Disclaimer: No, I do not own Erik. He is simply borrowed for my own purposes.

AN: Four chapters in, what, three days? Not bad if I do say so myself. I'll try to have at least one chapter up tomorrow, I may even have TWO if I feel very inspired. I will say, here at the beginning, that everything in this chapter turned out exactly as I wanted it to. Black ribbon roses to all those who review!

Chapter 13

"Oh, Annie I've missed you so!" Elizabeth proceeded to give me a kiss on the cheek and she did a twirl around the room. "You can't imagine how heartbroken I was to go home after the end of school and find you gone! Mama was so unfair to send you away like that. Why, you could have come with me to all the balls and parties and teas and we would have had loads of fun! What was she thinking sending you to this place?"

I cleared my throat. "Um, Elizabeth, this is our Aunt Giry. Mama's sister."

"Hello, Elizabeth. I must confess you have grown up into quite the young lady."

She smiled and ran her hands over her expensive morning gown. "Only the best for the Grandmama's dear. A fine education and the best London's society can offer…" She sighed and plopped down onto the divan.

"Well, Anne, I'll leave you two alone." Aunt Giry gave my hand a reassuring squeeze and whispered that she would be just on the other side of the door if I needed her. "You two must have so much to catch up on."

Elizabeth smiled politely and closed the door behind our Aunt. "Ugh! What an insufferable old woman! Do you know she practically stalled me in seeing you? I never met someone so rude in my entire life!"

I turned to find the smile on my sister's face replaced by a look of contempt. "Elizabeth, she is our Aunt, and she has been very good to me."

"Personally, I don't know what Mother was thinking. But then she never did have that much sense about her."

"Elizabeth! You shouldn't speak so of our mother. She raised us!"

"Correction, she raised you and we see how you turned out. I, however, was raised by tutors and by Grandmama's hand!" She stood up and rushed over to me, grasping at my hands. "Oh, but Annie you must tell me all about your time here. Has it been absolutely horrid?"

"The summer has been a little slow, but I must confess I enjoy my time here. I'm surrounded my music, art, and culture, and it's a great wonder to me."

"Yes, you always did have such a fascination for the arts. To be sure, I can't see how. No one who is anyone cares about such things nowadays."

"And yet this theatre is filled to capacity when a new show is performed."

"Oh, everyone goes to see it, but no one wants to be in it."

I wrung my hands and saw that Aunt Giry had brought tea for us. "Would you care for a cup, Elizabeth?"

"Thank you, Annie, I would love one."

"How was your season in town?" I asked, pouring her a cup and fixing it to her liking.

"It was just marvelous. I was the belle of every ball and cotillion. I am even engaged!" She threw off the glove that covered her left hand and displayed the beautiful ring that sparkled in the light.

"Oh, Elizabeth!" I tried to be happy for my sister, but I couldn't muster the energy. "That's wonderful! Who is he?"

"He's the eldest son to the Earl of Manchester. His Christian name is James, but he's my darling Manchester in my heart. We met at my debut at the beginning of the season and he would not take no for an answer. Grandmama was satisfied with his recommendation and with such a strong countenance there is every possibility he will rise in the ranks of nobility. Imagine! I will get to go to Court and see everyone who is anyone! Grandmama and I came here to buy my trousseau."

"But shouldn't that be done in London?" I poured my own cup and walked towards the chair in front of my vanity.

"Yes, I do believe it should, but everyone buys their wedding clothes in London. Grandmama will not spare the expense on my account and she has a house here in Paris."

I smiled wryly wondering why I had not been told this. To be sure, I didn't mind living in the Opera House but it would have been nice knowing I could have stayed at Grandmama's house. But it was silly to think such a thing. Grandmama would never allow it.

"And who is looking after Mama while you are here?" I raised the cup to my lips.

Elizabeth stilled. "Oh, Annie, didn't you hear?"

My breath caught, and my hands trembled. "Hear what?"

"Mama's dead. She died about a week after she got your first letter."

The cup and saucer fell from my hands and landed on the floor, shattering into pieces. "Elizabeth…you're not serious. Surely, you must be joking. You'd be wearing black and would be in mourning and wouldn't have attended balls and most certainly would not be preparing your wedding."

She smiled and waved her hand. "Oh, Annie, people think so little of those nowadays. Grandmama says that we must always press forward. The world doesn't stop every time someone dies, and neither should we."

I stood up and instantly saw the room tilt. I gripped the back of the chair to steady myself. "Aunt Giry!" I cried, knowing she would hear me.

The door flew open. "Anne?" I felt her reassuring arms around me and she settled me back in to my chair. I felt the tears on my face, but I didn't know I was crying.

"Oh, Aunt! I just told Annie that Mama is gone, and I think she's about to faint!" Elizabeth pulled out her handkerchief and waved it in front of my face.

"She's…gone?"

