Chapter Five
Uninvited Guests
Early the next morning Antoinette had gone to Ariella's room. Having thought of nothing else all night she had reached the inevitable conclusion that the best way to present things to Erik was as a fait acompli. Surely if they arrived with baggage in hand he could not turn them away. Erik presented a hard exterior but deep down he was a soft bowl of mush. Way, way down deep.
How could he look into little Juliana's eyes and not melt? Of course there was the chance he would put on his Phantom persona and nothing could make that poor child stay down in his lair. She was quite timid. Matthew she had no worries about. He would drive Erik to drink if anything. This would be one big glorious adventure to him. He would love it. He could search relentlessly for his treasure. He had a passion for architecture as did Erik. She was a bit concerned about Ariella and Erik. She had not missed the long lingering looks into each others eyes. Even if they did not know or were unwilling to admit it they were attracted to one another.
Antoinette was not against any blossoming romance. That had been her intention after all. To get them together. Her concern was what would happen if Erik let his passion rule him again. Lord knows he had not had the loving touch of a woman in his life. She was certain he had never been intimate with a woman. How a man of thirty-two could remain in his pristine state she could not understand. There were men all over Paris who looked far worse that had women flocking to their sides. Monetary compensation was involved of course. Erik was a wealthy man. Her thoughts on the matter had always been that Erik was waiting for that special woman. He had thought he found her in Christine. That had been doomed from the beginning. If he ever received just a little encouragement the floodgates may well collapse the dam. Things could get out of hand.
Ariella had at first protested Antoinette's suggestion. After careful consideration she had agreed. Her heart was bound to beat its way out of her chest the way it was pounding. How could she spend so much time with him without making more of a fool of herself than she already had? He must think she was a simpleton. An uncoordinated ungainly mess.
Just thinking about him had her hands shaking. She bent down to pick up the dress she had been folding that had slipped out of her fingers. She had only been in his presence for a few minutes and look what had happened. After days of his company she would be a drooling imbecile ready to be committed to an institution for the mentally feeble minded. The man reduced her to jelly. A thoughtless glob of quivering jelly.
"Are you certain Antoinette there is no other solution? Perhaps we could find some rooms somewhere?"
"Ariella this is the best solution. Do you want to take the chance that he may still have someone watching outside the opera house? This is the best for everyone. I did not like that man and I had only been in his presence a short time. You haven't said and I did not ask but did something happen that caused you to feel unsafe until you could make better arrangements for the three of you?"
Giving a quick glance over her shoulder she saw Matthew and Julianna busy packing there things. Knowing Matthew could seemingly be engrossed in one thing while avidly listening in on a conversation she took Antoinette's elbow pulling her a few feet further from her siblings. Another quick glance and she began to speak in a whisper, "A few nights after he came to live with us my uncle or rather Monsieur Dubois came to my room. At first I thought he was only concerned for me. After only a few minutes I became quite uncomfortable. Thankfully he left without anything improper happening. He had just made me uncomfortable. Over the next couple of years he became bolder. I began to spend more time out of the house just to avoid him. Julianna and Matthew slept in my room often on the pretext that I was having bad dreams. The reality was Etienne was no dream. He was all too real.
A few weeks before we left he came to my room. He had been drinking. He was not so intoxicated he could not control his actions. He had enough to make him bolder than usual. He usually just hinted about certain things. That night he entered my room without knocking as I was dressing. He had thrown me down to the bed. He...he tore the clothes from me. He was on top of me. He...he kissed me. Not...not just on the lips. It was horrible. I was sure he was...was going to r...r...rape me."
At this point Ariella began to cry hiccupping while trying not to be heard by the children. She turned her back to them then continued as Antoinette handed her a handkerchief. "If Matthew had not come to my room to ask about riding the next day I know something awful would have happened. Matthew had jumped on his back hitting him as hard as his little fists could. Etienne left my room. I should have known he would do something by the hateful look he gave Matthew. A couple of days later I awoke to find they had been sent to an unknown location.
He did not complete what he had in mind but had stripped my clothes from me. Finding me that night I think is what started Matthew's obsession with finding treasure. We never speak of that night. I only wish to forget. I only hope time will erase the memory from Matthew's mind as well."
"I had suspected something had occurred. I had assumed it to be no worse than a stolen kiss. At least that is what I hoped. Ariella with Erik you will be safe. If necessary I would trust him with my daughter's life and my own. I care for you. Matthew and Julianna are precious to me. God forbid Meg makes me a grandmother for many years but I do feel they are like perhaps a favoured niece or nephew. I give you my word we will do all we can to keep you all safe.
