Chapter 31

Jacques entered the den, not expecting to see Nicole sitting on the sofa, reading. She had a serene look upon her face, and his hopes lifted. She hadn't noticed him yet, which annoyed him so he coughed lightly to make himself known. She looked up, saw him, and her serene look disappeared.

"You are back." She stated, flatly.

"Have you been down here all day?" he asked.

"Yes, this room is very relaxing."

She went back to reading, and ignoring him. She knew it wouldn't last long before he couldn't stand being ignored, but she thought she would try it.

"I delivered your letter."

At this she looked up, "Really? Thank you very much. How is Anne?"

"Well. She tried to come back with me."

Nicole smiled at this, and in her mind she could see Anne protesting to come back.

"I know you must miss her, but she was not allowed to come back with me."

Nicole snorted, "I can see that."

She waved her hand to the emptiness around him.

"Nicole, don't you see it is better this way? The less contact you have with her, or anyone else that puts me in a bad light is better for us! She would turn your mind against me."

"You have already done that yourself!"

He rushed next to her and grabbed her wrist, lifting her from her seat. She felt his grip on her harden like iron, and she saw her hand turning white. He roughly picked her up and made her stand on her bad ankle. Pain shot up her leg, and tears formed in her eyes. He released her wrist and let her drop violently back down. Instantly she grabbed her wrist, massaging blood back into her hand.

"See what you made me do?"

Nicole looked up at him with incredulity.

"I made you do this?" she spat.

"You made me lost my temper. Never mind, I will let it go. I insist you go to your room and get some sleep. The freedom I allowed you today must have went to your head."

She rose from her seat, wanting nothing more to do with him.

As she limped slowly out of the room, she heard him say, "You will love me."

She didn't look back.

Erik had been in his secret hiding place since before Jacques had returned. He saw him riding up on his horse from the bedroom and know that tonight was the night. He had to confront him. He waited for Nicole to come back wanted to tell her first. Not long after he had seen Jacques return, he heard light footsteps in the hall. The door to Nicole's bedroom opened and closed, and he quietly left his.

He knocked lightly on the door and heard Nicole respond, "Go away, Jacques!"

He chuckled lightly hearing her defiant voice and spoke as loudly as he dared, "It's not Jacques."

The door opened instantly, and she pulled him inside without another word. He felt her arms go about him in a hug, then she released him, hiding one hand behind her back. He had no doubt she was hiding something, for her eyes kept frantically blinking, and she was trying hard not to show him her arm.
For the moment, he let it go, for he had important matters to discuss with her.

"It is time."

"Are you really going to talk to him?"

"Yes."

Again she threw her arms around him, clutching him as if her life depended on him. Which in this case it truly did.

"I don't want anything to happen to you. I am so frightened for you."

"I can take care of myself. I have been for a long time."

"But now you have me! Let me in, Erik. Let someone else worry for you, care for you."

He smiled at her, and kissed her lightly.

I have never had someone worry about me, like she does. This is new, and exciting. And at the same time frightening. Am I on her mind so much? Can I be the man that she needs?

He shook these thoughts from his mind, knowing in his heart that he would prove himself worthy of her tonight.

"Nicole, I only wish to talk with him."

She snorted, and uttered under her breath, "That is all I tried to do earlier, and look what happened."

He didn't like the way she said that, as if trying to hide it from him. She let go of him again, and still she shielded her arm from his view. He had to know what she was hiding.

"Nicole, what are you hiding from me?"

Guilt washed over her face and she started to stutter, "I…I…it's nothing…."

He held out his hand, not saying a word. Slowly she withdrew her right arm from behind her back, and placed it in his. He saw a bruise starting to form on her wrist, a large bruise about the size of a man's hand.

"He did this to you?"

He barely registered her slight nod, before he was bounding toward to the stairs. As he reached the first step he felt a small hand on his shoulder. He stopped running and spun around to look at her.

"He hurt you."

She bit her bottom lip and let it go, "Yes, I know."

He threw his hands up and let them fall. Rage had overcome him like a flood, and it was now starting to boil inside. Every second was filled with thoughts of Jacques touching Nicole, and hurting her.

