"No, no, no!" Elise exclaimed, shaking her head.
"Now what did I do?" I asked.
"If you want to seduce a woman you've got to stop talking about yourself! Let her do some talking. And she doesn't want to be questioned like she's being interrogated by the authorities, for heaven's sake!"
I was getting frustrated with the mock dinner Elise had planned. She thought it would be a good idea to rehearse the dinner so I didn't make a fool out of myself in front of Cassandria. Apparently I wasn't doing well.
I must have given Elise a pitiful look, because she calmed down a bit and pointed out exactly what I said.
"Look, Raoul, first you asked where I was born, then you asked where I live now, and then you asked what kind of a childhood I had. Those are great questions, but the way you asked them it sounds like I committed a crime and you were trying to get biographical information out of me. Don't ask the questions so quickly, and ask about less-serious things, like what her favorite thing about Paris is, or what is her favorite flower? That way you'll know what kind of flowers to bring her for your second date."
"Second date? I'll be lucky if I survive the first one," I groaned, putting my head in my hands.
"You'll be fine, Raoul, just don't get too worked up and try to relax a bit. She might be nervous too, so one of you is going to have to lead the conversation."
"Why can't I be the nervous one?"
"Come on, take it like a man," Elise said firmly, slamming her fist on the table. "You have to exude confidence and let her see the charming man that I know. Just pretend you're talking to me."
"You're so easy to talk to, but she's…gorgeous," I sighed.
"Oh thank you very much. And what am I, horsemeat?" Elise answered sarcastically.
"Oh no, that's not at all what I meant! You are of course very beautiful, in fact, you'd give Cassandria a run for her money in a beauty competition. It's just you're easy to talk to because you're my friend and I know you."
"Yes, but remember how awkward our first conversation was? It wasn't until you got me to open up that our conversation began to flow. Maybe start her off with a glass of wine," she suggested playfully.
"That might work…"
"Of course it will! Now just relax and take it easy before she gets here. I have to get over to the opera. Madame Giry wants me to help out backstage at tonight's performance. It is going to be so exciting!"
"Have fun tonight," I said, giving her a big hug.
"You too, and remember she's a person too and is probably feeling the exact same thing you are."
"Thanks," I replied.
I watched as she skipped out of the room. A few seconds later, I heard the front door open and close.
I sighed to myself as I sat back down at the table. The house sounded so quiet. Most of the staff decided rather than to work, they would quit now and use the next two weeks to relax and find a new job. No one seemed terribly upset about their termination, which was a relief. I hated the thought of putting someone out of work, but I knew they would all be quickly re-hired. None of them had been fired for poor performance and I was willing to give the best recommendation to all, including Dorice.
Upon glancing at the clock, I realized that it was nearly 4:30, and that Cassandria was due to arrive in a half an hour so I headed upstairs to get dressed.
I had just finished shaving when I heard a loud banging sound on the front door.
"What in the world?" I said aloud. It was only 4:45, so I doubted it would be Cassandria.
I marched downstairs to the front door and swung it open. Much to my surprise, Cassandria stood on the door step looking a bit perturbed.
"Mademoiselle Hayden! What a pleasant surprise to find you here so early," I said nervously as I tucked in my shirttails and smoothed out my hair with my palms.
"Yes, well, it wasn't my idea to arrive to early," Cassandria explained coolly. "Uncle wanted me to be sure to get here on time so he sent me off nearly half an hour early. I've been standing here for quite some time knocking on the door. Don't you have any staff to answer it for you?" she asked haughtily.
"Well, not anymore…" I said, gesturing for her to come inside. "I live here alone and I let the entire staff go this morning since it seemed frivolous to have so many employees."
"Oh, I see," she replied in a less snooty tone. "Well you may want to invest in a doorbell."
"Yes, perhaps," I replied. "If you'll excuse me for one moment, I need to finish dressing. Please, have a seat in the parlor and I'll be right back."
She swept past me leaving her sweet vanilla fragrance lingering in the air. I clutched my chest as my heart rate began to elevate. Her beauty was so overwhelming; my body didn't know how to function properly in her presence! Quickly, I clamored up the stairs and dressed as hastily as I could. After I sparingly applied a few drops of cologne, I checked myself again in the mirror to make sure I hadn't missed a button and that my hair was perfectly smoothed into place before I headed back downstairs.
I stopped at the bottom of the stairs to admire her. She was staring out the window with her back toward me. The lovely plum-colored gown she was wearing was not nearly as extravagant as the dress she had worn to the opera, but flattered her figure just the same. Her hair was perfectly straight, and ended midway down her back. The reddish-brown color of her mane was unlike anything I had ever seen. It wasn't the carrot-like orange that many girls were born with, but it wasn't plain brown like Christine's. Her hair was a dark mahogany that appeared to be deep crimson in certain lights; I have never seen another head of hair like it.
I took a deep breath and walked toward her.
"Did I mention how stunning you look this evening?" I announced, as I walked into the room.
"No, you didn't. Thank you," she said in a surprisingly cold tone for someone who had just received a compliment.
"What would you like to do this evening?" I asked, shrugging off her coldness.