'Now enough sentimentality." Turning Antoinette clapped her hands together to gain the attention of the children. "Who is ready for an adventure? I am the leader of this expedition. You must stay close to me. Step where I step. There are traps set for the unwary and unwelcome. The lethal ones have been disarmed. The remaining ones will not kill but they can still cause injury. Are we in agreement to obey Madame Giry or suffer the consequences?"
"Well what are the consequences? Before I agree I think I should know." Matthew was all set to have a great adventure. His one concern was all these rules and consequences. Sometimes a man just had to go against things to do what needed to be done. He would let nothing come between him and finding his treasure. He would save both Ariella and Julianna from that Dragon Man.
Matthew had thought his Uncle Etienne was a dragon disguised as a man. He had seen him smoking one evening out on the terrace. Smoke had come from his mouth and nose just as he turned to face Matthew. Not one to frighten easily Matthew had run straight to the room he had shared with Julianna. He had dove under the covers not coming out for the rest of the night. From then on he thought of Uncle Etienne as The Dragon Man.
Fixing a stern look on her face Antoinette looked him directly in the eye while saying, "You do not want to know. If you were to ask anyone what they were they cannot tell you as anyone who has dared cross me has not remained to tell the tale."
That direct look without a trace of a smile convinced Matthew perhaps he should take a wide birth when Madame Giry was around. He wondered if she was a dragon lady. He took a step closer then looked up her nostrils. Nope. No smoke. At least not yet. Perhaps she could kill The Dragon Man? Hum. That was worthy of consideration. Matthew decided he would be watching Madame Giry closely.
Having packed their meagre belongings Antoinette took them down to the first floor. Behind the stage, then on to the corridor with the dressing rooms. Stopping in front of Christine's old room she used her master key to open the door. Seeing Matthew eyeing the key she said, "Do not even think of touching my keys. Dire things happen to those who touch my keys you young scamp."
Thinking it best not to let Matthew see how to work the mechanism for the mirror Antoinette whispered to Ariella to keep his attention away so she could open it without any curious eyes looking on. Pressing the lever the mirror slid open with a slight swish. Instantly the musty air entered the room. The two women carried lanterns to light the way. If Erik had not been so distraught and left his boat by the exit Christine and Raoul had used they could have rowed through the canals of the underground lake then to the shore of Erik's home. Matthew would have loved that. He would then be playing pirate. Antoinette knew there were tunnels that led to the other side of the lake she had just never taken the time to have Erik show her. The ones she knew were enough to remember.
The walk to Erik's home took about twenty minutes with having to climb then turn through the maze of tunnels.
"Antoinette shouldn't we have warned him or something? What if he isn't home?" Ariella had been glancing around the whole time. She intended to heed Antoinette's advice. She had no desire to end up in some trap or other. She wondered about the shiny reflections in pairs. She thought she knew what they were. In the end when she heard rustling along the stone wall she decided it was better to speculate than know for sure.
"Years ago anyone entering his home as an uninvited guest would fall into a trap. If the trap did not kill them Erik did. This new system is better for everyone." Antoinette delivered this announcement as if she were remarking on the state of the weather.
Not knowing if she was serious or not Ariella thought it best to take her words at face value. She herself would not be going anywhere unescorted.
"Erik more than likely already knows someone is on their way. If it's someone unfamiliar with his tunnels they will fall into a trap for him to remove later. He knows I can navigate these tunnels as well as he can. If something were to happen he would soon find me. If I did not show up he would come looking to see who he had caught."
Soon faint sounds of music drifted to their ears. It sounded hauntingly beautiful. The faintest echoing could be heard from the notes travelling along the corridor. It did not sound like a piano. It sounded more like and organ. Her mother had played the organ in church back in England before she had died.
"Erik must be composing or simply playing one of his own compositions. I guess I should warn you he spends hours, sometimes days composing. He doesn't eat or sleep much during this time. He usually only stops to attend our weekly meeting or Nadir's night to visit. Nadir makes a point to visit once a week. His usual day is Thursday. He likes for Erik to keep him updated on gossip circulating around the opera house. He often brings Erik supplies. Although lately with all that has been happening, it is much too dangerous to visit the market. That is assuming there is anything worth buying if you make the hazardous journey. If it were not for the black market the opera house would perhaps be using the rats caught by the rat catcher to feed us all."
Seeing the green tinge coming over Ariella's face she quickly exclaimed, "I am only joking Ariella. Erik would only allow the finest foods to grace his table." She kept the little tidbit to herself about Erik cooking and eating rats when he had first came to the opera house. She had brought him here after releasing him from that horrible cage at the fair. Once here she had no idea what to do with him. Being a young ballerina herself barely in her teens she was not able to provide for him every day. He had resorted to catching the rats. Better keep that a secret between Erik and herself.
