Behind Closed Doors
He watched as the manageress spoke quietly with Reyer. He knew perfectly well what they were discussing. Reyer's sudden changes to the opera.
"It's quite odd, actually. I was going through my list of things to alter and there was a sheet attached to the back with some quite ingenious ideas, Mrs de Chagny!" The man said excitedly. "It's going to improve the opera greatly!"
"Are you sure it's wise to be changing it now?"
"It's as good a time as any. I just wish I knew who had left them. I'd very much like to offer my congratulations!"
"Maybe it was the Phantom of the Opera!" Cecile said, where a group of ballerinas were listening in. De Chagny rolled her eyes.
"The Phantom of the Opera? I thought it was the Opera Ghost?"
"It was but the newspapers came up with this name and it's so much cooler." Cecile said.
De Chagny frowned.
"What newspaper?" It was passed to her. He smirked. He had already read the amusing article. The manageress was not quite so entertained.
"Well, this is just what we need." She said. Cecil shrugged.
"I though that there was no such thing as bad publicity?"
"Maybe so, but I'd quite like people to be interested because of the operas, and not because of a fairytale."
"But it's true!" Gabrielle declared. "The Phantom is real!"
"If he is, I do wish he'd stop interfering and get back to haunting." The manageress said dryly, passing the newspaper back. "Mr Reyer, do as you see fit. I trust your judgement."
He followed her back to her office, where he'd left a note for her. She smiled slightly as she saw the envelope. She clearly found the situation quite amusing.
"Well, Mr Phantom, what have you got to say for yourself this time?" She murmured, sitting to read the letter.
Dear Madame Manager,
In accordance with your suggestion, I have made my contact with Mr Reyer. Expect changes to be made.
I have also made my first move in establishing my presence as Opera Ghost to the world. There will be an article published, or perhaps you will have seen it by this time. Use the media attention in any way you see fit. Although, it would be advisable not to let La Carlotta anywhere near a member of the media.
With Mr de Chagny being absent, I expect you to concentrate on your music for a period. Whilst your piano skills are mediocre, I suggest that you invest in other instruments. A one trick pony is never of great amusement for long.
Yours Faithfully
O.G.
Or perhaps I should write, PotO?
To His surprise, she actually laughed out loud at the last line. She reached for another sheet of paper, still smiling. This in itself was strange. He wasn't sure if it was just His imagination, but it seemed to him that since they had begun their regular written conversation, Christine de Chagny had been smiling a lot more than usual.
She began to write her letter, but was interrupted by Moncharmin.
"Mrs de Chagny, I was wondering if I might speak with you about this whole 'Phantom' business." He said, in a rather pompous tone. She put her pen down.
"What is it?"
"Well, Richard and I have been discussing the affair and we can see a certain amount of… worth in it." Moncharmin said, sitting in the chair opposite her desk and arching his fingers together. "Why not use it to our advantage?"
"…Would you care to elaborate?" She suggested. Moncharmin leant forward, glowing with self-pride.
"With so much media attention directed at the opera house, we can twist it around! Refuse to comment on the ghost, which will encourage interest, which will lead to ticket sales! People will come to the operas in hopes of seeing the ghost!" She seemed amused. Probably by the fact that she had already thought of this plan and Moncharmin was revelling in the idea that it was original.
"Don't you think it would be better if they were coming to see… the operas?" She asked.
"Oh, well, yes. But we could still use the attention. Richard and I have discussed it, and we'd be perfectly happy to handle the media side of things." Moncharmin explained. "You wouldn't be bothered at all! We can brew up the interest in the opera house and make money at the same time! Perhaps allow a few reporters inside…"
"No." She said flatly.
Moncharmin looked affronted. He blinked confusedly for a short moment, but de Chagny leapt in first.
"I have no problems with you and Richard handling the media. I have perfect trust in you. But I will not allow reporters into the opera house on some sort of ghost hunt. If they want to come in to report on the operas, then fine. But I won't have them treating this opera house as if it were an amusement park." She said firmly. Moncharmin seemed torn between exasperation at her flat refusal and glowing pleasure at her admission of faith in him.
"Well… if you think it's for the best…"
"I do."
"I'll go and tell Richard immediately." Moncharmin said, beaming at her. She smiled him out and then lifted her eyes to the ceiling.
