Slowly Angelique was beginning to unravel the mystery of the phantom She would never admit it, but in the first month of her imprisonment she had been terribly frightened of him. However, it seemed that if she just began a conversation that interested Erik he would soon open up a little, sometimes even telling small stories from his past. Erik especially loved to explain how things worked. Angelique was amazed at his knowledge and began to thing that there was nothing he didn't know. Erik continued to read to her sporadically at first but it soon became their nightly ritual.

Erik continued to buy newspapers nightly, leaving shortly after Angelique had fallen asleep. He would read the articles paying close attention to any leads the police had supposedly received. None of them were accurate, of course as Angelique had been with him since the night of the crime. He sighed as he turned the page, hoping there might be more to the article, instead he read:

The Vicomte de Chagney injured in horse-riding accident

The Vicomte de Chagney was thrown from his horse while taking an

afternoon ride with his wife. The couple was riding on their Paris

Estate grounds, as is their afternoon habit, when the Vicomte's horse was spooked and he was thrown. The family insists the horse the Vicomte was riding is usually gentle to a fault and see this as an

Unfortunate one-time accident. Still, it is undecided whether or not

The family will keep the animal. Unfortunately, the Vicomte has suffered a blow to the head. While his exact condition is unknown, it is suspected by this writer that he will be most definitely restricted to his bed for some time. The Vicomtess is very distraught over the incident, refusing to comment to this humble reporter.

Erik's heart skipped a beat. Christine was still in Paris? He had thought that after everything that had happened the boy would have enough sense to retreat his new wife to one of his English properties. How tempting to know that at anytime he wished he might take a cab down the street and peek into her new life. "Yes," said one part of him, "It will be quite comforting to know that that little brat has been treating her properly, and with this horrible accident, shouldn't we make sure that she is alright? She must be devastated." The logical rational side of his mind fought furiously against these thoughts, but all the while there was Loneliness tugging at his shirtsleeve, enticing him to pay a visit to Christine.

The next day he did nothing, but sit in his fireside chair, contemplating the situation. His mind was carefully weighing the pros and cons should he take action, should he chose to see Christine.

The day after was reserved for planning. It wasn't hard to discover where the Chagney Estate was located. He was surprised he hadn't found about Christine living in Paris before this, but then had been for the last few months "sulking", as Angelique would say. With the address thoroughly memorized he began to look over old maps of the city. He cried out in shock when he discovered their little love nest was almost within walking distance of the Opera. Of course, he never actually planned to act on any of this it was for research purposes only.

That night he found he could not sleep. She's so close. Loneliness whispered in his ear. Is it so wrong, to want to see that she is safe? To know she's all right? What kind of man would you be if you let the woman you love suffer this tragedy alone?

"Where are you going?" Erik turned to see a bleary eyed Angelique standing close behind him.

"I have an errand to run." Erik said as he pulled on his black leather gloves.

"This late?"

"Actually, it's quite early in the morning."

"May I go with you? I get so bored sitting around her every night."

"No."

"Why not?" Erik hesitated. It was such a simple question really, but the answer didn't seem right even to him. I'm going to sneak into a married woman's home to see her while her husband may lie dying in his bed and well, it's not the sort of trip you want company on.

"It's a private affair." Erik said in what he hoped was his most commanding voice.

"All right," Angelique said sitting in Erik's chair by the fire and crossing her arms, "I'll stay here though I don't know why I must." She looked like a little girl who had just been chastised by her father. At this signal of obedience, Erik placed his fedora on his head and left.

It hadn't taken long for curiosity to get the better of Angelique. She quickly donned her cloak and lowered her hood to shadow her mask as Erik had shown her to do. She knew the way to the surface, and easily made it out in time to see Erik turn the corner at the end of the street. She followed at a safe distance, keeping in to the shadows and muffling her steps as best she could. It occurred to her that normally Erik would have realized that he was being followed, but tonight he seemed very distracted for some reason. "All the more reason," Angelique thought, "to tag along on his little errand."