The music increased in volume. Ariella paused to listen. Her eyes closed. The longer she kept her eyes closed the more it seemed she was floating. Matthew bumping into her side as he ran past her broke her concentration. Blinking she took a few quick steps to catch up to Antoinette. Julianna was holding Antoinette's hand skipping along beside her. She was humming to match the notes of the music they heard.
To see them both so happy clenched her heart with love for her brother and sister. Sometimes when she looked at them she could hardly breath with the emotions gripping her. They were the most precious things she had in this world. Whatever she had to do to keep them safe she would do willingly.
Coming to the end of the tunnel they stood looking across the water toward the oddest sight. There was a house sitting underground. A charming one story house with a picket fence across the front. It looked as if the back portion of the house was built into the rock wall. It was impossible to tell how big it actually was as one could not see the whole house from the outside.
"Isn't it impressive?" Antoinette had seen the startled look on their faces. She imagined she had looked the same when Erik had brought her down here about six months ago when he had finally finished. He had forbid her to come down until he told her it was time to see what he had accomplished over the year. To keep busy he had decided to build himself a house. Every convenience had been added just as any home above ground. Some things were even better than any above ground dwelling. The temperature stayed the same cool temperature year round. Erik always kept a fire going in all the fireplaces so the moisture in the air would be lessoned. He made himself fine furniture with his own hands. He had a working bath with hot and cold water. The toilet flushed. No messy chamber pots for Erik. Erik had tapped into an underground hot spring. This supplied him with endless amounts of hot water. He had also tapped into the gas lines so he could have gas lights as well as a gas stove.
Antoinette took a moment to note that the portcullis had not been lowered. The canal leading out through this tunnel had been the one Christine and Raoul used to leave Erik's domain that fateful night. Erik did not have the heart to look at that gate and remember what he had nearly done. He needed no other reminders as there were so many in every corner of the opera house. Antoinette went to the wall and pushed a stone. The resulting ringing brought Erik out of his house. He opened his front door wondering who it could be. Well there were two choices. Antoinette or Nadir. As it was not a day he expected to see either one he was a bit surprised. He was further amazed when he saw her three companions.
What the devil could the blasted woman be thinking bringing them down here? She obviously was not thinking. She had lost her mind. Or perhaps this was some dream he was having as he had not eaten or slept since yesterday.
"Well do not just stand there gaping. Come across and carry them back across. Come on Erik I do not have all day." Only Antoinette would dare speak to him in such a manner.
If he had known he was to have company he would have dressed a little better. He had his white shirt halfway unbuttoned to cool himself after playing strenuously for the better part of the morning. His black trousers hugged each muscle in his strong legs. The black boots rose to knee level. He had rolled back the sleeves of his shirt. Thank goodness he had bathed and put on clean clothes this morning. At least they would not have to hold their noses if they were near him.
Erik had automatically stepped forward into the water to do Antoinette's bidding. Midway he paused. Had she said carry? As in put his arms and hands on them. Her. He would be touching her intimately with her pressed tightly to his chest. Could he bare that? Damn right he could. With his steps coming a little quicker he strode across the foot deep water. Erik had chosen this part of the catacombs because unlike other parts in the underground this area was not bottomless. The whole area around his home was only one foot deep.
Reaching the other side he took the three steps necessary to stand in front of Antoinette. It was then he noticed not only were there three other people but they were carrying luggage as well. Or rather small satchels and burlap sacks. Did Antoinette wish him to take them somewhere? He ignored the little stab to his chest.
"Erik could you please carry their things across then come for them? When you have them across come back then we will have our discussion. Please do as I ask. It is important."
Not knowing what she had to say he bent to pick up their things. The little boy had been staring at him the whole time. He cocked his head and asked, "Are you a pirate? If you are one can we sail away with you? The Dragon Man is coming for us. You look like you could black his eye. Would you? I'll give you all the treasure I have found so far." He put his hands in his pockets beginning to remove the contents out a little at a time. When he had everything in his hands he held them out for inspection. He had two gold colored wooden buttons, a piece of blue colored ribbon, a glass button and a rock that sparkled. Proudly he held them out looking up at the tall man before him. His lips were spread in a wide grin.
"It's alright if you want to inspect them first. You don't know me but I wouldn't give you any old fake treasure." Placing all the items in one hand he began to show each one individually explaining its value. Holding out the clear glass button he assured Erik it was a diamond worth millions. The two gold buttons were gold nuggets worth more than he could count. The sparkling rock was not just any old rock. It was diamond encrusted. The ribbon was a necklace he was sure had belonged to some long dead Egyptian princess. If someone were to ask he could not have said how a necklace from an Egyptian princess had come to be laying on a seat in The Paris Opera House.