"He had no right to even touch you."

"I know." Was her simple reply.

He turned his head away from her looking down the stairs. When he closed his eyes he saw flashes of what he would do to Jacques as punishment and he smiled evilly.

"I want to cause him pain."

"I know, but that's the old you. It's not the Erik that I love."

With those simple words his anger faded and guilt filled him. He looked at her then and saw silent tears running unchecked down her cheeks. He could tell it had taken all of her might to stand up to him this way. To tell him he wanted to revert to his old ways, the ways of a monster. He knew that if he had gone and hurt Jacques, he would not have been the man she needed.

She would have forgiven me, but part of her would always wonder if I would resort to violence every time something happened. She would be frightened of me, instead of for me.

"He did hurt me, and I want you to you to punish him for that. Just not in the ways you were imagining. Jacques is unwell, Erik. I see that now. Something is not right in his mind. He needs to be handled differently."

She placed her small, bruised hand in his, and reached to kiss his lips. When she pulled away he stopped her within inches of his face, holding her neck gently with his hand.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

She blushed lightly, and shrugged, "Someone is watching out for us, and knew that we needed each other."

"I never had much belief in…Someone."

She smiled at him, and said, "I know, but maybe that will change."

He placed a small kiss on her forehead, and released her.

"I must go now. I cannot put this off any longer."

"Can't I come?"

"No, please. I would feel better if you stayed in your room. The last time you tried to help, I lost consciousness."

They both laughed at this, and both of them knew it wasn't true. He wanted her to stay in her room, so he would have no distractions.

"I will stay."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Erik walked down the stairs and started his search for Jacques on the first floor. As far as he knew there was no other way to get upstairs, and he never heard Jacques go up after he came home. He tried the den where the piano was, but found it empty. He looked down a long dark hall under the stairs and saw light coming from under a door half way down. When he got in front of the door he noticed a shadow pacing the floor.

Without a second thought, he opened the door and stepped into the room.

Jacques turned, expecting to see Nicole, but found himself face to face with the Phantom of the Opera. Shock turned to confusion, and confusion turned to anger.

"How did you find this place?" he screeched.

Erik entered the room fully and saw that it was a study. He surveyed the room purposefully ignoring Jacques. The only light coming from the room came from a large fireplace to his left, which had a ornate desk sitting near it. The windows were large and covered in red and gold curtains. The floor was hardwood, but had large Persian rugs covering every inch of it. There was small overstuffed chair next to a window, with a table that had brandy atop it. He then looked upon Jacques pretending to have just noticed him.

"Answer me!"

"No, you will answer me. Why have you kept MY Nicole here against her will?"

"To hide her form you of course! You cast a spell on her, made her fall in love with you. You only want her for her voice and her body. I will not let you disgrace her so!"

Erik was in front of Jacques before he even had a chance to blink.

"I love her. I also respect her! I would never touch her in any way that would shame her. I can't say as much for you."

"How dare you imply…"

"Her wrist?" interrupted Erik, coolly.

"Christine, you respected her did you not? You kidnapped her. Took her against her will, and probably would have ravaged her if my brother had not stopped you."

"Do even know what happened that night?"

Jacques stared, the smug look he wore wiped off his face. He had not expected that.

"The papers said…"

Again Erik interrupted, "Oh yes the papers. They know all don't they? No one really know what happened that night but Christine, Raoul and myself. Did your brother tell you what happened?"

"No, I haven't talked to him in years."

Erik shook his head, "None of this concerns you at all. All you need to know is that was a mistake I made in blind jealousy. I never loved her, just her voice. I realized my mistake, and let Raoul and Christine go, without harming them."

"Lies." Stated Jacques.

"None of that matters now. I am here for Nicole, the woman that I truly do love! I am taking her away from you."

"You cannot have her!"

"How are you going to stop me?"

Jacques stepped back from Erik, in deep thought. Erik saw his eyes moving fast, and sweat started to pour down his face.

Jacques stood upright and looked Erik in face, he had clearly came up with a way to stop Erik, or so he thought.

"I challenge you to a duel."