Erik thought his senses had gone awry in his joy when he felt his skin begin to prickle with ice or heat; he could not tell which. His only sense of mind was for Christine, his fiancée and the way she felt in his arms as he kissed her. It wasn't until Christine broke off from his mouth and said, "We should go inside out of this rain," that he realized what was causing his flesh to awaken.

Erik looked up at the overcast sky. "It's barely sprinkling, and I don't care."

Christine smiled brilliantly at him. "At the very least I would like to get my umbrella so I don't ruin my dress."

Erik nodded, then slid his arm around her waist tightly and let her back inside. There, they encountered Marie, who was either watching them or was very intuitive. She smiled and held out her arms, "Congratulations!"

Christine ran and hugged her, squealing with her excitement. "He proposed!" she exclaimed.

Marie winked at Erik over Christine's shoulder and said, "I knew he would. Now let's see this ring!"

Erik stood by and allowed the two women to exclaim and admire the ring he had designed for her. He beamed to see his little angel so happy and knowing he was directly responsible for it made his heart soar.

Marie released Christine's hand back to her and she addressed Erik, "You have impeccable taste in the truly beautiful." He knew she was not speaking of just the ring.

"Thank you Madame," he bowed slightly, unable to keep the grin from stretching across his face. Christine rushed back into his arms for another embrace, unable to keep herself from his arms for any longer than a moment. He gladly gathered her up and lifted her feet from the ground as he kissed her happily on her waiting lips.

Marie stood by smiling at the young couple. "I suppose I'll be setting off on my errands alone today."

Christine barely heard her, but Erik interceded as he placed Christine back to the floor. "Actually, I think we would love to accompany you into town. We have quite a lot of shopping to do ourselves."

"Erik?" Christine asked, "What more do we need before we return to Paris?"

Erik smiled devilishly at her and said, "A wedding trousseau."

A short time later they rode Marie's carriage into town. Erik and Christine were chattering like two lovebirds in a cage and Marie sat by watching them together, knowing they were so wrapped up in each other that she was nearly invisible to them. She was happy to see that Christine finally admitted her feelings for this man. It was obvious to her he had had a tough life and certainly deserved someone as sweet and caring as Christine. Her father would be proud of his daughter for her choice.

Erik helped Christine then Marie down from the carriage. Thankfully it had stopped sprinkling so Christine put her umbrella away. Marie knew that three made a crowd so she said, "I'm heading down the street for the things I need. If you will be long, I can send the carriage back here to pick you up at a later hour."

"That would be wonderful," Erik said. "Will you tell your driver to come for us in four hours or so?"

"Certainly," replied Marie. "Have fun with your fiancé, Christine." She gave her friend a short hug and left them to their morning.

Erik turned and nuzzled his mouth against Christine's warm neck, unable to resist kissing her pale throat.

"Erik, someone will see," she said, glancing around.

"Let them see, I don't care," he growled into her ear before nibbling her lobe gently. The gesture sent chills up her spine.

She laughed, then playfully pushed him away and gave him a very meaningful glance that stopped his breath in his chest. Her eyes told him later. She smiled and took his hand into hers and walked down the street to the tailor's shop.

The couple working there remembered them and Roger dropped everything he was working on to greet them warmly. "Ah, back so soon! I see you're wearing the grey suit today, a fine choice indeed." Apparently the money Erik paid on their previous visit was more than enough to purchase a few compliments.

His wife Adelia came into the room from the back. "You look lovely my dear. I'm glad you chose to take my advice on the lavender with the black lace trim. It brings out your eyes." She beamed at Christine.

Erik stepped up to Roger and offered his hand for the man to shake, which after the smallest moment of hesitation, he did. He remembered Erik's less than friendly demeanor from a few days prior and didn't know what to think of this new attitude. "My fiancée," he smiled at Christine and squeezed her hand, "will be needing a trousseau after all."

"How wonderful," Adelia exclaimed.

"Erik," Christine asked, "Will you stay here with me?"

"I would, but," he hesitated then added slyly, "I don't think I'm supposed to see the sort of things she will be making for you today."

Christine blushed hotly. "I supposed you're right."

"Don't worry. I don't plan to go far. I'll come back soon to see how things are going," he said, placing a kiss on her lips, then another upon the engagement ring she now wore.

For the next few hours, Erik strolled up and down the streets of town, not feeling the slightest inclination to hide his mask. He strode proudly, knowing that he would never again feel ashamed for his face or wearing a mask. Christine loved him, no matter how he looked and that was all that mattered. He stopped inside shops as he passed them to purchase gifts for his lovely fiancée. He bought her silver combs for her hair, and then some silk shawls he thought would compliment her very nicely. After buying several hats, he started heading back to the tailor shop.