Erik looked at the items the little boy held out to him. When Erik had finished looking at the items presented in confusion Matthew looked expectantly up at him. The boy looked right at him. He seemed not to notice half Erik's face was covered by a mask. Other than to ask if he were a pirate he made no mention of it or looked as if he were frightened by the mask.
When Erik looked from Antoinette to Ariella they both wore expressions pleading for him to play along and not hurt the boy. This was all new to Erik. Other than Christine, Antoinette and Nadir he had never been close to anyone. He rarely spoke to anyone. Guests in his home were not something he had a lot of experience dealing with on a regular basis other than Nadir and Antoinette. This part of his realm was as far as Antoinette came since the day he had showed her through his home. She had always made him cross over to her when she needed to speak with him
Taking his offered treasures Erik said, "We can discuss business matters later. I must carry the luggage across first then the ladies. After I speak with Madame Giry we can negotiate over the price for my services. Is this agreeable?" To Erik's surprise the boy held out his hand in a businesslike manner. Not knowing what else to do he took it in his. His hand closed around that fragile little hand swallowing the much smaller hand in his larger one. With a nod of his head Matthew pumped their hands up and down a couple of times. Satisfied he released Erik's hand then whirled around once giving a loud whoop he picked up his belongings then splashed into the water with all the enthusiasm of the young. On the other side he dropped his belongings to the ground raising his hands in a sign of victory.
Erik gathered everything they had with them in his hands. They certainly travelled light. Reaching the other side he instructed the boy to stay put. He pointed to a bench that sat just back from the shore. The sternness in his voice rooted Matthew to the spot. Matthew sat. A feat that amazed the two women looking on.
Erik crossed back to the other side. Not knowing how to go about picking up the little girl he hesitated. What if he reached for her and she screamed? What if she turned tail and ran screaming down a tunnel getting lost or falling into one if his traps? What if she died in one of his traps? Every negative outcome ran through his mind. Erik's panic wiped the fact from his mind that all his traps were non-lethal now.
To his astonishment when he looked down she had her arms raised toward him. Her smile warmed a place only Christine had touched as a little girl. Looking into her eyes he saw the innocent purity one expects in the young. Something Erik doubted he had ever had. Bending over he placed the palm of his hands under her arms then lifted her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She smelled of some sweet powdery fragrance. He inhaled deeply. He savoured her sweet innocence. This was as close as Erik thought he would get to having a child. For this brief moment he could pretend. Is this what father's felt as they carried their children to bed? It felt wonderful to hold her against his chest while she clung so trustingly to him. So few times in his life had anyone given him complete trust and acceptance.
If he thought the trip across with Julianna was a revelation he was in for a startling surprise when he carried Ariella across those few feet of water. His return to the other shore seemed a much greater distance. Or perhaps it was his dragging feet that made it seem so. He was reluctant to lay a hand on that little mouse. Not that his hands did not itch with need to do just that. It was the problem of control he had when he was within touching distance of her. He became all thumbs and stumbling feet. What if he disgraced himself by dropping her in the water? Or his feet became tangled in ...well became tangled in something?
Taking that last step that brought him to stand in front of her like a man taking the last step to the guillotine he held out his hand. Only one other woman had he ever held in his arms. His memory of that sweet torture rushed to the forefront on his brain as he felt Ariella's soft hand take his.
"Mademoiselle, with your permission?" Erik waited with his breath locked in his chest. When she nodded her head in assent the breath he had not realized he held in anticipation of her reply exhaled sharply from his strained lungs.
His right arm went around her back while he bent at the knees putting his left arm around the back of her knees. He scooped her up with a flourish of trailing skirts. Her arms went around his neck. She leaned forward to rest her face in the crook of his neck with her nose buried just below his right ear. Her breath tickled Erik's neck sending a shiver down his spine. Dear God if he made it across those miles of water with his sanity intact it would be a miracle. He was all too aware of the firm mounds pressing into his chest. By God's one time grace she did not seem to notice just how tightly she was pressed to his chest. Nor did she seem to be aware that he was able to feel each curve intimately as she pressed against him.
Erik felt her inhale deeply. Please God do not tell me I forgot to wash behind my ears. Was that tender lips brushing his neck? No, that was an impossibility. Feeling what he would have sworn was the tip of a tongue he nearly stumbled. He was projecting his own desires onto her. His arms tightened in reflex before he could stop them. If he turned his head just slightly his lips would be pressed into her sweet fragrant hair just inches from that tempting delectable skin behind her ear. Did he dare take such liberties? If he were careful perhaps she might not notice or if she did she would assume it was an accidental brushing of his lips against her.
