For the next week, Christine's thoughts were filled solely of preparation for their departure to Spain. There were many affairs that she needed to settle with her landlord, with Mr. Murray, and others. She also had to decide what she would bring with her on the journey and what she would have to sell or leave behind. With each passing day she felt herself grow more and more eager to leave, to start anew, and to finally be back on stage again. Although she was terribly nervous about leaving the familiar streets of Paris, she felt somewhat at peace knowing that Erik would be there to look after her.
She didn't see much of him the week before they left, as he had his own matters to attend to. He had also taken it upon himself to arrange all the particulars of the voyage. The plan was to catch a train from Paris to Fréjus, then travel by ship to Barcelona, the home of the Gran Teatro del Liceu. The season would be starting in three weeks, so she would have just enough time to get accustomed to the new environment and brush up on her Catalan before her audition. Erik knew one of the owners some way or another so she hoped that would give her a leg up. And although she would be content with a minor role to begin with, she knew that Erik would want her to be the prima donna in her first production at the Liceu. He also relayed that the production that they would be putting was, in his humble opinion, one of the best of the century. It would be the debut of the opera, but as he knew the composer quite personally, he had the pleasure of getting a special preview.
Although he tried to conceal his excitement, Christine could tell that he was thrilled about leaving for Spain. His lanky figure was now alight with vivacity and that same animation was present in his voice when they talked about it. She wasn't sure why he was so thrilled, but was pleased nonetheless that he was as glad to be leaving as she.
With all of their affairs in order, all they had left to do was wait out the last two days before they were to embark on their journey. As the number of hours declined, Christine's nerves began to heighten. It started to set in that she was really leaving Paris, the city that she had called home for so many years. The familiar streets would be only a memory and recollections of the days at the Garnier would be hazy. As much as she knew adored France she knew she had to leave. So many things had gone wrong, the Parisian air held too many painful memories, and she needed a fresh start. And as much as she desired to leave, she was honestly quite fearful of leaving everything she had known and going to a completely different country, where there were few places where people spoke her language, and the environment was quite different. She was also afraid of being alone in such a strange place if anything were to happen to Erik—although she dearly hoped that no deadly thing would befall him. But he had promised her time and time again that he would never leave her, and she trusted him.
Perhaps one of the things that she was the most excited about was being able to spend so much time with Erik. They were renting a small house together, and each time she thought about being able to live with him—even though it was merely platonic—her heart beat just a little bit faster, her cheeks flushed a little bit darker, and her smile grew a little wider. She knew that she needed to keep her heart guarded and that falling for her music teacher—who would never return the sentiment—was not the wisest idea in the least. Nonetheless, she was falling hard and fast and it seemed she wouldn't be able to catch herself.
Nadir came to see them off the day they departed. He and Erik exchanged a few quiet words that Christine couldn't hear, and then he said his goodbye to her, wishing her luck in all of her endeavors. As he left he told Erik to "write him and tell him if the plan goes accordingly," and wished him the best of luck with a wink. When Christine asked him what that exchange was about he shrugged it off a little too quickly and then glanced at his wristwatch and exclaimed that they needed to catch a cab immediately, although they still had an hour until the train departed.
As much as she wished to relax during the train ride, Christine couldn't stop the never-ending flow of thoughts through her mind. She sat wedged between a large German woman with frizzy white hair whose knitting needles clicked and clacked as she made a left hand glove. Erik sat stoically on her other side, fedora pulled down low to conceal his stark white mask. She knew he loathed travelling and having to put up with all the whispers and stares that came with it. Tentatively she rested her head on his shoulder, hoping to comfort him wordlessly with simply a gesture. He was unresponsive for a moment before slowly stretching out a long arm to snake around her shoulders and gently pull her a little closer. She bit back a smile and they remained in that position until the train jolted to a halt at Fréjus.
The port was loud and hectic to say the least. Crewmembers milled about, all doing their respective jobs and calling out to their workmates as they fulfilled their orders. Mothers ushered little wandering children with curious eyes and hands onto the boat, grasping tightly onto their pudgy little hands as the crowd of people swarming around the port threatened to steal them away.
Christine and Erik attracted many inquisitive glances as they boarded the boat due to her beauty and his mask. He had protectively weaved his arm through hers and held her close as they walked to an empty spot on the deck. Christine closed her eyes and let the cool ocean breeze wash over her face, breathing in the salty air with a smile on her face. The gentle rocking of the boat eased her nerves and she felt at peace as the ocean overwhelmed her senses.
The steamer began to slowly propel itself from the dock, and soon they were out on the open water, unable to see land on either side of them. Below the deck there was a dining room and sleeping quarters, both richly furnished. The majority of the rest of the five-day trip they spent in their rooms, Christine usually rose at around eight and joined Erik in his room after calling for some tea to take to him. They spent their time talking, reading, and occasionally Erik would pull out his violin and they would run through a few vocal exercises. With each passing minute she was just a bit closer to Spain and her new life.
The boat finally shuddered to a stop at the main port in Barcelona. The passengers all disembarked onto the dock, hauling large suitcases behind them. Erik looked around warily and she could feel his arm tense underneath her hand. She glanced up at his masked face and smiled gently. "It's ok," she reassured him. His eyes continued to dart uneasily around the mass of people swarming around them. "Please, Christine," he said shakily. "Let's hurry."
They dragged their heavy bags along with them to the little villa that they were staying at. The landlord was standing on the porch, as promised.
"Sr. Erik," he greeted with a boisterous smile. "So wonderful to meet you." They shook hands and the proprietor led them inside. "Just a few papers to fill out," he explained. Once all the affairs were settled she and Erik took a tour of the house.
It was small and modest, built with classic Spanish architecture. There were three bedrooms, two baths, a little kitchen, and a small living room. In the backyard there was a garden blooming with different flowers, herbs, and vegetables. It was somewhat secluded; the nearest house was four hundred meters away. Erik seemed pleased with it, and Christine was willing to live anywhere he chose.
They spent the next few days working on her Spanish and preparing her vocal cords for the rigorous training they would be going through in a few days. Erik was irritated with her inability to hit the very high notes that she had once been able to hold when at the Garnier, but after a few months of neglect her voice was not what it once was. Nevertheless he promised her a leading role, and raved with excess about the new production that Liceau would be putting on. Christine couldn't help but feel a bit of apprehension, as she did not want to disappoint him, especially when he was so enthusiastic about this particular opera. It was rare that he ever expressed so much excitement about something.
The first day of auditions she walked in with her head held high, ignoring the curious stares and conspiring whispers. She sang her scales and two experts that showed off her range, impeccable technique, and wonderful acting skills. They continued to call her back, had her sight-read a few lines with different male leads. Three days later, they gave her the lead, proclaiming excitedly that the part seemed to be "made for her voice." Erik was thrilled when he heard the news, so much so that he even took her into her arms and hugged her fiercely before he realized what he was doing and pulled away quickly. Christine remembered that moment and considered it a triumph, and no matter how much she tried she could not still her hammering heart whenever she thought of that embrace—which she did quite often.