Later that night, Catherine was having her singing lessons with Erik and this time when she had finished her aria Erik closed the lid of the Piano and looked up at her.
"Have I done something wrong?" she asked nervously.
Erik didn't speak.
"My voice does not please you" said Catherine feeling disheartened.
"Please me? Ha, ever since I was a child you are what I have been hearing in my dreams" chuckled Erik as he stood up from the piano bench.
He walked a few steps behind it and turned to face Catherine again.
"I can't teach you anymore. I mean you are ready" he said.
Catherine was surprised and confused.
"Ready for what?" she asked.
"To audition for the company" said Erik.
"Oh, but they are not holding auditions anymore" Catherine said unenthusiastically.
"Oh, you are not going to audition the usual way. Madame Carlotta would be much to jealous of your voice. Now, don't worry I know what I am doing just be patient" said Erik as he walked towards the Piano again but then took a detour around it and walked towards one of the mirrors.
He looked at his reflection with a stones expression.
"Maestro, there is one thing you have not told me. Where do you live?" she asked as she walked a few steps forward, so she was close behind him.
Erik did not turn to look at her but looked at her reflection in the mirror.
"When you sing, I live in the Heavens and when you do not, down below" he said being very vague.
Catherine smiled feeling flattered by his words. She then walked towards him and placed a hand on his right shoulder.
"How will I ever repay you for this?" she asked.
Erik did not answer for his eyes were fixed on Catherine's hand the moment she touched him. Catherine's face dropped when she thought her touch made him uncomfortable, so she slowly took her hand from his shoulder and looked up at him. Erik watched as she moved her hand away then looked up to meet her eyes.
Neither of them said anything for they were lost in each other's eyes.
XXX
Another month had gone by and the Opera House had now received a surprise visitor, The Count de Chaney. He was a tall man in his late twenties with short, blonde curly hair, wore a dark Brown coat, a light Brown waist coat with a Golden pattern, a White shirt and bowtie, sand coloured trousers and brown boots. He came riding up to the side entrance on his single horse drawn carriage and when he dismounted, he walked towards Jean-Claude's office with a spring in his step. He squatted down under the window and knocked on the glass. When Jean-Claude turned the young Count had quickly moved to the other side of the doorway.
"Bonjour, Jean-Claude" he greeted the older man.
"Ah, Monsieur la Count, we weren't expecting you for weeks" said Jean-Claude with a beaming smile as he shook hands with the young Count.
"I know, I was away on business and I saw my only business was to come back" chuckled the Count.
"Now Jean-Claude, please say yes. Are there two young girls here named Christine and Catherine?" he then asked.
"Christine, Catherine, Christine, Catherine?" Jean-Claude thought for a moment in a joking manner.
"Do not joke!" begged the Count.
Jean-Claude laughed.
"This is remarkable, is it possible Monsieur la Count is in love?" he asked.
"In love? How can I be in love I hardly know either of the girls" said the Count in a suave tone.
"That's how it happens" said Jean-Claude.
"Really?" asked the Count.
"We all thought you were immune" stated Jean-Claude.
"So did I. Don't let it get around" begged the Count.
"Oh, I would not dream of it" Jean-Claude promised.
"My reputation would be ruined" said the Count.
"I understand" smiled Jean Claude.
The two men chuckled at each other.
"So, where are they?" asked the Count.
"They are both inside" answered Jean-Claude and then led the Count through the side entrance.
"All the while I was away, I kept wondering what if they don't believe me? Maybe they won't even come to the Opera House" said the Count as he and Jean-Claude passed through the threshold and stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
"Is Christine in the Orchestra yet? And is Catherine in the chorus?" he asked as he took two cigars from the inside pocket of his coat.
"Orchestra? Chorus?" asked Jean-Claude.
"I sent Christine here to join the Orchestra. She plays the Violin beautifully. And I sent Catherin here for singing lessons. She has the most astounding voice" said the Count as he offered a cigar to Jean-Claude who was happy to take it.
"Christine is in the Orchestra like you had hoped but Catherine has been put in the Costume Department" said Jean Claude.
"Costume Department?" the Count asked feeling confused as he also took out a gold plated lighter from his coat pocket.
"Monsieur Carriere was fired, there is a new manager now it is not the same here anymore" said Jean-Claude.
He placed the cigar in his mouth and held it over the Count's lighter and once the cigar was lite, he took a few puffs before blowing out a cloud of smoke.
"Well, are they both alright?" asked the Count in a concerned manner as he lite his own cigar and took a big puff.
"Why wouldn't they be?" asked Jean-Claude with a started expression, which did not go unnoticed by the Count.
"Something's wrong" he said after blowing out a cloud of smoke.
"Nothing, nothing is wrong" Jean-Claude reassured him.
Above their head the two men heard a squeal of excitement and when they looked, they saw almost every chorus woman running down the stairs in their under clothes calling out to the Count.
"Phillipe! Oh, Phillipe! I missed you my darling give me a kiss!" they all exclaimed as they bombarded the Count with hugs and kisses.
Phillipe laughed with delight, basking in the attention the women were giving him, until he saw movement down the hall and saw it was Catherine pushing a trolley and Christine was walking beside her talking to her. He pulled himself away from the ladies and ran down the hall to catch up with the sisters.
"Christine, Catherine!" he called out them which stopped them in their tracks.
The sisters turned and saw the Count coming towards them and were surprised to see him after so long. He came up beside the sisters and looked them up and down for a moment before speaking.
"It is you!" he said.
Neither of the sisters spoke and could feel multiple eyes watching them and when they turned to where Phillipe had come from the chorus women and Jean-Claude were watching them.
"I congratulate you on your position in the Orchestra Christine, you deserve it. And Catherine, I swear I did not intend for you to be doing this" he said with an apology.
"It is alright Monsieur; I am honoured just being here" said Catherine in a humble manner as she started pushing the trolley again. Christine followed her.
"No, you should be having lessons. It is what I promised you" said Phillipe as he stopped them in their tracks again.
The sisters did not speak and glanced back at the onlookers at the end of the hall, feeling embarrassed.
"You have a wonderful voice Catherine. I know about these things. I, I come to the Opera all the time" he continued.
His words made the chorus women burst with laughter.
"Will you be at the Bistro tonight!?" called out one of the women which sent the rest of them into hysterics.
Phillipe walked around the Daae sisters and addressed the other women.
"Better than that because I am so happy to be back with all of you. I am going to throw a party tonight for the entire company at the Bistro!" he exclaimed with excitement and in turn the women applauded with excitement.
Christine and Catherine took this as an opportunity to walk away but the young Count turned and spoke to them again.
"Will you both come tonight as my special guests?" he asked.
The sisters said nothing, but both nod their heads to say yes then left to carry on with their duties.
XXX
Later that afternoon, Catherine had finished her duties and quickly made her way back to her room to wait for Erik to tell him the news. All though she was excited about going to the party she was nervous at the idea of getting up to sing at the Bistro and needed her Maestro's advice.
"The Bistro is what we have been waiting for. Everyone sings at the Bistro, that is the tradition. That is why the company loves going there" said Erik with excitement.
"And you will sing, too. Ant they will all hear. There will be no way that La Carlotta will say no" he continued.
Catherine went to protest but Erik held up his finger to gesture her to wait a moment. He got up from his seat and made his way through the secret door. When he returned, in his arms he carried a pretty pink dress with a silk skirt, a lace trim around the neckline with a pretty pink bow in the middle and short puffed sleeves. Catherine was in awe at the dress's beauty and was almost afraid to touch it.
"This is what you will wear" he said as he held up the dress.