"I hope you appreciate what I just did for you." She said out loud. He smirked.
"Oh, I do."
Christine cried out loud as a voice murmured softly in her ear, "Oh, I do." She glanced around wildly, searching for the source of the voice and finding none.
She swallowed hard, her heart pounding and a cold tingling sensation running up her spine. She licked her dry lips and parted them.
"… Who's there?"
No reply.
She sat stock still at her desk, fists clenched so hard that her after several moments of silence, she realised that she could feel warmth in her hands and looked down. Several small, curved slits had appeared in the smooth flesh of her hands and her nails were tinted crimson. She frowned and reached for a tissue, wiping the blood quickly away as she made her way from her office to the women's toilets, throwing her reply into the waste basket as she passed.
She turned the silver knob and held her bleeding hand under the rush of cold water. The shock of it made her gasp quietly, as a few slight drops of scarlet liquid whirled within the clear liquid before descending to the drain. She turned the tap off and took some more tissue, drying her hands and examining the cuts. It was definitely time to try cutting her fingernails. Christine looked up as the door swung open and Meg entered with Cecile. They stopped short at the sight of her.
"Hi Mrs de Chagny!" Cecile said brightly. Meg frowned.
"What's wrong?" She was eying the blood-dotted tissue. Christine quickly dropped it into the bin.
"Just an accident." She said calmly. Meg didn't look convinced. "It's fine now. Shouldn't you be in rehearsals now?"
"Mr Reyer told us to go to lunch. Carlotta's having a tantrum and he wanted us all out of the way." Cecile said. Christine sighed.
"Wonderful. Just what we need."
"Cecile and I were going to go to the café, if you want to come." Meg suggested. Christine was about to refuse, just because she always did, but something made her pause.
Did she really want to go back and sit in that office? If she did, it would be a matter of time before Carlotta stropped along, demanding her immediate attention. An unattractive prospect.
"… I'll just go and get my purse."
The experience was more than enough to make Christine forget about the fright from earlier no that day. With plates of sandwiches, crisps and a drink each, the three women sat around a comfortable table in the corner, discussing the opera. Meg had both Cecile and Christine in fits of laughter with her impression of Carlotta.
"And, no! No, I cannot possibly drink THAT! It is NOT purest water from Switzerland, filtered for forty years, I shall not TOUCH it! Get that foul thing away from me!" She cried waving her hands in the air and sneering down at the bottled water in a manner that was alarmingly similar to the singers. Cecile's face was scarlet with giggling and Christine was reclined in her chair, a hand held guiltily over her mouth as the laughter escaped her.
"How do you do that? I could swear you were Carlotta herself!" Cecile gasped. Meg shrugged, grinning.
"She's just so ridiculous. I don't know how you put up with her, Mrs de Chagny. Doesn't she drive you insane?"
"Why do you think I hired Moncharmin and Richard?" Christine pointed out. "I wouldn't get any work done if I was dealing with her myself."
"You should hear her with them!" Meg snorted. "Why, no! I will not speak with you! You are ridiculous little men! I want to see the manager!"
They laughed again, as Christine's mobile phone began to ring. She slipped it open and answered, still laughing.
"Hello?"
"Well, you sound cheerful!" Raoul said jovially. Christine smile widened.
"Raoul! Yes, I'm just... having lunch with friends and…" She collapsed into laughter again and Raoul chuckled.
"I'm not sure I like you having this much fun without me, you know."
"Unless you can do a stunningly good impression of Carlotta, I doubt it." Christine replied. Meg grinned proudly.
"Well, I can't promise that. But I can assure you that Phil and I will be back on Saturday. We're getting up ridiculously early, so I can get back at a decent hour and spend some time with you."
"Raoul, we live together. You don't need to put yourself out like that."
"Don't object. It's all very romantic and I won't have you ruining that for me." He said firmly. "Oh, Phil's back. We've got a meeting. I love you."
"I love you too. I'll see you on Saturday."
They said goodbye and Christine put the phone back into her bag. Cecile beamed.
"Mr de Chagny has a brother? Perfect!"
"No chance, new girl. Everyone knows that he and Sorelli are… well…" Meg suddenly looked very uncomfortable. Christine smiled.
