Two Weeks – Chapter 21

Without waiting for a response to his knock, Erik bursts into Adele's office, Nadir close on his heels. A quick surveille of the room finds his heart lurch, the sense of foreboding haunting him since he agreed to Christine coming above to sing again, to see the light…the world again is realized.

"Where is she?" he asks, already knowing the answer. Of course she is with the de Chagny boy. Adele's office was his destination. Was seeing his pretty face enough to have her leave without even a good-bye? With no explanation?

Storming towards Adele's desk, he pounds his fist on the heavy walnut. "I trusted you," he cries. "Oh, god, I trusted you. Where did he take her?"

Nadir comes up behind him, placing his hands firmly on the sobbing man's back. "Erik, you do not know what happened." Looking past his shoulders, he asks Adele, "What did happen?"

"Sit down, Erik," Adele says, propped up by her cane, gets up and goes to her armoire.

"I do not want any of your damned tea," Erik says, pushing Nadir away, to make for the door.

"Stop! Just stop and sit down," Adele repeats her command with more force. "I am getting you a brandy…and one for myself." Looking at Nadir, she raises an eyebrow.

Shaking his head, he does say, "Tea would be fine, with the bowl of sugar cubes." Walking Erik to the sofa, he shoves him down, then sits beside him.

The drink orders distributed, Adele returns to her desk, taking a sip from her own snifter. "Drink, then we can talk."

"You just let her go with him?"

"You cannot keep her imprisoned – we discussed that."

"It never occurred to me I was so horrible, she would run off with him the minute he showed his face."

"That is not what happened."

"Then why is she not here?"

"Could someone please tell me what is going on?" Nadir says, biting on his third sugar cube. "If she has run off with the young Vicomte, she is going to find herself with a very irresponsible and deceitful young man."

"Thank you," Erik says, regaining some calm. The Persian's agreement with him was remarkably soothing. Was it always so? He believes it to be so. Perhaps if he had been more wary of the man's effect on him, he might never have left Russia, but that was another story for another time.

"You are no prince charming yourself, my friend, but your sins are of a completely different nature."

"Christine and Raoul knew each other as children – they were fond of one another. He only discovered she was in Paris when he heard her sing," Adele says. "Our friend here found the vicomte in Christine's dressing room after the opera leading him to abscond with her."

Nadir looks askance at Erik. "You did not tell me that part."

"None of this is any of your business, but, I did not abscond with her, she came with me of her own accord."

"So now he hates you enough to make up some tale about you being the one who caused Buquet's accident instead of him."

"You know that is a lie."

"What are you saying?" Adele interrupts.

"The vicomte," Erik sneers, "moved the ballast on the lines Buquet was working with and caused him to hang himself."

"The vicomte?"

"One and the same. The pretty vicomte." The rest of his brandy is downed in one swallow, causing him to cough from the burning in this throat.

"Buquet is recovering but is toying with the idea of blaming the Phantom," Nadir says, "And our young noble has been talking of a man in a black cape."

"But, you were with Christine," Adele says.

"Yes, but who knows what the boy is going to tell her."

Adele rises from her seat to get the carafe of brandy, pours herself another finger and brings the bottle around to Erik. "Drink. You are not going to like what I am going to tell you next."

"What?"

"They are not likely talking about Buquet."

"Even knowing as little as I do about the situation," Nadir says, "I agree. He has been completely distracted about seeing her again – seems quite besotted. His relief that Buquet did not die has likely removed the thought of the accident from his mind."

"Christine does have that power. He would be a fool not to love her."

"And you think she feels the same?" Nadir asks.

"I was afraid if I left things as they appeared when they were together in the dressing room, I would lose her forever," Erik says. "I am not a fool, I can recognize when people care for one another – especially when both are young and beautiful."

"You do not trust her – that she would not speak with you now?" Adele says. "Time has passed since that night…and you were her teacher."

"Why should I trust she be loyal to me. I was not honest with her," he says, getting to his feet putting his snifter on the coffee table. "He might be able to persuade her I am not to be trusted."

"Where are you going?" Adele asks. "She will likely be back soon expecting to find you here."

"I think, under the circumstances, it is best if she stay with you," he says. "I will pack up her things and leave them for you."

"Erik!"

"I think that is best."

"Are you not going to fight for her?" Nadir says.

"I do not know how. I could kill him, I suppose – at one time, I might have done that, but she would only hate me, whether she loved him or not. Who loves a murderer?"

"Now you are making jokes." Nadir rolls his eyes. "In truth, he was quite nearly a murderer."

"I doubt he would harm her," Adele says. "His brother is has been a patron for years – I have never heard anything untoward about him – as is the case with some of the others. Surely the family name would be enough to prevent Raoul from any sort of brutality."

"Unless she tries to leave him – or tells him she has been with me. He is already trying to use me as an excuse for his actions with Buquet," Erik says, his tone dull before the thrust of his own words strike him. "Oh, god. Where did you say they went?"

"The rooftop…said she wanted to feel the sun and wind…" Stopping herself, she says, "You cannot believe…"

"I simply want to be certain she is safe. I doubt he meant for Buquet to have an accident…but maybe he did."

"I am going with you," Nadir says, following Erik.

Erik stares at him for a moment, before sighing and waving his hand for the daroga to follow. "Fine, perhaps that would be best."