"Mama is dead, Aunt! She's dead and no one told me!" I could feel the faintness slipping away from me. The initial shock was still there, but I wasn't going to faint as Elizabeth was so keen to believe. I looked into Aunt Giry's face and I could see the astonishment there. She was as shocked and unaware as I was. How could I have not known? How could they hide this from me? Why would they hide this from me? My body went numb and I trembled not with sorrow but with a more powerful potent emotion.

"Elizabeth," I bit out. "I think it's best if you leave now."

"Oh, but I'm to take you with me to see Grandmama. I have a carriage waiting and everything." She looked into my face and the smile she gave was so fake that I wanted to scream. "Honestly, Annie, it's nothing to get so worked up about. You should have been preparing yourself for this. You knew she wasn't going to live forever.'

"Get out!" I yelled, letting my temper get the best of me.

"Annie?"

"Get out Elizabeth! Leave me alone! Go away!" I screamed at her and Aunt Giry quickly saw Elizabeth out of my room. I could hear my sister's mutterings of indignation all the way down the hallway.

"She has no right to get so upset like that! Honestly, she's blowing everything out of proportion."

I didn't know if I wanted to cry or break everything in my room. I was conflicted, torn, and filled with such a pain that I had never felt before or since. My heart felt as if it was going to shatter into a million pieces and I couldn't breathe. I wrapped my arms around myself in order to block out everything else that could possibly matter in this world. I felt as if my one tie to life was ripped from me.

"She's gone, Anne. Though I must say that she was quite angry with you."

"Did you see the way she acted? It was as if she didn't care! Our own mother! And Elizabeth just treated her as if she was some insignificant person who didn't raise her!"

I felt my Aunt's arms around me again. "Come along, Anne. Let's get you settled into bed."

"But…dinner…"

"It all can wait. You need to have a good cry and mourn the loss of your mother just as I will now mourn the loss of my sister."

I looked at her with tear-filled eyes realizing how thoughtless I had been. "Oh, Aunt!"

"Now don't you fret about it." She moved me over to the bed, taking down my hair as we walked over. "You just lie down, and when you've had a good rest, we'll talk."

I laid down and rested my head against the pillow. I felt tears immediately rise and fall.

"There now." She sat down next to me and pushed my hair back. "You rest now. Or at the very least get all your tears out."

"It's so unfair," I whispered. "I couldn't be there for her…and then, they didn't tell me."

"What has you more upset, Anne? That your mother is gone or that no one told you immediately after it happened?"

The question struck me. "I guess, both."

"Well, maybe your grandmother was protecting you. You yourself knew that your mother was not long for this world."

I seriously doubted that I was not told on account that I needed protection. But, I should have seen something like this coming. Three months I hadn't had any letters or any word. I should have known that she was gone and they were hiding it from me! Yet, I had held on to the foolish hope that she was alive and well…well, as well as she could be in her condition. But why didn't they tell me? Surely I meant more to them that what I currently felt like…

"I have no doubt that now that your family is here, you'll be mingling in society with them and everything will be alright."

I sat up. "What?"

"Well, we knew that your stay here was only temporary. As much as I've grown to love you over these past few months and as desperately as I want to keep you, you should be with your family."

"But you are my family…" I reached out and took her hands. "I love living here."

"Surely, you'll want to get married and…"

"Mother wanted me to be happy and to marry for love. I am happy here at the Opera House and if I'm here being surrounded by what I love, then matrimony will come by being here." I wiped at my eyes as the fresh onset of tears came. Mother's wish for me was her dying wish.

She seemed uncomfortable at my words, as if she wasn't sure to believe them. "Well, I'm going to leave you now. You get everything out and I'll come check on you a little later." She pressed a kiss to my cheek and left me.

I didn't know what I would do, now being on my own, but I didn't feel like laying in bed. I quickly got up and went over to the trunk situated at the foot of my bed. I opened it up and rummaged around and found some of the few things that mother had kept. She had gifted them to me when I came to Paris, as she would have no further use for them. One of her prized possessions was a photograph of her and father on the day they married. Both looked so happy and so very much in love. The only other photograph was taken just a few days before father…died. It was a family photo with mother sitting in a tall backed chair, with Elizabeth sitting in her lap. Father stood behind them with his hand resting on my shoulder and I stood next to Mama. It was hard to make out as the photo was so old, but I could see Mama holding my hand.

I remember the day that picture was taken. Elizabeth had been fussy about her clothes but I had spent all morning watching Mama get ready. She looked so beautiful in her dress of dark burgundy. Elizabeth and I were both in white with dark burgundy sashes, and Papa wore a tie that matched Mama's dress. We were all smiles, but I could see Papa's strained smile. We looked like one beautiful, happy family. As the tears fell once more, I wished so hard that we could go back to that happy time and be a family once more.

AN: Yes, this is exactly how I pictured Elizabeth from the very beginning and this is exactly how I wanted the news to be portrayed to Anne. Do you agree? Leave a review and let me know!