Erik would not have been so concerned about whether or not she would notice any liberties he took if he could hear her thoughts at that moment.
Never had she smelled anything so intoxicating. His arms were as strong as she had imagined them to be. Indeed she had envisioned far too many times how strong those arms would be wrapped around her. The first few errant fantasies she had waved aside as the normal response to any virile handsome man. When her mind continued to fall into daydreams about him she had to confess to being as infatuated as Meg. Why fight it? They were her fantasies and no one would know unless she told them. Oh, and what fantasies she gave free rein as he held her carrying her closely tucked against him. Her body had a will of its own. It seemed to crave the feel of his skin against her lips. Before she knew what she was going to do her lips were nuzzling into his neck. Her wayward tongue could not resist a taste of that tempting little spot just behind his ear.
She allowed herself a few seconds to enjoy the gesture before she snapped back to reality. She jerked her head back as if pulled sharply by a marionette pulling his puppet's strings. She did not have the courage to meet his eyes. What if he knew what she had done? Well of course he would realize. Unless he had suddenly been cursed with paralysis he had to feel her nuzzling his neck. Perhaps he would put it down to an accidental brushing of lips as she moved her head. That would account for a brief brush of lips but nothing could explain the nuzzling of her lips into the crook of his neck or the wet swipe of her tongue. The heat of embarrassment flowed into her cheeks. She felt as if she had gone too close to a fire. In a sense she had. She needed to get a grip on her libido now before she made a complete fool of herself.
After what seemed a long stretch of minutes but was in reality only a little less than a minute Erik stepped onto the opposite shore. He bent down allowing her feet to touch ground then recover her footing before he released her. With seeming reluctance he withdrew his arms. She was free to move. She raised her head to look into his face. Her intention had been to thank him for his assistance across the water. Once her eyes locked into his neither moved nor spoke. Neither seemed to notice the slow steps they took toward each other. Closer they came together. Another step would bring them into physical contact. Contact both seemed to welcome.
"Erik I do not have all day. I need to get back so I can inform everyone what our story is to be. Come on don't dawdle about. Some of us do not have the luxury of time to spend doing as we please." Standing with hands on her hips she waited for him to step back from Ariella then come back across the water to her. From what she had just witnessed it would seem prudent to leave Erik with a few warnings. Not that she was against their attraction. In fact that had been her objective to bring them together before her uncle came.
It would seem the embers had been stoked with a little help from her, Antoinette observed as she watched the little drama in front of her. She would just need to remind him that Ariella was an innocent young woman who would be under his care. If his disastrous affair with Christine had taught him nothing else it showed him that deceit and force were not conducive to creating a successful romance. All she could do was offer advice. It was up to them to heed it or not. Erik had always done as he pleased anyway. If he got the courage to pursue Ariella nothing would stand in his way. On further reflection Antoinette thought it might not be so bad if something of an intimate nature did occur. God knows Erik was in need of it and Ariella needed to know that intimacy was not something to fear. Her one and only experience with that horrible man could not have left her with a good impression of how intimacy really was between two people who cared for one another.
Erik reached the shore then stood in front of Antoinette with his arms folded. His forehead was creased with a frown marring his handsome face. He reminded Antoinette of a scowling hero in the romance novel she kept hidden under her pillow. Her love of romance was one secret between only her and the bookshop owner where she ordered her books.
"Well explain to me why I have been invaded. Why do I now have three uninvited guests staring holes in my back? He glanced over his shoulder and indeed the three of them were looking intently across the lake. Ariella had a hand on the shoulder of each child. Her gaze seemed to be locked in his direction. For some unknown reason his palms began to sweat. Hoping she would not notice her rubbed them down the legs of his trousers.
"I did not know where else to take them. Yesterday that man, Monsieur Etienne Dubois, came looking for Ariella, Matthew and Julianna. He claims to be her fiancée."
Feeling an uncomfortable restriction in his chest he turned away from Antoinette to look across at the three other occupants of his underground kingdom. Sucking in a deep sustaining breath he said, "Well let them return to him. Let him house and feed them. They are not my concern. Why bring them here if he is willing to have them?"
"Erik do you remember I told you about their uncle when they first arrived?" He nodded although he did not truly remember as his attention had been focused on the little mouse walking around the stage at the time. How could he admit that without admitting his interest in her? Was he interested? Perhaps later he should consider his feelings then examine them more closely.
Antoinette continued, "I did not know for sure until yesterday how dangerous her situation really was in his house. I had suspected but had no concrete proof."
