I sadly don't own the Phantom or any other characters created by G. Leroux, S. Kay and A. L. Webber, but they always have a place in my heart. Thanks to my beta, Luthien Saralonde!

DINNER AT THE DOUVILLES PART 1

As expected, an invitation at the Douville's for dinner next Friday arrived two days later. Clara nearly threw a fit when she found out that the invitation was for the Perraults only and had not been extended to her. Since she could not show up there uninvited and was too proud to ask Joséphine to talk to Florence de Douville on her behalf, she pretended to have come down with a heavy migraine that enabled her to keep her social obligations for the next week. She preferred to stay in her darkened rooms, sulking and feigning to be sick (and plotting against her stepdaughter).

Together with the invitation, Florence de Douville had sent Joséphine a list of the other guests at the dinner, including the latest news about them, explaining in a note that since she had been away for so long she should be up to date on the latest gossip, lest she not go unprepared into the lion's den. Joséphine knew that this was Florence's way to excuse herself for having told everyone the latest news about her and her newly found husband. At least she knew now who and what to expect at the dinner.

The guest list included fourteen other people besides Joséphine and Erik. There were Gustave and Marlène de Villois, a couple in their fifties, and Jules and Genevieve Marinvilàs. Both Gustave and Jules were colleagues of Christian de Douville in the National Assembly. There was the widowed Comtesse Dauphine de Faubournet de Montferrand, coming from an old family of nobles, along with her daughter Marguerite and her son-in-law Etienne de Montrichard. Jules Jaluzot, the founder of the Grand Magasin Printemps, his wife Augustine, the writer Édouard Pailleron, the painter Zacharie Astruc, Florence's brother Gilles Becault and the Douville's neighbours, Alphonse and Bernadette Guillemin made up the rest of the invites. Joséphine knew some of them, and had heard of the rest, and was looking forward to be around people again.

The few days until Friday passed by in a blur. Joséphine spent a lot of time at her seamstress, wanting to impress everyone, especially Erik, with an exquisite dress in the latest fashion. She had hundreds of different colours and patterns to choose from, but in the end, and with the help of Mathilde, she found what she wanted. As a servant, Mathilde also knew some of the gossip that made its round between the servants, and she gladly shared her knowledge with her mistress.

Erik made himself scarce during the day, but always showed up for dinner. Something had changed between them since Joséphine's confrontation with Clara last week. After having admitted that he indeed liked her, maybe even felt attracted to her, Erik seemed to have grown more comfortable around his wife. He became friendlier and more open, which made Joséphine happy and gave her reason to hope that their relationship would work out good in the end.

True, there was still the problem of her husband being in love with Christine de Chagny, but it was her he had spent the last weeks with, getting to know her. Joséphine did not dare think about the possibility that Erik could convince Christine of his worthiness and therefore lose him for real to this woman, so she did her best not to give it too much thought and tried instead to make the best of their time together.

She knew it would be hard for her to let him go if he so wanted, but she also knew that she had to, just as he had let go Christine that night in the opera. It was his choice to make, but she prayed that when the time came, he would choose in her favour.

The evening of the dinner finally arrived. The carriage was outside, and Erik was waiting in the vestibule for Joséphine to come down. He had to admit that he was a bit nervous. Talking to clients and meeting other people for work was one thing, being among a bunch of people who only gathered to exchange small talk and gossip on others was something he was completely unused to. He had always despised the ballet rats for their love for gossip, and now he felt like he was going into the lion's den.

A creak on the stairs finished his pondering and he looked up to see Joséphine coming down. She wore a beautiful silk evening gown in a deep burgundy red. The cut was simple, the bustle small, and at a closer look one could see golden threads woven though the fabric, forming a delicate floral pattern. The corset was bound tighter than any he had seen her in, accentuating her décolleté. Her hair was tied up in an elegant bun and adorned with golden pins that contrasted perfectly with her auburn hair. Around her neck she wore a small golden necklace with a ruby in its centre. He had to admit that she looked absolutely stunning.

Joséphine looked at him shyly, waiting for him to comment on her attire, but Erik seemed to be at a loss for words. She took the last steps until she came to a halt right in front of him. She was pleased that her seamstress had talked her into choosing the dress in such a scandalous colour.

"Just promise me you'll be more talkative during the dinner, alright?" she smiled up at him, enjoying the effect she had on him.

