Chapter 4

Erik could not believe what he had just heard. This man, who knew nothing about him, just said he would give him the freedom he so desperately wanted!

Madeline was the first to regain her voice. "Gustave, you cannot possibly want him! He's horrible to look at! Your daughter would not be so keen to protect that beast if she saw what was underneath that mask!"

Gustave took one look at Erik's masked face and whispered in Christine's ear, "Christine, remember how your mother and I told you not to judge a book by its cover?" Christine nodded her head, and her father added, "Well, whatever the boy looks like, stay silent or he willhave to stay here. Understand?"

Christine nodded again, though she really was too young to understand.

"Erik," Gustave said, bending down to meet his eyes (even though Erik was up to his chest). "Christine and I both swear on music itself that we will never react the way your mother does if you don't wear the mask. If you really want to leave, you're going to have to trust us, okay?"

Erik knew what he was asking and he knew his witch of a mother was right: if even she could not love him, how could Christine father do so? But something about this man seemed to give Erik hope in his kind words.

Slowly, much to Madeline's shock, Erik closed his eyes and nodded to Gustave, who slowly peeled off Erik's mask.

Erik heard Christine gasp and he felt the blood rush to his skeleton cheeks.

Suddenly Erik felt something restricting his movements and he heard a giggle. He looked down to see Christine hugging him, saying, "It's okay, Erik. You can cry but I don't think it's as bad as she says."

Erik looked at Gustave, who was just smiling and he started to cry for the first time since his fifth birthday, but this time he wept for joy!

Madeline started crying, too, and she said, weeping, "You can't take him away, you just can't!"

"Madeline," Gustave said, attempting to comfort her, but she shrank from his touch.

"He is the only thing I have left of my Charles! Please don't take him away!"

Christine looked at the woman angrily and said "If you love Erik so much, why did you abuse him like you did? I bet if his papa were here, he would love him more than you!"

Madeline looked at Erik and Erik said, "You never even gave me a kiss on my fifth birthday, Mother. Remember? One for now and one to save for later."

Madeline, realizing this was a battle she could not win, went over to her son and kissed his unmasked forehead, much to Erik's surprise, and she said truthfully, "Just promise me one day you'll come back to see me, my son."

Erik looked at Gustave and the tearfully grinning Christine and he said, "I promise, Mother."

Madeline looked at Sasha, who was still under the table and said, "Are you going with Erik or staying here?" Sasha just wagged her tail and hopped over to Erik as Madeline grimaced and said, "Of course you'd leave."

As soon as dawn was upon them the next day. Gustave had hired a small coach since the dog could not ride a horse and Erik had never ridden one before, but Gutave promised to teach him.

Madeline stood in the doorway with Marie Pruett. Marie could not contain herself and told Erik, "You are a wonderful boy! Never forget that your father would have loved you so much! I am proud to at least be your aunt."

She threw her arms around Erik and Erik turned to his mother, saying, "I know you always loved me, Mother, you just did not know how to show it. I will keep my promise, though, because you still owe me another kiss."

Madeline wept, saying, "Just go. Just get out of here and take that damned animal with you."

Erik, Gustave, Christine, and Sasha got in the coach and left the Rouen, unsure where the road would lead them next.