"Whatever you have scheduled," she answered with a sigh.
"Well, I don't have anything scheduled," I replied, remembering what Elise had said. Cassandria was probably used to following her uncle's schedule, so I decided I would let her choose where we would go. "I thought perhaps you would like to decide what to do. We could have dinner at a fancy restaurant, eat at a small café, have a picnic…whatever you would like to do."
Cassandria looked stunned.
"A nice restaurant would be wonderful, but not something too pretentious," she said after a moment.
"I know just the place!" I exclaimed.
The carriage ride to the restaurant was quieter than I would have liked. Cassandria was not being unfriendly; she just didn't seem to have a lot to say. I chose to take her to Les Elysees du Vernet, the same place I had taken Elise.
Once we had ordered our meal I proposed a toast.
"To your stay in Paris," I said cheerfully.
Cassandria smiled softly and raised her glass and gently tapped it against mine. I actually envied the wine glass as she gently placed it to her lips and allowed the smooth liquid to trickle into her mouth.
"Mr. Chagny, I want to apologize for my rudeness earlier," Cassandria said softly as she placed the wine glass back on the table.
"Please, call me Raoul," I said.
"Only if you call me Cassandria," she said coyly.
"Agreed."
"Anyway, I didn't mean to sound ungrateful for your hospitality. I'm sorry if my uncle's pushiness ruined any plans you may have had this evening."
"Nonsense, Cassandria, I had no plans and your uncle may be a bit pushy, but it is my pleasure to entertain you for the evening."
She blushed slightly and took another sip of wine.
"How long do you plan to stay in Paris?" I asked casually, offering her a slice of bread.
"About two weeks," she replied.
"Well I hope I shall see you again before you return to America. What part of America are you from?"
"Near the city of Boston; my father has a large ranch outside of the city. It is quite lovely there."
"I am sure it is; I've heard many stories of the lovely countryside."
"It is indeed beautiful. If you ever decide to visit I shall return your courtesy and show you around."
"Thank you," I replied.
After some more casual conversation, the waiter brought out our dinner and we both began devouring the food.
"This is delicious!" she exclaimed after swallowing a large bite. Unlike Elise, Cassandria had taken my advice and ordered the rack of lamb.
Again, I felt like a fool for envying an inanimate object, but as she gracefully brought the fork to her mouth I felt a twinge run through my body. I had never quite experienced a feeling like this before.
"What are your plans for the rest of your stay in Paris?" I asked, ignoring the rapid beating in my chest.
"Whatever my uncle decides," she said, making a sour face. "He is so damned over bearing sometimes. It was wonderful of him to invite me, but at times the man annoys me something terrible, I'm afraid."
"Any time you need a tour guide or an excuse to get away from your uncle, I would be more than obliged to show you around," I offered, a bit taken aback by her bold language.
"I wouldn't want to intrude on any plans you may have. I am sure there is a certain lady that would not appreciate me spending time with you."
"Excuse me?" I asked, nearly choking on my food.
"I saw the lovely blonde you escorted to the opera last night," she said, casting her eyes downward.
"Oh don't be silly, that would have been Elise, one of my dearest friends. She is going to be a member of the corps de ballet at the opera, so I offered to escort her to her very first opera." All right, it was a small lie – I hadn't exactly offered to take Elise to the opera, but Cassandria didn't need to know that.
"Oh…" Cassandria whispered, looking up. "So you're not seeing anyone?"
"No, are you?" I asked eagerly. The question may have been inappropriate, but I couldn't help myself. The last thing I wanted was to get my heart broken again by pursuing a woman that was attached to another.
"No," she replied, smiling suggestively. "Not yet, anyway."
My heart began to beat even faster. She reminded me in Elise in a kind of way; she was confident yet ladylike. I tried to think of a smart response to her bold statement when the waiter interrupted, asking us if we would be interested in dessert.
"No thank you," Cassandria answered politely.
"Oh no, that will be all," I answered, when the waiter looked at me for an answer. All right, so maybe Cassandria wasn't exactly like Elise the chocolate cake fiend.
"I would love some dessert, but I would much rather get some fine chocolates and eat them in the park if you don't mind," Cassandria whispered eagerly after the waiter left.
"That sounds fine," I replied with a smile.
Elise and Cassandria will get along perfectly, I thought to myself.
We lingered a few more minutes before we decided it was time to go in search of chocolate candies. I counted out the appropriate amount of money and left it on the table along with a generous tip, and escorted Cassandria out of the restaurant. The weather was pleasant; in fact, it was unseasonably warm for the month of March. We walked several blocks until we got to a little shop that specializes in selling delicious confections.
I ushered Cassandria inside, and then she eagerly put together a box of chocolates with different fillings and toppings. I paid the cashier for the sweets and held the door open as Cassandria excitedly clutched her precious box of chocolates.
"This is so exciting!" she cried as we walked down the busy street. "I've always dreamed of eating fine French chocolates, but I never dreamed I'd actually be eating them here in Paris!"
"Do you not have many sweet shops in America?" I asked.