Erik finally tore his gaze away from her body and looked her in the eyes. "If I'm seated across from you, I can't guarantee that. You are…magnifique." He took her hand and kissed it, making her blush, before leading her out the door to the carriage. When they were seated and the vehicle had taken off, it was Joséphine's turn to look him up and down.

"You are not so bad either. I'm sure you're going to make quite the impression," she stated. Erik had dressed once more in the obligatory black coat and trousers, with a waistcoat in a deep maroon and tone in tone embroidery on it. The mask melted perfectly with his features, even though the hair of his wig had been combed back neatly.

He may not have been a handsome man, but his appearance was definitely elegant. At her compliment, Erik flinched slightly. Joséphine grew curious. "Are you nervous?"

Erik pondered a second on that. He knew she would not think worse of him for being insecure, but he felt nonetheless uncomfortable admitting it. "A little," he finally said. A gentle laugh escaped her lips.

"I am too," she answered. As he raised his visible eyebrow, she explained. "This is my first evening out in society in a year. I know how it works, Florence and the Comtesse de Faubournet de Montferrand are like predators, looking for gossip everywhere. Me not being married at my age was nothing but scandalous in the eyes of the Comtesse, and now I show up after being absent for this long with a husband nobody knows. People will talk, we cannot change it, and so we just make the best of it."

She reached out to grab his hand. "It will be all right. You have the ability to influence people. Just don't threaten them, charm them," she concluded with a grin.

Erik shook his head at her words, even in reassuring him, she succeeded in teasing him. And she had come to be the only person he let get away with it.

The rest of the ride passed in silence, and ten minutes later, the carriage stopped in front of the Douville's house. Erik assisted Joséphine in getting out of the coach, looking up at the home of his wife's friends. It was an elegant two-storied town manor closer to the centre of Paris, in a rich quarter, but not as wealthy as the one he now lived in. Similar buildings lined the street on both sides, and a couple that had come out from the building next to them approached them. Joséphine turned towards them, a smile on her face.

"Bernadette, Alphonse! It is good to see you again," she greeted them.

"As it is to see you," Bernadette answered. She was a small woman with dark ringlets adorning her head, a bit older than Joséphine, dressed in a cerulean gown. Her husband was towering nearly two heads over her, with equally dark hair and an impeccably trimmed beard.

"So you are the famous Erik Perrault Florence made us so curious to meet," she addressed Erik, offering her hand to him. Erik gave a small bow.

"I hope I will be able to live up to your expectations, Madame," he answered, then greeted Alphonse Guillemin as well. Together, they took the stairs to the entrance, where Florence and her husband greeted them. Florence wore a turquoise evening gown with lighter accents that went very well with her blond hair and bright eyes. She greeted the couples warmly and guided them to the salon, where the other guests were enjoying their aperitifs. Servants were walking around, offering champagne.

"If you will excuse me, we are still waiting for the rest of our guests to arrive. But we will talk later." Smiling warmly, she left to go back to the vestibule. Bernadette gave a sweep over the present guests and immediately knew who was still missing.

"She wouldn't be the Comtesse if she weren't the last to arrive," Bernadette stated with a knowing smile. "She loves to make an entrance." Joséphine nodded. Florence's love for gossip was nothing compared to the Comtesse.

Being old nobility, she felt herself superior of others. But during her revolution, her family had lost all her fortune, and had it not been for some advantageous marriages, the family would have succumbed to insignificance. Her daughter Marguerite had married a lower aristocrat from Brest who had made a fortune with a shipping company. They had come to live with her in Paris after the Comte had passed away three years prior. Since then her favourite pastime had become attending all the important social events, collecting information about the guests and spreading them at the next opportunity.

The couples made their way around the room to greet the other guests. Erik took an immediate liking in Zacharie Astruc, who was not only a painter, but also a sculptor and an art critic for a known journal. Joséphine was greeted warmly by Florence's brother, Gilles Becault, a once suitor who she had turned down, because she felt nothing more then friendship for him.

The overall conversations stayed superficial and friendly, but ended abruptly as the Comtesse announced her arrival by clearing her throat. She stepped into the room as if she was the hostess and Erik blanched, recognising her immediately. She was a frequent visitor of the opera, owning a box across from his in the audience. She had to have been there at the night of Don Juan, and he knew that the first test of his new identity had come.

He turned to inform Joséphine of his discovery, but Alphonse already guided her to the dining room. He could do nothing else than offer his arm to Bernadette, who had been assigned his lady for the evening, and walk with her to supper.

A/N: I'll put pictures of how I imagine Joséphine's dress on my site.