Smiling contentedly, Cecily slipped into her desk chair. Another season completed, and after the obvious exceptions, not a single interruption from the Phantom. Season tickets for the upcoming run were already nearly all sold out, making Andre and Firmin incredibly happy. Marking the day's totals in her ledgers, she scanned the desk for anything pressing. Finding nothing, she stacked the papers carefully and hurried to her room.

It had been an especially good day. Nearly everyone had slept late, the revelry of the night before having had lasting effects on nearly everyone. She bit back a grin as she thought of a rather intoxicated Nicholai attempting to lead her back to her room, where the door was promptly shut and locked in his face. She had found him sleeping just outside it when she woke the next morning. Another telegram had come from Linnea; the baby would be born in August, and Fabrizio was nearly going crazy making sure that everything was comfortable for his young bride and the developing child. The Di Cicina family had been brilliantly accepting of Linnea, and her father-in-law had taken up a rather intensive study of French. She briefly wondered if Linnea had read the notebook Cecily had given her. Surely not, as such a tale would have inspired a reaction of some sort.

She had had another rendezvous with Sophie that afternoon. Sophie had paid for lunch at the café in celebration of her new job. A millenary on the other side of town had been more than happy to hire an experienced worker, and Sophie was rather excited. Again, she had brushed off Cecily's comments about her cough and the paleness of her skin, claiming that all she needed was to get outside a bit more; the dust and darkness were doing her no good.

And for this evening, Raoul had delivered a last-minute invitation the evening before for dinner at the de Chagny's city apartments. Nicholai had left after his rather unorthodox wakeup for London on business of the Count, so Cecily was attending alone. Upon hearing this, Raoul had laughed, winked, and insisted that neither he, nor his single older brother Philip, would mind in the least. He would be by around six o'clock to pick her up from the opera house. It was now five.

She shifted through her closet, deciding to wear the blue dress that Nicholai had bought her in Marseilles. Next to it hung her costume for the Masquerade the following week. Nicholai had become rather taken with the English legends of the Arthurian Court, and had insisted upon going as Lancelot. When Cecily had pointed out that Lancelot, while in love with Queen Guinevere, could not have her, he had rebutted with the fact that Lancelot did marry the Lady Elaina. In the end, Cecily had decided to go as the Lady in the Lake. It prevented her from having to play a truly English lady, while still being able to compliment Nicholai's costume. She would hate to have to be English, even for one night.

Arriving at the back door to the opera house at nearly the same moment as Raoul and his small carriage, Cecily was already a bit cold. The bite of autumn had come in full force, and she was glad for the shawl she had brought. Raoul alighted from the carriage to help her step up. "A vision of loveliness, my dear Cecily."

She shook her head and laughed. "Such golden words! You might well be Midas with all your compliments." She tucked the blanket around her as Raoul seated himself next to her.

"I would only ever speak the truth to you." He urged the horses onward, and regarded the other carriages uninterestedly.

"To me?" She chuckled, making Raoul aware of his slight mistake.

"Oh yes, I would be far too frightened that you would discover I was lying." He laughed, and noted her shiver. "Nearly there, just another block or two."

Cecily smiled at him, unable to do anything else in the joy of the moment. "So, who else will be joining us this evening?"

"Oh, just a few people. It's a rather informal dinner party. My brother Philip, several friends of ours, my sister Emelie, who is just fifteen, but who could leave her out when my parents are out of town?"

"No one, I'm sure. Especially not a doting older brother," Cecily commented, noting the look of protector that came into Raoul's eyes as he spoke of the girl. "Anyone else?"

"Just myself, Christine, and Meg."

"Meg? I haven't seen her all day."

"No, she's been with Christine, primping and such things as women do in their spare time. Although I dare say that Christine doesn't need much of it."

She pushed her arm slightly, eyebrow raised in amusement. "Head over heels already?"

He sighed, pulling into a small carriage house. "I fear it." He leaned conspiratorially toward her. "Can you keep a secret?"

"You dare ask that question of me?"

"Of course! What was I thinking?" He reached into his coat pocket and flipped open the case. Cecily saw the flash of gold before he quickly replaced it, eyes searching the room to make sure no one else had seen. "Tonight, after supper."

Cecily smiled and traced an X across her chest. "Cross my heart, I will not tell a soul."

