Cecily had no sooner walked into the opera house than she was beset by anxious managers. The opera house had been eerily quiet, and it was putting them on edge. Cecily did her best to reassure them, but dodged into her room as quickly as she could. Shrugging out of her traveling dress and into a more comfortable one, Cecily sighed. Back to daily life.

A knock on her door startled her, but she quickly called for the person to enter. "Ah, Cecily, there you are." Mme Giry settled herself into a chair, a sign that she obviously had something she wanted to say. "I was quite sure Firmin and Andre would run themselves crazy this past week. You've returned just before the event actually. Rather good timing."

Cecily smiled cynically and continued to unpack. "Any, disturbances, when I was gone?"

"Not a sound. Or an apparition, as the case may be."

"Strange that." She put away the dress that Nicholai had insisted on buying her on the opposite side of the armoire from the dress Erik had given her. It made her slightly uneasy to put them together.

"I thought so too. It has never happened before." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "He does not forget."

Cecily looked up suddenly. "I know, and it scares me."

Mme Giry patted her hand comfortingly. "On a happier note, I do believe there are several personal letters that arrived while you were gone waiting on your desk. And Linnea and Fabrizio promised to send a message when they arrived."

"Oh, that's wonderful! I do hope all goes well for them." Her voice held a trace of sadness, but she shook it off. "And where is Meg? I didn't see her practicing when I walked past earlier."

"Alas, no! It seems that the young Vicomte has insisted that Christine live 'comfortably,' and ensured she had the funds to do so. And Meg is often invited on her shopping excursions." She shook her head, but looked happy for her only daughter. "And several parties as well."

"She will be well known among the gentry then," Cecily added hopefully.

"Yes, yes indeed." Mme Giry opened the door. "Well, then, I shall speak with you later."

Cecily nodded and put the last of her things in their place. Mme Giry had mentioned letters in her office, which should be the next order of business. But whoever were they from?

Plopping unceremoniously down at her desk, Cecily surveyed the damage. Papers were piled on her desk, all of which required time to wade through. Happily, she noted that none were marked with the telltale red skull. Opening the first letter, she smiled. The postmark was from Australia. "So you made it indeed, M. LeFevre." The letter spoke of the wilds and wonderful things he had seen on the continent ("You would not believe the strange creatures they have here!"), the harrowing journey to reach it ("I do believe we sailed through several monsoons."), and of the acquaintances he had made ("A most interesting fellow has promised to show me the highlights of Sydney.") He wished her the best in the keeping of the opera house, hoped she wasn't having too many "troubles," and said that perhaps he would come back to visit after his trip.

Smiling, she laid the letter aside to take back to her room. Then she reached for the second. The postmark was from within France, and she wondered who would write her that was not in the opera house. Unfolding the letter, her eyes wandered to the bottom. "Oh my God." She slouched in her chair and the letter fell from her hands. "Oh my God."