Thank you for bearing with me through the last two chapter...I love you gals!!
DARK SIDE OF THE GLASS
CHAPTER 35
Earlier that same day.
"Face it mother, you lost control of this situation a long time ago."
Phillip was facing the same indignation and belligerent snobbishness that Raoul had faced when he had announced his intention to not only court Christine, but to marry her.
"Your father will have a fit when he finds out what is happening to this family."
Vallatina de Changy was still a beautiful woman, even at fifty-eight; her sharp blue eyes missed nothing when it came to her two wayward sons. It seemed they were both determined to send her husband to an early grave.
Phillip snorted his disbelief at her words. Loring de Changy, although still technically the Count, had long ago surrendered his title and holdings to his eldest son. He had grown weary as his age advanced, and just wanted to spend his last years enjoying what was left of his life.
Phillip remembered a time, not too many months ago, that Loring had sat him down and told him to seek happiness – no matter how he achieved it – or with whom.
"You brother had found a woman that makes him happy and has blessed him with a love that is strong and steadfast…I wish the same for you, Phillip."
Loring, almost blind in both eyes, stared at the hazy image of his son and smiled with approval.
"Find your soul mate – chorus girl, dancer, gypsy princess, or baroness – it does not matter; the choice is yours."
Phillip had squeezed his fathers weathered hand and then leaned in for a hug. Loring had always been the softhearted one in the family; Vallatina was tough, and yielded little in the lives of her sons; she would have made a great general in Napoleon's army.
She stood in front of him, arching her back to look into his eyes. She was a tiny thing – about as wide as she was tall – and as menacing as a summer storm; but she no longer held the sway over her sons that she once had…and it did not bode well with her.
"I will ask Monsieur Lacroix if I may court her…officially. We have seen each other at the opera house, but I have never actually taken her anywhere."
Her eyes were wide and if there been a way for her to spew daggers at him with them, she would have done so.
"Monsieur Lacroix! The man is hardly suitable to be a guardian! My heavens…that face of his is absolutely grotesque and any woman he has held within his demented grasp has to be tainted in some way!"
Phillips anger was seething and he found it hard not to shake some sense into his mother. She was the typical noblewoman – haughty and patronizing – thinking everyone who was not within her social class was not worthy of the air they breathed.
"Really? I do believe that he is the most talented composer Europe has seen in years – and I am not alone in that assessment – Nikolai is of the same belief. His music his modern and lifts a few eyebrows, but the younger people are finding it to their liking."
Phillip was having a little bit too much enjoyment watching his mother's stoic countenance change to one of utter discontent.
"Any quite frankly, mother; father would be more appalled at your ridiculous prejudices, then he would at anything I have done or will do."
She started to disagree, but she immediately clamped her mouth shut – knowing she had argued with her husband on many occasions about his acceptance of people below their social status – and even those with physical deformities. The reality of it sent her into an intolerant anger.
"Phillip, please do not pursue this chit…she will bring nothing but ruin down on this family."
Her pleading words only served to make him roll his eyes and drop his chin embarrassingly towards his chest.
"The decision is mine to make and I will no longer chastise Raoul because of his choice for a bride – Christine makes him happy, Mother – I would think that would be enough for you."
She pouted, but knew that she could not sway him any more. He was a grown man of thirty-three and she had lost her influence in his life long ago.
"Any ruin coming down on this family has been caused by years of in-breeding and intolerance – I think it is time things change…." He squared his broad shoulders and looked down his straight nose at her, "…for the better."
He made his exit on that note, leaving her standing alone in the middle of the room staring after him like a lost soul. He cared little about what she said; and cared even less about what she thought.
He made his way toward the opera house, reliving the conversation with his mother. She really was a piece of work…and he could take no more of her shenanigans.
The confrontation had gone better than he had expected, actually. Vallatina was a force to be reckoned with – or, she had been at one time. Phillip had always been closer to his father than he was to his mother, and she had always been harder on him. He supposed a slight bitterness had developed inside him toward her; one he found rather hard to dismiss.
The carriage rolled to a slow halt in front of the opera house and he nodded at Nikolai, who stood at the front door waiting on him. He instructed the carriage driver to return in a couple of hours.
"I did it Nikolai…I confronted my mother about Tarrah and she did exactly as I predicted she would – only there was less dramatics than I had anticipated."
"This is good my friend."
Nikolai swatted him, rather roughly, on the back with a huge grin on his face.
Phillip returned the large grin and they walked up the long entrance and through the double doors.
"Your young lady is looking exceptionally lovely this morning."
Phillip looked toward the stage as Tarrah finished her song and they touched gazes. His heart lurched with the knowledge that soon – if Monsieur Lacroix would allow it – he could court her.
"Hello beautiful."