Raoul smiled and jumped down, offering her a hand as well. "Here we are. Just one set of steps. And I do believe that the tempting scent is our upcoming repast."

Cecily inhaled. "Heavenly."

A rather boisterous male voice came down the steps. "Is that my little brother?"

Raoul hung his coat on the hook and took Cecily's shawl. "And our esteemed guest!" His voice held a tone of warning, and Cecily understood that Philip was to maintain a civil tongue in the presence of guests.

"Oh, Cecily!" Meg dashed down the stairs. "How wonderful to see you here! I'm so glad you could come! But where is Nicholai?"

"Business in London. But don't worry, he'll be back for the masquerade." Cecily winked at the girl, knowing that the gala had been on the girl's mind almost exclusively.

"Oh, wonderful! Christine and I went shopping for my costume today!"

"And?"

"A dove! It is the most adorable white dress, with feathers all around the collar and such! The woman at the shop said it was perfect for me!"

Moving up the stairs, Cecily nodded. "I'm sure it will be." The talk of the shop woman had her thinking of Sophie. She wondered briefly if she should invite Sophie to the masquerade, but pushed the thought aside for the moment. Now was not the time or the place for such worries. Now she should focus on having a good time.

At the top of the stairs, Philip awaited her. "My lady, it is an honor to meet you after all I've heard." He kissed her hand genteelly and led her to the table.

"Only good things I'd hope," she laughed, looking pointedly at Raoul, who had his hands up in mock defense.

"Is there anything else to say about you?" He laughed, showing Meg to a place at the table.

"Oh hush," Cecily laughed lightly. Turning back to Philip and his friends, she said, "You may call me Cecily, as I would hate to have constant calls of 'Miss Pencombe' ruin the perfectly wonderful atmosphere that we seem to have."

"In that case, call me Philip, and these rascals are Daniel and Michael," he indicated the two men behind him. "And that one over there is Laurent, though he is Raoul's worry." He laughed and slapped Laurent lightly on the back. "But come now, let us eat. Emelie! Are you joining us this evening, or have you made other plans?"

A young girl, pressing in on womanhood, entered the room. She was pretty, having the looks that seemed to run in her family, and appeared to have gone through great lengths to look presentable this evening. One of the girl's glances at Laurent informed Cecily of the reason, although she doubted that the others saw the valiantly concealed blush that crept up Emelie's cheeks when Laurent smiled at her. "Of course I'm coming Philip. Although I did have to send several admirers away in order to close my window. I told you that lattice would be a problem." Her eyes twinkled at she took her seat, and Cecily was convinced that the youngest of the De Chagny's would soon be the bell of every ball, if Laurent did not beg her indulgences the moment she stepped into society.

"Of course, I shall have it removed immediately. I can't imagine how tired you must be getting, huffing and puffing to blow away all those imaginary knights in shining armor." Philip smiled warmly at his little sister as everyone took their places around the table. "And now we await just one." He turned to Raoul, who shrugged and turned to Meg.

"She said she was directly behind me," Meg said, wondering like the rest.

"Oh, I'm here!" Christine rushed down the stairs and into the room. "Pardon me! I lost track of the time."

"It's nothing, my dear," Raoul soothed as he pulled out a chair for her. "But now that the ladies are all seated, let us begin the meal!"

Cecily laughed more that night than she had in a long time. Philip and his friends were full of amusing tales, and Emelie shot in quite a few witty replies to the baiting of her brothers. She reminded Cecily of Sophie a little, but this was a sentiment she kept to herself, as she did all thoughts of her sister. It seemed to Cecily, though, that the whole table was busy casting doe eyes at one another. Meg flirted shamelessly with Daniel and Michael, who were not insulted in the least by her attention. Emelie and Laurent discreetly exchanged glances, and Raoul stared hopelessly at Christine, who went between returning his lovelorn gaze and glancing out the window into the night. It seemed that only she and Philip were immune to the shots of cupid's arrows.

When the evening was over, Cecily bid a fond goodnight to all her recent acquaintances. Raoul, who had escaped somewhere with Christine soon after the dessert, returned to drive her home, a brilliant smile on his face. Christine entered soon after, smiling as well, with the notable addition of a small diamond ring hanging round her neck. Cecily shook her head as she tucked herself further into the blankets. It had been a good day.