"Oh yes, but there is just something so exotic about eating foreign chocolates. You must understand this is my first time abroad. I've never seen anything but America so this is all very exciting to me."
"Really?" I said, as I gestured toward a park bench. "I got the impression that you were quite the traveler."
"I suppose it was my indifference toward you," she said, staring at the open box of chocolates. She wiggled her fingers excitedly before carefully selecting a piece topped with chocolate sprinkles and took a small bite. Her expression turned to sheer ecstasy as she chewed the small piece of edible heaven.
"Yes, well, I suppose that was it," I stammered, still in awe by her expression. I hoped that someday I could give her that very same expression without the aide of chocolate.
"My uncle thinks that at my age I should be married so sometimes he tries to pass me off to the first young man he meets" she said before popping the rest of the piece in her mouth.
"Which would have been me," I said, selecting a piece of chocolate from the box.
"Right," she answered after swallowing. "The truth is, I'd like to be married someday but I don't want an arranged marriage. I'm grateful I was born in America; we don't have as many arranged marriages as other countries."
"I understand," I mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate.
"Anyway, the reason I acted indifferent toward you is because you're an attractive Parisian and I'm an American girl."
I gave her a quizzical look and she continued.
"I'm only going to be here for two weeks, which means that you could have taken advantage of me for two weeks and then shipped me off back to America. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened. Last spring I was in New York with my uncle and he introduced me to a young man. We dated the entire time I was there and then I left and he didn't even say goodbye. He had used me for three weeks and didn't even have the decency to see me off at the train station."
"Cassandria, that's terrible!" I exclaimed. "I would not do anything of the sort."
"I can see that. I realized that from the moment you gave me the choice of what to do this evening. You're not like most overbearing men that think they have the ultimate control."
"I didn't always used to be that way," I groaned.
"Hmm?" she mumbled as she took another bite of chocolate.
"It's a long story. Let's just say my friend Elise has knocked a lot of sense into me as of late."
"I'd like to become acquainted with her if you don't mind. My friends back home will just die when I tell them I've gone on a date with a patron of the opera and met a member of the corps de ballet!"
She looked positively radiant as she spoke. Her green eyes sparkled with excitement and the brilliant moon illuminated her gorgeous hair. I had the urge to kiss her passionately right then, but I fought it. I would not embarrass her by kissing her openly in such a public place. Besides, with her mouth full of chocolate I doubt she would have appreciated my spontaneity. Still, I figured a compliment would do no harm. A line Elise had recommended came to mind.
"Your eyes sparkle like emeralds," I said, trying to sound as romantic as possible.
"Thank you," she giggled, smiling shyly. After recovering from her giggles she said, "I'd better save some of these chocolates for later. What time is it, anyway?"
"Nearly 8:00," I said, looking at my pocket watch.
"No wonder I'm so tired!" she exclaimed, yawning. "I'm sorry; I'm still not quite used to this time difference. I've had a wonderful evening, but would you mind walking me back to the hotel?"
"Of course I would not mind." I stood up and offered her my arm. We walked arm in arm back to her hotel, chatting about things we saw along the way.
I had taken Elise's advice and asked Cassandria what kind of flowers she likes. I made a mental note to get a bouquet of lilies before our next meeting.
"Raoul, I couldn't help but notice the stable at your home. Do you ride?" she asked as we approached the hotel.
"Yes, from time to time," I answered. "Do you?"
"Oh yes! I was born and raised around horses."
"I don't suppose you'd like to go riding with me tomorrow afternoon?" I offered.
"I'd love to, but I'm afraid my uncle has made plans for us to have lunch with Monsieur Firmin," she said disappointedly.
"I see…perhaps if you won't be too full from lunch we could ride out to a small lake on my property and have a light picnic dinner," I asked hopefully.
"I'll order a small salad for lunch that way I'll have plenty of room for dinner," she said with a wink.
"Perfect! I will have a chicken dinner packed and ready to go for tomorrow evening," I exclaimed. As we walked up to the entrance of the hotel I offered to walk her inside.
"Yes, that would be wonderful," she answered.
We clamored up 6 flights of stairs before we reached the top floor of the hotel, where her private suite was located.
"Until tomorrow night," I said softly and then placed a kiss on her delicate hand.
"Good night," she replied.
I was about halfway down the hall when she called after me.
"Yes?" I asked, walking back toward her.
"Raoul, I have a question," she said, fidgeting slightly. "In Paris is it proper for a goodnight kiss on the first date?"
Without a word I wrapped her in my arms and kissed her passionately. Much to my delight, she didn't recoil immediately; instead she kissed me back with just as much passion.
"Goodnight, Cassandria," I whispered into her ear as our kiss finally ended.
"Goodnight, Raoul," she whispered back, and placed a tender kiss on my cheek.
Mindlessly, I stumbled back down the endless stairs and into the lobby. I must have been beaming for my face began to hurt because I was smiling so much. The doorman gave me an odd look and then patted me on the shoulder as he recalled the beautiful woman I had just escorted up the stairs.
"Lucky man," the doorman called after me.
I nodded in agreement and continued to smile all of the way home.