CHAPTER 23

Her voice was a rich, full alto that flowed from her tongue like honey. It was as good as any of the practiced instruments he'd heard on both the stages of Paris and NY, better still in the intimate setting of the guestroom. And the words caused a curious feeling that tickled the inside of his mind.

Even after it had faded from the air, the sound continued to resonate in his body and softly caressed Erik's stifled heart. Since that fateful night on the pier his blood had run cold, stimulated only by love of his son. Now it started pumping a new vigor into his veins. The sudden rush of heat filling his limbs made him light headed.

When Lisa saw Erik standing in the doorway she stopped dead in her tracks with embarrassment. In the dark of the room she stood as still as a statue waiting for his reaction. The deep violet dress with lavishly embroidered sleeves, matching gloves and shoes that Lisa wore made her alien to the familiar environment of her home. Her hair was piled up and away from her face into a mass of tight curls from which only a couple of bouncing spirals escaped to fall down her neck.

For just a split second it seemed to Erik she was an apparition stepped out of time to confront him. He began to tremble as he took slow steps to stand only inches in front of her. His conscious mind had shut down and without knowing his intent he gripped Lisa by the upper arms tightly until she began to wince from the pressure.

"Erik, let go please you're hurting me." Lisa pleaded, trying to wriggle her arms out of his grip and gain freedom. Erik only stared dumbly back at her. His breathing had become ragged as panic began to sink in. His mind was replaying those long ago events that had traumatized him. The spell was only broken when a strange light glinted in the fierce green eyes of his captive. He immediately let go and Lisa pushed off from his chest to put some distance between them.

Lisa glared back at Erik wild eyed as she rubbed the ache from her arm. Fury began to build inside her until she watched Erik fall to his knees and quietly begin to sob. The sting of her anger disappeared in a puff of concern as she rushed to his side, falling to the floor in front of him and gathering his limp hands into her own. He raised confused eyes filled with tears to meet hers. Lisa recognized the faraway look in his eyes and understood what had happened.

"I… I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." He stuttered. Lisa had to take several deep breaths before she could respond.

"I always thought I had a pleasant enough voice, not bad enough to send someone into hysterics." She tried to joke. Erik let out a choked grunt that might have been a chuckle if not for the strain of his emotions. When he managed to regain control they both rose off the floor in unison, still clutching hands.

"I think I just need some rest. It's been a trying day." He said softly. Lisa was surprised to find she felt very disappointed, but didn't want to press the matter if he wasn't willing to discuss it. She nodded and dislodged her gloved fingers from his.

"Of course, I'm very tired as well. I'll see you in the morning." Erik nodded back. Lisa didn't know what compelled her to do it. She took the one step that separated them and wrapped her arms around Erik's solid frame. He was stiff against her for several tense moments before he was able to lift his arms and return the embrace. It might have only been a moment or two that they stood there, but it felt like hours when they finally stepped apart, feeling immediately bereft of the others presence. Lisa mouthed a shy goodnight, made her way around him and left the room.

Erik remained where he was as he regained his full composure. Moving mechanically he went to give Gustave a kiss on the fore head and went to his room. Had he been more aware of the world around him he might have noticed that although the boy's eyes were closed Gustave was wide awake. Once his father had closed the door behind him, Gustave sat up in bed and considered what he'd witnessed.

There had been a moment where all the pain of his father's past had gripped him and taken control, and in that moment he'd reached out for Lisa's help. It may not have been the kind of romantic moment he'd read about in fairytales, but its implications were the same in his mind.

Gustave hadn't preyed since his mother's funeral, but before he lay back down in the bed he closed his eyes, brought his palms together and whispered a silent entreaty to god and his mother to make the impossible possible.

The next couple of days passed very much the same as the preceding twelve had, except that Lisa and Erik's every move was now being catalogued by Gustave as well as Kara, though for very different reasons.

At dinner on the eve of their departure, Mama Aguilar regaled the group one last time with the retelling of her romance. One might think the story would have gone stale, but with each incarnation the teller would divulge another tasty tidbit that made it worth hearing again. Not to mention the enthusiasm and vigor with which she told it.

The old woman had developed a bothersome cough, a sign she said that the oncoming winter would be harsh, so she retired early while the others sat in the music room listening to Erik play. The music was like a serenade, coaxing tender feelings of longing and hope from its audience. But none were affected as much as Lisa and Erik.