Christine was nearly done in the back room with Adelia and Erik only had to wait a short while before his beloved returned to the front of the shop. She bounded into his arms and kissed him on the lips, not caring that Roger and Adelia were standing right behind her.

"I shall send the garments up to the inn as I did last time," Roger said. He cleared his throat, "Would you prefer to pay the bill now or shall I send it along with the articles?"

Erik did not feel like dickering with money just now. He would have to relinquish his hold on his beloved Christine for his money pouch. "Please just have the bill sent to the inn. I'll ensure proper payment is returned with the courier."

"Very well, monsieur."

Christine and Erik left the shop arm in arm. "What are those packages?" Christine asked.

"Presents for you my dear. I hope you don't mind, but I fully intend to spoil my fiancée," he replied. He shamelessly kissed her again in open view of passersby.

"No!" a shout was heard from behind them.

Christine turned when she heard the voice. Raoul stood in the middle of the cobbled street, holding a bunch of flowers in his hand and a bewildered look upon his face.

"Fiancée?" he choked. He looked painfully into Christine's eyes and she knew he was in shock.

"Yes Raoul. Erik proposed to me just this morning," she said softly holding out her hand to show him the ring. "We're to be married." Her pale fingers shook as she felt like the ring may as well have been a dagger she plunged into his heart.

"Married," he stammered. He seemed unable to grasp the concept fully, then dawning realization overcame him and his face tightened up into a rage. "You said you would eventually ask her! I didn't expect you would do it today!" he roared.

Christine flinched, then realized her wasn't addressing her. "Raoul what are you talking about?"

Erik held her closely while looking at Raoul and said, "I went to him this morning to talk some sense into his head."

"You bastard!" Raoul cursed. "You came to me and insisted I beg Christine's forgiveness, letting me believe I might still have a chance to make amends and change her mind before you stole her away for good. I had no idea you would rush off and propose before I'd had the time to wash and dress myself!" He threw the flowers angrily into the street where they landed in a puddle and splashed muddy water up onto his trousers.

"You went to him?" Christine inquired to Erik. "You did that for me?"

"Yes, my dear," he addressed her, still not taking his eyes off Raoul. "I wanted to make him accountable for how he treated you last night."

"Don't forget to mention the part where you threatened me!" Raoul spat at them.

"I never threatened you. I only stole into your room while you were sleeping because I knew I would never gain entrance to your bedchambers any other way. Can you honestly say you would have admitted me had I come knocking at your door?" Erik retorted.

He had Raoul stumped and speechless with that. Raoul stood there in the street, seething with hatred and jealousy.

Christine pressed Erik's arm with her hand gently to release his hold on her. She stepped toward Raoul and gently said, "I'm sorry you are hurt by this Raoul. But I love Erik. I am going to marry him and it wouldn't matter how much more you tried to convince me that you were the better choice, I just don't feel the same way."

Raoul did not want to listen to reason, "Are you so sure about that?"

Christine's eyes softened, knowing it would be hard for him to hear what she had to say. "You are my best friend. I can never thank you enough for being that to me, but it feels too strange to think of you romantically; to think of you in 'that way'," she emphasized suggestively. "I'm sorry Raoul," she said, then turned back to Erik.

Raoul's head reeled. She could not think of him sexually is what she meant to say. And yet she could find this hideous man before him attractive. He knew what depraved things Erik would do to her undressed body. He imagined his abhorrent mouth and other body parts delving into her most private and pleasurable places and the thought disgusted him and enraged him beyond thinking.

"No! I won't let you marry him!" he shouted at her, crazed beyond reasoning and he grabbed Christine's shoulder to turn her around.

Without thinking, Christine's previous instruction with Erik kicked in and she lanced her sharp elbow into Raoul's stomach driving the wind from his lungs while drawing his wrist back, painfully wrenching it towards his chest. She let go as his knees buckled and he croaked like a frog as he attempted to fill his lungs with air once more. He clutched at his stomach and wrist as he fell to his knees in the wet street.

Christine looked down at him in amazement of what she had just done. She glanced back at Erik only to see him looking surprised and pleased at her. Raoul stared at her incredulously as he taught his lungs to work again.

She stood over him, shaking her head. "I'm so sorry Raoul," she said, "But nobody tells me what I can and can't do."

Erik was at her elbow once more, taking her arm and leading her away to their awaiting carriage.