strode to the liquor cabinet and retrieved a dark green bottle.

"Karlsbader Becherbitter?" Meg asked as she read the label on the bottle,

"Yes, a perfect disguise for my herbal cold and flu remedy!" Erik pointed out as Meredith grinned,

"Erik, You had one glass of it and decided you hate that drink; that is why it is still in the cabinet, where is the sacrifice in that?" Christine asked,

"This is only phase one, the second phase is a plentiful supply of Garlic in an appealing format, that is the sacrifice!" Erik replied sadly.

Christine could not help the grin appearing on her face, "Wonderful you are going to give Raoul the other half of your salami!" she exclaimed.

"There is no need to be happy at your husband's loss!" Erik responded morosely.

"I think we can safely say the only people that will be sad that the salami is leaving, apart from you Erik are the florists we emptied of flowers to remove the stench from this house!" Madame Giry glibly remarked, as Meg and Delphine sniggered.

"I am not even going to dignify that with a remark!" Erik grumbled as he stuck the nose of his mask in the air and vanished into the music room.

"Why is Erik going into the music room with a bottle of bitters?" Meg asked, a puzzled expression on her face.

"His laboratory where he keeps the herbal cure is hidden in the back of the music room!" Christine explained.

"I do not care if it is hidden in the managers office, as long as Raoul gets better!" Meredith pointed out as Christine refreshed the tea things.

ooo

As Erik passed through his music room, he briefly noted there were flowers on the top of his piano, and with a thought that he would remove them later for Christine's lesson, Erik entered his laboratory and set about mixing up a Raoul friendly cure.

ooo

With the flu remedy tea stewing, Erik was setting up the distillation system to reduce the water content in the finished tea, ready for it to be added to the bottle of bitters, when his eyes started to itch, followed shortly by what nose he had starting to run.

ooo

Christine had just bid fair well to the ladies as they left and was shutting the front door when a Ghostly "ACHOO!" echoed through the house. Dashing towards the sound Christine was met with a most peculiar sight, Erik was standing at the back of the music room, one hand pointing to the flowers on his piano, with his unmasked face covered by his other hand and a handkerchief as he once again sneezed.

"ACHOO! Are you… ACHOO! Trying to… ACHOO! Kill me… ACHOO! Off!" he demanded though sneezes, before clearing his nasal passages and glaring through, red rimmed watery eyes at his stunned wife.

"What do you mean trying to kill you off?" Christine asked, "And why are you pointing at my daisies?"

"I… I… ACHOO! React specifically to Daisies!" Erik grumbled.

"Oh, that is why you have never bought me daisies!" Christine exclaimed looking ashamed. "I thought it was because you did not like them." She added as she grabbed the daisies off the top of Erik's piano and turned to head to the front door, "I shall leave them in my dressing room for tonight and give them to Madame Giry in the morning!" Christine finished as she dashed out of the music room flowers in hand, to a chorus of sneezing.

Grabbing her cloak and once again apologising to her beleaguered husband Christine left him still sneezing as she took the blighted daisies up to her dressing room.

Back in the music room Erik blew his excuse for a nose once more, "Great now I have to concoct a remedy for my reaction just so I can finish the remedy for the Vicomte", he grumbled as with another sneeze he sloped back to his laboratory.