Gustave fell asleep promptly by the third song as he always did, signaling the end to the evening. It was bittersweet for Lisa to join Erik in Gustave's room on the eve of their last day in the manor.

"You'll be getting back home just in time, this was the last of your tea." She said as she sipped the steaming liquid.

"I could have some delivered if you think you'll miss it." He suggested.

"No, that's alright. It's good enough, but I actually prefer our regular blend."

"You should have told me. I never required you to suffer through it for my sake."

"There was no suffering. I think it's good to try something new now and then, and it does have an interesting spice."

"I understand it might be a little too much for the unaccustomed palate." He said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Humph, if I didn't know it was just your sense of humor I'd call you an insufferable man."

"I had the impression you liked my sense of humor, or perhaps you were merely laughing AT me and not with me." He teased. Erik had learned some of the finer points of friendly banter, but the fine line that made it flirting was already being pushed.

Lisa rolled her eyes, but the smile that lit her face betrayed her attempts at seeming vexed. It didn't take long for a bit of melancholy to taint her mood and make her frown into her drink.

"You seem sad. I thought you'd be relieved to have some peace and quiet restored to your home."

"It seems I've had plenty of peace and quiet. It felt good having company, and I'm sorry to see you go." On whatever level it was viewed, it was as completely honest an answer as she could give, though it wasn't the complete truth.

"It won't be forever. Though Gustave won't be well enough to visit for a while longer, you're more than welcome to call at our home anytime." Erik turned away to look at Gustave's form as it had sprawled across the coverlet.

Lisa now saw the gesture as an indication that he was feeling timorous. It was one of many she'd come to recognize. She had to look away suddenly as she fought an unexpected impulse to reach out for his hand. The uncharacteristic jerk of her head pulled Erik's attention back to her.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes." Lisa croaked, her voice suddenly becoming thick.

"Can I ask you something?" he inquired. Erik didn't usually ask permission when he wanted something.

"Of course."

"What kind of man was your husband?" he asked with a blasé air. The tightness around Lisa's heart seemed tenfold compared to usual, but her throat didn't tighten as it normally did on the subject. She cleared her throat and looked away, fixing her gaze on Gustave.

"That's not an easy question to answer if you didn't know him. My father found him at an Irish port, pick-pocketing the drunken sailors. The captain had caught him hanging about the local whore house, his pockets already heavy with loot, and threatened to hang him from the yard arm. Had it not been for Armando Aguilar, first mate at the time, he'd of done it too.

My father respected his commander, but he often spoke of how difficult and unrelenting the man could be. So the first officer gave him another idea. Since the last cabin boy had died of dysentery they should just shanghai the lad and put him to work. He was around 10 I think.

Charles parents had died of plague and he'd had no other family. My father took him under his wing, and a few years later when the captain died from drink he promoted Charles to a full-fledged sailor. He remained with under my father's charge for 20 years before he retired and came home to my mother.

When I turned 18 father brought him to stay with us for a time. He'd been discharged from the navy rather dishonorably. Apparently he took offense to his current captain's affinity for the slave trade, and nearly beheaded the man while he was attempting to rape a colored woman. So he came with that same slave in tow."

"Do you mean Kara?" He asked. Lisa smiled brightly and nodded.

"I hated him at the start. He was arrogant, raucous and loud. And he thought I was pompous and self-righteous." She said, and Erik made a knowing guffaw. "But he definitely changed his mind once we took the time to get better acquainted. Kara was quite happy to be our matchmaker too."

"Really." He said with a disbelieving air.

"My father gave him work as a kind of attendant/bodyguard, so he went with us where ever we traveled."

"Your father approved when you announced your engagement, even though he was so beneath you."

"We aren't snobs Erik. My father was over the moon at the idea. Charles was like a son to him already, so he considered the pairing fated." She ended somberly.

"You must have been very in love." He said.

"He was my everything, my inspiration, my reason for seeing the beauty of the world and not despair its ugliness." She finished. For a long time no one spoke, even after the teapot was empty and the fire dwindled low.

"Would you tell me about Christine?"

"What is there to tell that Gustave hasn't already told you?" he replied sorrowfully. Lisa sighed loudly her frustration. "Perhaps one day I can tell you about her, but not today. I…" he trailed off, but didn't finish his thought.

Erik lay comfortably in his rented bed for the last time that night. More comfortably than he'd been since leaving his lair beneath the opera house, he admitted to himself. He didn't want to think if that was because of the softness of the mattress, the darkness of the room, or his proximity to others, especially to her.