Antoinette's reluctance to continue irritated Erik. He snapped a little harshly, "Well what the hell happened? Get on with it woman before what hair I have turns grey."
"Erik," she reprimanded. "Do not be rude. After I got that horrible man to leave with the promise to allow him to look around the opera house under the guise of wanting to contribute financially, he left with the promise he would return on Monday. He hopes to find something to lead him to Ariella. That man has more interest in Ariella than an uncle should have. Now he claims to be her fiancée.
When she questioned his claim as a family member he removed the children hiding them from her to extract her agreement to marry him. Before he had removed the children from the house he attacked Ariella in her room. Only the intervention of Matthew saved her. A few mornings later she awoke to find they had been sent away. She had to bribe a servant to help her escape while also rescuing the children."
Erik could feel the rage begin toward the man he had never even met build. He had dared to lay an unkind lecherous hand on Ariella. Erik swore if he ever met the man he would end his ability to be intimate with anyone. He no longer took lives but he sure as hell never promised Nadir or Antoinette he would not maim or torture a deserving person.
"Not having much she was looking for employment when she came here. Ariella and the children are frightened of him. With all the problems in Paris the plight of three orphans is not the most important issue at hand. Even if she had been able to find the proof she needed it would be hard to obtain justice. Even in the best of times women as you know are second class citizens when a man is involved. They would side with him on principle.
I thought the safest place would be with you. Only a handful of people know how to get to your home. I will not be talking nor will Nadir. As Christine and Raoul are not likely to meet the man there is little chance for them to tell what they know of your home. So are you willing to have them?"
Erik did not want to seem overly eager. The thought of anyone touching Ariella in any way angered him. That the man used the children in such a way had his hands searching for his Punjab lasso again. Then there was the fact that she had left him little options.
Considering she had brought them down with their luggage then had him take them and their luggage to the other side of the lake he thought her question was asked to give him a semblance of having a choice. The decision had been made before she stepped foot in the first tunnel. His mind raced. Where would they sleep? Since he had gotten rid of his coffin or rather stored it in an unused room with all his Christine memories he had little to offer other than the swan bed. Dear God! He turned quickly to make sure they were still standing there.
How mortifying it would be if she were to enter his bedroom and see what had occupied his thoughts as he lay down on the bed before taking up residence on his organ bench. Vividly the drawings of her came to mind. His imagination had run ramped when he put the first stroke of charcoal to paper. What his mind had thought and his hand created he would not wish to share with anyone. Nor would he wish for them to see the evidence of how he had used those drawings to fuel the fantasies he had created while he relieved the tension in his body in the only way open to him. Why had he not thrown everything in the trash? Usually he was meticulous to the point of obsession when keeping his home and his person clean.
Backing away from Antoinette he stumbled almost falling to his backside. He recovered quickly saying, "Yes, yes. Of course they must stay. I just need to straighten a few things before settling them into my room. Pardon me Antoinette for my haste. I will come later this evening to speak with you further about this matter. Until later Antoinette." He turned treading with broad steps across the water reaching the other side much quicker than before.
Having reached the shore he faced his three houseguests. All three had a welcoming smile. He felt his lips twitch. Catching himself, he tightened his lips while gruffly saying, "Please come this way."
He bowed with a sweep of his hand to usher them through his front door. Only one other person had been in his new home since he had shown Antoinette what he had accomplished. Nadir visited him once a week. Conveniently it was Thursday the day after he saw Antoinette each week. Erik had not been able to decide if he wanted to keep abreast of all that went on in the theatre Erik ruled or if Nadir's interest was in Antoinette. He suspected it was the latter. Nadir had his eye on Antoinette ever since they had met years ago after Erik had returned from Persia. Nadir had followed Erik to France a few years after Erik had returned to the opera house.
Upon entering his living room he said, "Wait here one moment. I will show you where you are to stay when I return."
"Monsieur Erik...," she said before he interrupted her.
"Later Mademoiselle. I won't be but a few moments. Please just Erik." Like a graceless oaf he stumbled up the three steps to the hall leading to the other rooms. Landing on his palms he pushed himself to his feet. He stood while brushing himself off. Tugging on his shirt sleeves he continued on his quest. Going to his room he began gathering all the things he wanted no one to see.
Erik no longer lived in the sparse lair of a few years ago. Upon his return he had cleared out all the mess left by the mob. He had built himself a real home. A white picket fence stood in front of his home. Two windows faced the front toward the lake. Those two windows were in his living room. He had a real door with a brass door knocker. Antoinette and Nadir had both asked why a door knocker? His reply was "because I want one".