Tarrah heard the deep resonating voice and turned around to smile into Phillip's handsome face. He was nothing like the man she had always thought would capture her heart – at least not on the inside.
He was a handsome man…there was no doubt about that. Thick, blond hair hung to just below his collar and intelligent hazel eyes with a hint of deep lavender within their depths – they were a most unusual color. His face was slender and defined, with a mustache and no beard, a strong, angled jaw, and full mouth – which always seemed to curve into a smile when he saw her.
Like the proper gentleman that he was, he brought her wrist toward him for a chaste kiss, but he could feel her trembling heart in the pulse beneath his lips.
"Phillip, you look splendid."
He winked as she smiled lusciously at him.
"Did you talk to your mother?"
"Yes and she was predictably herself…but I will not allow that to stop me."
His determined brow and slight frown only fueled her curiosity.
"I only hope Erik will be acceptable of our courting…his blessing is very important to me."
Phillip nodded, agreeing with her. He wanted Erik's approval also, even though the man was only two years older than he was, Phillip was determined to treat him with the respect and honor he deserved as the guardian of the woman he intended to marry.
"I intend to speak with him today…and you must set things straight with him…you have been crying every day since you had words."
"I will….I miss him so much."
She heard her name and could not determine where it was coming from. She looked around the stage and then her eyes fell upon the shadowed figure approaching the stage.
" Lawrence?"
"Mistress Tarrah, you must come quickly…something has happened at the manor."
She went stiff at the tone in his voice and immediately knew that something horrible had happened.
He lost no time in telling her what had happened, and the brutality of it made her weep. Phillip stood beside her, lending his arms as support and comforting the deluge of tears that cascaded down her face.
Madam Giry had overheard and was readying herself to go to Erik.
"Do you wish me to go with you?"
Phillip could think of nowhere else to be, but by her side as she tried to help Erik.
She smiled, but he saw the answer in her eyes.
"No, now is not the time."
He could do nothing but stand awkwardly as she walked around him, gathered her things, and left the opera house.
"What happened?"
Phillip turned and saw Richard Firmin and Gillis André walking toward him.
The story was retold for their benefit, and the only on Richard's mind was being there for Annette – she thought of Erik as a son – and this would certainly effect her if he was traumatized.
Both men felt helpless in the situation and neither had the slightest idea of what to do.
"This is a rather strange feeling for me…being in love with a strong woman."
Phillip spoke aloud, not caring that the older man listened intently; but Richard's voice echoed with understanding as his head bobbled up and down in agreement.
"I would have it no other way."
Phillip chuckled lightly and leaned against the banister of the prop staircase.
"Neither would I."
♦♠♣♥
Yves paced the floor, irritated with everything and everyone around him. There had been no time to fully complete their plan, and the fact that they left witnesses did not settle well on his stomach.
"One task, Pieter…one task…that is all that I gave you…" his malevolent eyes bore into the unconcerned features of the younger man,. "…and you could not even do that right...you had to 'savor' the moment and take it slowly."
"Perhaps if you would have let me take care of the horse – things would have worked out better…" the menacing softness of his voice only served to infuriate Yves even more, "…I told you I wanted to do it!"
The last phrase was screamed through clenched teeth, and Yves stopped pacing long enough to advance on the stunned young man.
"Do not EVER raise your voice at me…do you understand?"
The spitting words were into Pieter's face with great force, and for the first time, the young man feared his mysterious and secretive friend.
"This is my mission, my plan…" he emphasized each word with a thrust of his finger toward his chest, "…you would still be rotting in that flea-infested hospital if it were not for me." Yves had him by the lapels of his jacket and Pieter felt like a fly caught in the spider's web. "Things are to be done as I say they are to be done…or I will take matters into my own hands…is that clear?"
He released his strong hold and began pacing again.
"Our point was made and he understands the message…that is what matters."
Pieter coward away from him, suddenly feeling like a lost little boy; there were many things he did not know about Yves Demidov; and that detail was beginning to bother him.
Yves turned to him and smiled with a sickening sweetness that would have made milk curdle.
"I wanted no witnesses, Pieter…and you left three."
Pieter stared into the distance – not giving the older man his attention.
"They may have seen me…but none of them know who I am…and now they live in terror." He laughed with all the beauty and humor of destruction, decay, and death.
"And he felt our presence…I was so real to him, and he did not know where to find me."
Yves calmed himself...relishing the idea of having Erik on his knees begging for mercy. His voice was pregnant with wry charm.
"It will not be long before he is with us, my pet…I promise you." Yves cooed, "Then you will both get what you deserve."
Pieter forgot about his reluctance and suspicions, and enjoyed the remaining hours of the day reaping the rewards of his own blind trust.
TBC