CHAPTER 4
"Trevor offered to give me a baby to occupy me today..." Angelina Pierpont said, as a few of the young girls who had grown up together gathered for tea at the Pierpont's home. Roxana sat across from her, raising an eyebrow.
"He offered to get you pregnant to occupy you?" She said, looking at her friend Rachelle, who was still unmarried and shook her head.
"Well he isn't much into raising a family, he's so busy with work and it would just get in the way." She said and Rachelle looked at her incredulously.
"What about love Angel? Don't you love each other?" She asked and Angelina nodded.
"Of course silly! But men have better things to do than take care of babies!" She said and Roxana let out a laugh.
"Oh Angel...you have been so sheltered...my father raised me himself." She said and Angel nodded.
"That's true..." She said thoughtfully.
As much as they all loved Angel, she was a bit lost most of the time. She was so innocent having been raised to be a perfect little trophy wife and mother that it was almost sickening. Sort of like when you bit into a wonderful dessert but after a bite or two you realized there was just too much sugar in the delight. Roxana was waiting until the Chagny girls arrived to tell them about her husband, although she had a small suspicion that they were bringing Christine along. Not that it mattered, in fact, Roxana was looking forward to finally seeing this girl. Sure enough, not even ten minutes later, their bubbly chatter was heard as the maid escorted them into the sun room.
"Rosie! Lana! Liz!" Angel cried, standing up as they bombarded her with hugs and kisses. A petite dark haired girl stood shyly behind them with big frightened chocolate brown eyes. She reminded Roxana of a baby deer who'd lost it's mother. Roxana went over to her.
"Christine?" She asked pleasantly. The girl nodded, her innocence evident.
"Yes." She said softly, just above a whisper. Roxana guided her to sit beside her.
"Don't worry dear, we're not all that bad." She said, pouring her some tea. She noted the pretty engagement ring on her finger. "That's lovely, did you pick it out?" She asked and Christine shook her head.
"Raoul did." She said and Roxana laughed, looking at his sisters.
"Yes well, Raoul always did have good taste." She said and Rosie shook her head.
"Are you kidding? Lane and myself had to go along with him...he kept trying to pick out the gawdiest things! Remember that horrid green one?" She turned asking her younger sister who nodded.
"He's just a typical idiot male!" She laughed as Angel frowned.
"What do you mean?" She asked innocently sending Rosaline and Alana into another fit of giggles.
"Oh Angel, you are the sweetest thing..." Rosie said, giggling and sipping her tea.
"So Alana, has he proposed yet?" Rachelle asked her friend who laughed out loud, brushing her light hair back.
"Who? Garrett? Goodness no! Father would kill him! He hardly lets him court me, much less have a chance to get engaged. Ever since I turned sixteen he hardly let's Liz or myself leave the house without Raoul. Rosie is eighteen, so he is more lenient with her." Roxana took a sip of her tea before taking a deep breath.
"Well girls...I am afraid I have some news." She said as all of their heads turned to look at her, surprised.
"You and Andrew are getting married?" Rosie guessed and Roxana made a face.
"Not quite. I got married again though...not to Andrew." Angel and Rachelle's jaws dropped as Rosie spit her tea back into her cup. Christine sat politely and quietly beside Roxana.
"To who?" Angel asked and Roxana thought a moment.
"Oh...he's an older gentleman...his name is Erik Destler." The girls all looked at each other confused and shrugged.
"We've never heard of him..." Rachelle said and Roxana stole a glance at Christine, who seemed just as oblivious as any of them.
"Well are you in love with him?" Elisabeth asked her and Roxana laughed.
"Goodness of course not. It's a marriage of convenience, there's no love involved! He offered me the protection from Andrew." Rosie raised an eyebrow.
"From Andrew? But he's so charming and clever!" She said and Alana nodded.
"And handsome!" The girl added.
Roxana laughed at them.
"Charming...I think not. Clever, yes. Handsome yes...a complete pompous ass. Yes." She said as they all stared at her in shock. Rachelle sighed.
"Not to mention a complete womanizer." She said and Rosaline giggled.
"I'd still fall for him!" She said and Roxana rolled her eyes.
"Silly shallow girl!" She said as Rosie's little sisters nodded.
"A complete ball of fluff she is!" Alana agreed.
"And as sharp as a tack!" Elisabeth laughed, poking Rosie's arm. Roxana looked sympathetically at Christine who had been completely silent.
"So Christine...I can imagine how difficult it has been adjusting to this new lifestyle." She said, touching the girl's hand.
"Yes...it's been trying to say the least." She said with a small laugh. "At least everyone has been patient as I learn the difference between a salad fork and a dinner fork." Roxana giggled.
"Ridiculous isn't it?" She leaned closer, "I know the difference between them, but that doesn't mean I use them correctly. I don't even use the salad fork half the time. I hate salad. Bloody boring lettuce." She said and Christine visibly relaxed, smiling now. Roxana frowned as she looked at the clock on the wall.
"Damn...I have to go. It's getting late and I'm not sure how long before Lucille brings Jamie home from the park. He went out with her and her two boys today." She said, getting up.
"I'm sure your husband misses you too." Rachelle teased.
"I hate you." Roxana muttered and held her hand out to Christine. "Nice to meet you and if you ever need to get away from these three, just tell me and I'll relieve you."
Elisabeth stuck out her tongue at Roxana and giggled.