The right side of the hall had two bedrooms and a bathroom. The bathroom separated the two bedrooms. His bedroom was the large one in the front. The smaller one was at the end of the hall. Nothing was in that room other than a few items Erik had kept from his travels. It was also where his old couch and a chair with a footstool resided. Both very much the worse for wear but adequate for sleeping if the need arose. On the opposite side of the hall was his library across from his room. His music room was next to his library then at the end of the hall was the door that led to his wine cellar.
He had built a modern kitchen. Tapping into the gas lines of the opera house he had gas lamps throughout the house and a gas stove in his kitchen. His pantry was filled with many canning jars of food from his estate outside of Paris. He had yet to stay one night in the place. He had thought Christine might share it with him. That was not to be. Now he did not have the urgency to leave the opera house he had a few years ago.
His discovery of the invention of dry ice had made it easier to keep things cold. Although the lake was extremely cold in places because of underground springs he much preferred to have things closer to hand.
He had installed a modern bathroom with a flushing toilet. No more chamber pots. The waste fed directly into the sewer system in use by the opera house. His home had hot and cold running water. There was a hot spring that ran into a back chamber of his home. Luckily this one did not have the odour of sulphur as many others in France did. A large tub imported from Italy took up much of his bathroom. He had installed a sink along with the toilet. Cupboards lined one wall. All built and installed by himself. Every bit of furniture in the house had been built with Erik's own hands. What else did he have to do with his time?
He no longer slept in a coffin as he used the swan bed Christine had slept in. All her pictures, clothing, shoes, and undergarments went into a vault in the library. His coffin he had been shoved in there as well. The only thing left of Christine was the bed. He could not bring himself to destroy it or shove it away in the dark room. He needed the comfort of that one place she had been in his home and known peace.
All his rooms had a fireplace. The chimneys he had channelled to the pipes leading from the coal boiler. The smoke of his fires mixed with the black smoke of the opera house.
Erik had hired men wanting to leave the country quickly. Once he no longer needed help he had purchased tickets on a ship leaving for America. He had waited all night to make sure the men he had escorted on the ship left with it the next morning. If not he would have used his Punjab lasso.
At the end of his hallway was the cavern he used for his wine cellar. Thousands of bottles of France's best wine rested on the shelves in his wine cellar. He had a library with many shelves filled with books.
Glancing around his bedroom one last time then getting to his knees to assure himself nothing had fallen under the bed he stood then made his way to dump all but the drawings in the trash in the library. He had no wish to embarrass himself taking the evidence of his debauchery to the kitchen. The drawings he put in the vault behind the stone wall. He had knocked down a portion of the wall so he could install a door. Having opened the door to his memories he stood momentarily transfixed drowning in the swirling sea of his past pain. The pain had lessoned somewhat but the ache was still there. He had debated whether or not to destroy the mannequin. In the end he had shoved it into the vault with everything else. Now Ariella had a place in his secret vault of wishes and dreams. That's all they really were. Just things he longed to have but never would attain.
He had taken a few steps toward his living room when he remembered the sheets. Had he? He could not remember. At times he was a little boisterous and had been known to be careless in his moment of release. Better to be sure than be mortified later. He stripped the sheets off the bed. Silky pillow cases followed. A new set quickly replaced the old. Straightening the pillows, blankets and covers he stood back. He emptied a couple of drawers. He dumped those items on the couch in the spare bedroom. Later he could remove his clothing from the wardrobe.
Not being able to see anything wrong he left to rejoin his guests. As soon as his foot hit the last step the little mice ran to him. The girl grabbed his hand swinging it between them as she smiled up at him. Erik was at a loss. What did one do with children? He had never been this close to a child before other than Christine and for a short time Meg. Riza, Nadir's son had been an all too brief acquaintance. In truth ha had not had physical contact with more than a handful of people his entire life.
"So what do you have to eat? I'm starving. Julianna is too. Aren't you Julianna? Where is the best place to hunt for treasure? You haven't found it all have you? Do you like Ariella? You know, I think you should marry her. Of course not right away."
Ariella shocked by Matthew's suggestion loudly exclaimed, "Matthew Michael Hartford."
"Well why not?" he asked as he approached her. He knew he was in for it when she used his whole name. Might as well be done in after saying all he had on his mind.
"I heard you and Meg and you said..."Here he was stopped by Ariella's hand over his mouth. The look on her face warned him danger was ahead if he continued. Being an intelligent boy he decided to keep those ideas and thoughts between him and Julianna. Grown ups were so difficult sometimes.
Ariella removed her hand and he turned back to Erik saying, "I'll bet The Dragon Man would not touch Ariella if he saw you. You look pretty strong. Are you?" Coming to the end of questions, at least while he caught his breath Matthew took Erik's hand the stretched his other hand out to touch Erik's upper arm. His small hand squeezed Erik's muscle. Seeming impressed he nodded his head then scampered off toward the upper level to explore his new domain.