"Don't worry; it's not as if I don't know about it. Who doesn't?"
"He's taken? Damn! Cos if he's as hot as your husband and as rich… well, that's a catch!" Cecile said. Christine laughed lightly.
"Philippe's lovely. But yes, he and Sorelli have been… on good terms for several years."
"Are they not official?" Cecile asked. Christine shook her head.
"No. The thing is that the de Chagny's are, as a family, very proud of their noble blood. Sorelli isn't of that class."
"That's a bit snobbish. No offence." Meg said. Christine shrugged.
"I know. But Phil won't risk making it official until he can be sure that it won't have serious repercussions on the family name. They've got a grandmother who is still set in the old de Chagny ways. She objected strongly to Raoul marrying me, until she discovered that I had a very distant cousin who was married to some duke of somewhere-or-other in Sweden." She said dryly. Meg gasped.
"Your Majesty!"
"Oh, stop it. I've never even met this person, but connections are everything. When Mrs de Chagny is… well, Philippe and Raoul both look up to her greatly. Once she's gone, perhaps Phil will risk it. But for now he's got to think of his family." Christine said quietly.
They were silent for a moment before Cecile sighed.
"I've got a third cousin who works for the BBC. Is that high enough?" They all laughed a little at that, before Meg changed the subject to a rather uncomfortable one.
"So, anymore news on our Phantom?"
"I haven't heard anything. Carrie thought that he'd stolen her socks the other day, but she'd left them in her backpack." Cecile said. Christine didn't reply, fingering the slits in her flesh as an icy chill shot down her spine. Meg looked at her.
"Do you think there really is a ghost?"
"Of course not. It's probably one of the stagehands playing a silly trick. The only reason we're not quashing the rumours is because it's getting publicity. Perhaps not the right kind, but gossip's worth its weight in gold around here." Christine said dryly. She looked at her watch and sighed. "We should get back."
They collected their things and crossed the street, talking about the afternoon rehearsals. Christine was actually amazed at how relaxed she felt. She was the same age as the two people beside her, but had always felt so much older. Now she was the same as them. They were just a group of young women, enjoying lunch and walking back to work together. How easy it was to be young!
However, Christine felt her newfound youth draining swiftly away as they entered the Opera Populaire as she saw Richard hurrying towards her, his forehead beaded with sweat.
"Mrs de Chagny! Oh, thank goodness you're back!"
"What is it?"
"Carlotta, Mrs de Chagny. She's refusing to perform! She's threatening to leave altogether!"
"Why?" Christine exclaimed. Richard stammered the next line.
"The Ghost! He sent a note and she's furious! We've all been trying to find you!"
Christine's heart sank like a rock. She pushed Richard out of the way and half-ran to the theatre, Cecile and Meg following with great interest. Carlotta spin around, waving the note as Christine went to her.
"I won't do it! I will not put up with this abuse!" She screamed. Christine snatched the note and read it swiftly. There was more than enough within it to see why Carlotta was so angry. Subtle jabs, tips on how to sing, recommendations of replacements. All written in that familiar scrawling hand. Carlotta was still screeching until Christine snapped at her.
"Will you stop that noise!"
Everyone stared at their usually soft-spoken manager as she glared around at them all.
"You are all too old to be paying attention to ghost stories! I'm sick to death of this nonsense. There is no phantom of the opera, no opera ghost! I want everyone working and if I hear one more word of this rubbish, somebody is going to pay for it!" She said furiously, marching from the room with her face ablaze. Nobody said a word.
They were all in too much shock.
He watched in anger as the manageress arrogantly denied His complete existence. Who the hell did she think she was? After all of His hard work! After all that He had done for her, tipping the press of about His presence, starting the various rumours to draw in the attention that the business needed! And now she had denied Him, betrayed Him!
Oh no. This would not do at all. He was quite certain of that. He had given her enough chances. He had been amiable, compliant even. Now He was going to take control properly. Christine de Chagny would be receiving another note very soon.
And it would not be one that she would appreciate.
A/N: Another long wait! Lol, I honestly don't know why you people put up with me.
Not much to say on this one. It's late, I'm tired. I just want to make sure that you all send love and adoration to my brand new, super-shiny, ever-so obliging, wonderful beta – Theangelcried. She is brilliant. Love her.
Love
Katie