Disclaimer: I own only my ideas and my imagination.
I let my gaze wander around the parlor. My "Erik Project" was spread all over the table and floor as I had left it, the lamp was still on from my late night working, and my crackers were still on a plate on the floor. I loved crackers and cheese as a midnight snack.
"Where's the book?" I asked. The giant book that had gotten us home wasn't anywhere near me.
"It started to flame as we traveled back so I let go of it. As soon my hands were no longer in contact with it, the book erupted into a bonfire! The smoke dizzied me and then I was here with you," Tristan replied incredulously. "You should probably call your parents. We've been gone for awhile!"
Tristan left the room while I called my parents. They were surprisingly calm.
"Mom! Dad! I've been gone for at least a month with no contact with you and you weren't worried one bit about me? I find that hard to believe!"
"You weren't gone for a month, dear. You didn't call last night. That was it. We just thought you had had a very full day and forgot to call us. It's alright, honey. You probably dreamed up the entire thing. Go to sleep and call us tomorrow night! Love you, bye!"
"Love you too! Bye!" I hung up the phone and pondered what they had said. I was only gone for one day here but for a month in Oz. Then another thought hit me. Tristan and I had gone to Oz through the boulder in the abandoned zoo that Gwen had trapped us in. If we'd only been gone a day, her goons were probably searching the area for us. They might be barging in here any minute!
"Tristan! Where are you?" I hollered.
"I'm in the kitchen! Something wrong?!"
"We need to leave as soon as we can," I advised. "I just called my parents and they said we had only been gone for a day. That means that Gwen will have her goons looking for us and they might come here any minute!"
Tristan stepped over to me. "Go pack your things. A suitcase should be in the wardrobe. Meet me back here as soon as you're done." With that, we split and went to our rooms. Ten minutes later, we were back in the kitchen. Tristan gave me his suitcase and packed a basket full of food. He carried the basket and his suitcase as he led me into the library.
Tristan quickly strode over to the 'L' section and pulled out The Phantom of the Opera. The bookshelf swung inwards and candelabras in the passageway illuminated. "Quickly now."
We hurried through the doorway and down the corridor. "This looks oddly familiar," I commented.
"This passage leads to Christine Daae's dressing room in the Opera House. Currently there is no one using the dressing room so we won't be intruding on anyone," Tristan replied, urging me even faster. Soon we were coming out of a mirror into the dressing room and hurrying through the numerous hallways of the Opera Populaire. We stopped by the front desk and rang the bell. The concierge came forward and Tristan had him call us a cab.
The cab came in due time but Tristan was already on edge. He threw the bags in the trunk and joined me in the backseat. He instructed the driver to take us to the De Chagny estate as quickly as possible.
"Do you mean we're going to the relatives of my ex-boyfriend Radcliffe?! Are you insane?! I don't think your ancestors and his got on too well! Your great-grandfather wasn't exactly the Vicomte's best friend!" I exclaimed.
"Relax, Jack," he said with a smile. "The current Vicomte is quite a friend of mine. Only Radcliffe has a resentment of my family."
We arrived at the estate in short order. The Vicomte came out to greet us as we unloaded our bags.
"Good evening, my friend! It's been too long since our last meeting! I missed you last night at Le Prophet at the Opera Populaire! Where were you? I forget my manners. Please come in!" the Vicomte exclaimed in French.
"He says that he missed me at Le Prophet last night and to come in. Let me make your acquaintance! Monsieur Pierre, the Vicomte de Chagny may I present Jacqueline Tenbrook, my fiancée?"
"Pleased to meet you, mademoiselle! I have looked forward to making your acquaintance ever since Tristan told me about you! Is your voice as good as he says it is?" Pierre asked.
"I don't think so, monsieur," I blushed, looking down at my hands. "Tristan has a habit of exaggerating things."
"Well, you'll have to prove it tonight! I have a grand piano in the parlor. Tristan, you will play and Jacqueline will sing! But that can wait. Dinner is ready and waiting!"
After dinner, Tristan and I sang a duet that he had written. It was all about the joys and sorrows of love won and lost. It was about the freedom found in music and the bondage of silence. By the final note, Tristan, Pierre, and I were all in tears.
"That was beautiful! Bravo! Bravo!" Pierre exclaimed, jumping to his feet as he clapped. Tristan took my hand and he bowed while I curtsied. "You must sing at the Opera House! The cast of Don Juan is looking for a new leading soprano and tenor! You both should audition! I will be watching the headlines to see if you make it!" Pierre suggested. Tristan looked to me.
"I don't know if they'll take an American who doesn't know one word of French, but I'll audition! Tristan?" I looked to him, begging him with my eyes to audition with me.
"I guess I'll audition as well. What can it hurt?" he smiled. Then he turned to Pierre. "Pierre, can we stay here tonight? Some kidnappers are most likely looking for us and they probably think we're at home. We'll only be here tonight."
"Of course, my friend! Stay as long as you like! I'll have Marguerite show Jacqueline to her room." Pierre went over to an intercom and held down a button. "Meg, dear? Are you home?"
"I just got back from the market. Is there something you need, darling?" a voice replied.
"Could you come to the parlor? Tristan and his fiancée are here. Jacqueline needs to be shown her room."
"I'll be right there." A few minutes later, a petite blonde woman, not much older than me, appeared in the doorway.
"Hello! I'm Meg de Chagny. My husband has probably introduced me as Marguerite! Silly man! He knows that I don't like to be called by my full name. It's too long and fancy!" Meg said smiling as she held out her hand. I shook her hand and then followed her up the marble staircase to my room for the night.
"The men will probably be talking long into the night so we might as well go to the Opera House. There's another performance of Le Prophet tonight if you'd like to go," Meg suggested.
"I'd love to, but it's probably not such a good idea to go back to the Opera House. Some kidnappers are after us and they're probably lying in wait all around the Opera Populaire at the moment. Why don't we play a card game?" I proposed.
"Sure! I'll call some of the servants and we can play Apples to Apples! It's my favorite game! Do you like it?"
"I love that game! I didn't know you had that game in France!" I exclaimed.
"I'll go get it while you unpack. The bathroom is through the door there and the wardrobe is for your use. I'll be right back!" And with that, Meg was gone.
That girl never stays still for a second! I thought. The room was vast! There was enough room to run around in a gigantic circle without hitting anything! The bed had a "roof" and thick drapes pulled back at the corners. There was a small table with two chairs across from the bed, probably thirty feet away! The wardrobe was in a corner opposite the door, and the door leading to the bathroom was in the other corner. I walked over to the wardrobe and set my suitcase inside. Whoa! The rich in France still live like they did a hundred- something years ago! Now I know what Raoul's life must have been like as a boy. No wonder he seemed like a spoiled brat!
I realized I was still in my dress from my "meeting" with Shell. I didn't want to burn it but Shell had touched it! I quickly changed into a royal purple three-quarter sleeve shirt and dark blue jeans. I put my hair up into a ponytail and slid my feet into some black flats. Soon, Meg returned with some puff pastries and the game! For the rest of the night, Meg, myself, and three of her servants played Apples to Apples and laughed so hard our sides hurt! It was a wonderful reprieve from the apprehensive situation I was in!