Julianna holding his hand still gazed up at him as if he were the eighth wonder of the world. By the tight grip she had on his hand she did not intend to release him any time soon. She seemed to be content just to hold his hand while looking up at him with adoring eyes. In her mind he was God, St. Nicholas and a gallant knight all combined into one man. He was going to protect them from Uncle Etienne.
It seemed as if no one was going to break the silence. Taking the initiative Erik asked Ariella to follow him. With Juliana's hand in his he led Ariella to his bedroom opening the door with a proud look on his face. "This is my bedroom. You Mademoiselle may sleep here with your sister. The boy and I can bunk down in the spare bedroom. I have plenty of blankets. He can make do until I can get a couple of beds down here. There is a comfortable couch in there and a chair with an ottoman that can be made into a temporary bed."
"Please call me Ariella. This is Julianna and my brother is Matthew. I hate to impose in this manner. Please, you keep your room. The children and I can make ourselves comfortable in the other bedroom."
"Mademoiselle, uh, Ariella, Antoinette would chew me up and spit me out if I allowed you to sleep in anything other than my bed." Both of them realized that could be taken in the wrong context if one did not know he was offering the bed without himself as a fellow occupant. Her brother interrupting bless him saved them from further embarrassment.
"I knew it. Madame Giry is a dragon lady. I've been watching her but I haven't seen any smoke. Not like with Uncle Etienne. I caught him red handed. I bet Madame Giry could spit fire if she wanted. Do you know she told me no one who knows what the consequences are has lived to tell about them? You better watch out for her. I don't think she's bad just a little grouchy."
"Matthew," Ariella reprimanded in her most disapproving voice.
"Well can I help it if she's a dragon with a crabby disposition?"
"Matthew, Madame Giry is not a dragon lady. You will refrain from voicing such silly notions especially in her presence. Is that understood?"
"But she...His voice tapered off when her face took on the look. Best leave things as they were. He didn't want Ariella scaring Monsieur Erik before he got to know her.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes," he mumbled sullenly.
"Yes what."
'Yes ma'am I understand."
Erik asked Matthew to follow him so he could show him where he could put his things and where he would be sleeping. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure they were out of earshot Erik whispered, "I too used to think she was a dragon lady. Sometimes I still do."
With those few words Erik became Matthews's hero, The Dragon Slayer. The man he was willing to give his sister to if he wanted her. He already knew Ariella was in love with Monsieur Erik. Yuck.
Having everyone settled to his satisfaction he brought out some fruit, cheese and bread. He had a little milk. He went to the pool of cold water just off the kitchen. He had carved a basin in the rocks that he allowed an underground spring to flow into the basin. The overflow ran into a hole in the floor that eventually led out to the lake. The temperature was so cold it was not comfortable for bathing but for drinking or keeping things that needed to be kept cold such as milk or butter it was perfect. A small hollowed out compartment behind this basin served as his meat locker. He used the dry ice but still kept much of his food that would spoil in the frigid water to keep it fresh. Erik had every comfort of any home above ground and some that they did not.
He was always scanning through the newspapers or reading published articles by scientists and inventors. Several ideas they had been toying with he had already implemented in his home. He had read about dry ice. He was using it to keep things cold in the room off the kitchen he used for his experiments. He was working on getting ice to form. He had succeeded. Now he wanted to know how long it would last without melting. The temperature in the room was not easily controlled. That was his goal. To be able to make the room any temperature with minor adjustments as needed.
He had several estates outside of Paris. The one he got all his food from was the only one that had a full staff. Erik's cook who he only met when he hired her sent him canned fruits and vegetables at the end of each growing season. He had enough food to feed ten times ten if rationed properly. Since for the most part it was only himself with occasionally giving Antoinette provisions he could live for a few years on what he had in his home now. Erik had a surplus of flour, sugar, tea and coffee. Some he had taken from the opera house kitchens. Some he had purchased when he heard of the disturbances that would likely take place. It paid to have contacts with the less scrupulous underbelly of Paris. They knew what was to come before the ordinary citizens did.
Erik lived a very comfortable if lonely life until now. Now he had three house guests. One he was attracted to, as he had not been since Christine. Could this mean the ache of her loss had lessoned? It still pained him when he thought of her lying in the arms of her young lover while he rotted down here alone. Well now he was no longer alone.
Could she share his feelings? It had felt as if she did. When Nadir came he would ask his advice how to pursue her without making a fool of himself if she had no interest in him. Once playing the besotted fool was enough.