"When do we get to meet him Rox?" She asked and Roxana stopped, looking at her friend's expectant faces. She rolled her eyes.
"Well, let's see here...it's Saturday, and in two days it will be Monday so I would have to say...never." She said and left, sticking her tongue out at Elisabeth before she turned. She walked to her house, which wasn't too far, pulling her cloak around her tightly in the chilly February weather. The house was silent as usual when she walked in, but for the sound of piano music coming from the salon, where her father's grand piano sat.
She walked in to find Erik sitting there, he looked up and nodded politely to her.
"Sorry, I just realized that you had this and I made sure it was in tune." He said. She gave a small smile.
"Thank you. I...didn't realize you were musically talented." She said and he shrugged.
"It helps me think..." He said and she raised an eyebrow.
"Playing the Kyrie from Mozart's Requiem helps you think?" She laughed and he looked impressed.
"You know your music girl." He said and she shrugged.
"I know a little. My friends and I used to sing in the church choir." She laughed.
"Why is that funny?" He asked and she sighed.
"They were all light little sopranos and I was an alto...I didn't like that I couldn't sing with them so I quit." She said and he chuckled.
"Bloody sopranos are high maintenance anyway. Ask anyone in the opera. Every damn one of them." He said with a bit of bitterness lacing his voice. She cleared her throat.
"Uh yes...speaking of that...I met your um...prodigy today." She said and his head snapped to attention.
"Christine?" He asked, the twinkle leaving his eye as she nodded. "How is she?"
"Frightened...I knew she was a child, but she is really innocent isn't she?" He nodded.
"She was very sheltered." He admitted. "Much of that was my fault. I used deception to shield her from the world."
"What did you do?" She asked and he shook is head.
"Now is not the time to go into it." He said, standing up.
"Fair enough. Do you want to hear something crazy?" She asked and he looked at her uneasily.
"Alright..." He said, and she made a sound of disgust.
"One of the girls said her husband offered to get her pregnant so she wouldn't be bored. Is that not the stupidest thing you have ever heard?" She asked and he sighed.
"Unfortunately Roxana, that is not uncommon. Many men don't want to be involved in raising their children...that's a woman's job according to them." He said and she snorted.
"That's disgusting. Justin was looking forward to the baby!" She said, stopping when she realized what she'd said.
"I'm sorry you lost him." Erik said, uncomfortably.
"I'm fine." She said, biting her lip and hurrying from the room.
"Sir...Lucille has brought Jamie home." Ana's small voice came from the doorway as she brought him in to Erik and handed him off. Erik held the child awkwardly.
"He won't bite you." Ana said with a giggle, helping the man adjust the child to fit more comfortably in his arms. The little boy only laughed, touching the leather of Erik's mask. Erik thought a moment before sitting down and putting the little boy beside him on the sofa as Ana left the room. He rubbed his eye tiredly and noticed that the little boy did the same, giggling as he did. He pushed his hair from his face and watched as James again repeated the motion on himself. So you are brighter than people know...Erik thought with a smirk and leaned down, taking the mask off so that James could see his mouth and the way it moved clearly. The little boy reached out to touch his face, unfazed by the uneven skin.
"Mama..." Erik said, making sure the movement of his mouth was clear.
"Ma..." The little boy said back and Erik should his head.
"Ma...ma." He said separating the syllables, the little boy laughed.
"Ma-ma..." He said hesitantly and Erik grinned triumphantly.
"Good boy James..." He said and pointed to the little boy. "James." He said, telling the child his name and then pointing to himself. "Erik."
"Rik." The boy repeated and Erik sighed.
"Close enough for now." He said nodding as the boy yawned, obviously wore out from his day out to play. "Come on, let us go find your mother so she can tuck you into bed." He said, picking up the boy more comfortably this time, after sliding his mask into place.
"Roxana?" He called, nearing her room.
"Yes?" She called back weakly and he stepped into her doorway.
"Your son is home." He said and she sat up on her bed, holding her arms out for him. Erik set him gently on the bed, where he immediately crawled up beside her and curled up against her. He made to leave but she called his name.
"Erik." She said, her voice deep with exhaustion.
"Yes." He said as her dark eyes bore into him.
"Thanks you know...for everything you've done to help me. I mean...if not for you in a couple of months I would be married to Andrew and Jamie would have been sent away I am sure." Erik nodded curtly.
"Andrew will not harm you or your son, of that I can be sure...now if you'll excuse me, I must attend to some things." She cocked her head, biting her lip.
"Erik?" She asked, causing him to turn again.
"Roxana?" He asked, patiently. She sighed, still thinking about what Angel had said.
"If I wanted another baby, would you give one to me?" She asked and his jaw dropped, making him lose his composure.
"I'm sorry...what did you say girl?" He asked and she sighed.
"I asked if you would get me pregnant if I wanted to." She said, challenging him and he shook his head.
"No. I would not wish this face on any child...nor would I place that burden on your head Roxana...besides...It has always been in my belief that a child should be born out of love and not sense of duty. It wouldn't be right to the child." She nodded, satisfied with his answer.
"Good. You are a good man sir." She said as he nodded before fleeing the room and the heat of her eyes on him. No one had looked at him that long and intently since...ever. It was unnerving. Panic fluttered through his chest as he stormed into the kitchen coming down the back stairs. Ana jumped at the door slamming against the wall.
"My Lord! Can I get you something?" She asked and he began to shake his head but stopped and nodded.
"Yes actually. Anything with alcohol."