"Especially since you were speaking about murdering him, I think it would be wise." Over his shoulder, to Adele, Nadir calls out, "Have no fear, Madame, no harm will be done."

"I shall bank on that promise, M. Khan…trust me."

"It is so wonderful to be up here in the daylight…the sun shining on my face," Christine says as she presses her back against the base of the Angel looking up at the cerulean sky, clear now after the earlier snowfall. "Even in the chill."

"You have not been outside?"

"Not during the day…not for some days," she says.

"But at night?"

"Yes – carriage rides," she says, walking to the edge of the rooftop. "There…the Champs Elysee and the Bois. Notre Dame. I have seen so much of the city. It is quite beautiful."

"Where have you been staying?"

"No place you would know," she says, turning away. It would not do to reveal too much to Raoul, however easy it felt being with him again. How long has it been seven years…eight? The summer at the beach was one of the happiest of her life. Friendship was something she knew nothing of until meeting him. Pappa was the only person in her life she was close to before meeting Raoul.

"There. I have it," the boy called out holding her red scarf in his hand, slogging through the sand and the waves promising to drag him back into the sea.

"Thank you. Oh, thank you," she cried, running toward him. "My Mama knit this for me."

"Then you must not let her know you lost it."

"If she is watching from heaven, she already knows."

"Oh, I am sorry."

"Why would I not tell her, though, if she was still with us?"

"Best not to let your elders know when you have made a mistake…they will hold it against you and mete out due punishment." The glowing smile on his handsome face turns to a scowl.

"My Pappa would never punish me for a mistake or accident," she said. "If I did some harm on purpose, he would certainly be angry and give me a penance, but…well, the wind caught the scarf and I could not catch it. The loss would have made me quite sad."

"My brother would just say I was careless."

The memory she holds of those days is always tempered by recalling how the sweet boy, enjoying spending time with her and Pappa – listening to stories and playing games – could become mistrusting and angry. "Spoiled" Pappa called him.

"…and wily. A nice enough boy but untrustworthy, tainted by his wealth.

"No, Pappa, Raoul is kind and funny."

"He is that, but he never takes responsibility," he said. "Look how he left us to clean up after our meal."

"That is what he knows."

"My point."

"I have thought of you so often," Raoul says, coming up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Leaning against him, resting against his chest, she felt the warmth coming through his wool coat. The wind was picking up and the entire experience was so comforting. Pappa used to hold her like this when the weather was too severe for her garments. Rocking her back and forth, singing softly in her ear.

Raoul turns her around, pressing his mouth on hers was not like Pappa, though. Pushing him away, she says, "What are you doing?"

"You seemed to like my holding you."

"I am…was cold," she stutters. "You reminded me of my father."

"Oh, certainly…your father," he sneers. "Does he hold you like that when you are cold?"

"Who?"

"Your lover?"

"What lover?"

"The man you have been living with for the past two weeks. The man you left with when I was planning to take you to supper. The man in the black cape."

"I…I do not know what you are talking about." Who is this man? This is not the boy she so admired. Why did she come up here with him? Because of a long ago summer? Pappa warned her.

"Do not lie to me." Reaching for her again, he says, "My brother warned me that you were just like the other harlots in the theater."

"Harlots? You think I am a harlot?" she retorts, stepping back. "Then why are you here if I am trash only fit to be kissed and tossed aside?"

"Since your lover, your Phantom tried to kill Joseph Buquet today, he will not be around for much longer. The police are already investigating the incident. Besides, we did rather like one another years ago," he says, edging toward her. "You were happy to see me."

"What are you talking about?"

"In your dressing room, you ran into my arms."

"Not that. Yes, I was happy to see you, you were my first…my only love," she answers, struggling to keep her distance. "I meant about the police. About Er…the Phantom trying to kill M. Buquet."

"Buquet was working on the catwalks and your friend, or whatever you want to call him, pushed him. The ropes wrapped around his neck and he was left hanging."

"You saw this?"

"Yes," Raoul says. "I saw them arguing and I ran for help. Ran into that Persian fellow. He is looking into things. If I had not been here looking for you, who knows what might have happened."

Christine frowns and shakes her head. Her deep blue eyes flick back and forth. "You saved him, then?"

"In a manner of speaking."

Anxiety gnarls her stomach and the urge to run is strong. Stay calm, she cautions herself. Why had she suggested coming up here?

"Dotter*, never allow anyone to bully you."

The task of burying the body of the young man, hardly more than a boy, found her shaking and crying. "I was so frightened."

"As was I, but I could not allow him to hurt me, otherwise he would have hurt you."

"I tried to help."

"And you did well. Use words when you can, but never be afraid to take up a weapon if necessary."

"Well then, that is a good thing." There were no rocks here, even a quick glance around her offered no weapon of any sort, so words must be the key. "I think I want to go back down now. The wind is picking up and I am becoming quite cold…Madame Giry is waiting, she wanted to go home and I am keeping her," she says in a rush, edging her way toward the stairway.

Raoul takes her arm, stopping her. "She knows you are with me."

"You are hurting me," she says. "I want to leave here. I want to go back inside."

"To see him?"

"No. To continue my meeting with Madame Giry you interrupted. She was gracious enough to postpone momentarily, but her patience wears thin rather quickly," she says, thrusting out her chin, finding her confidence. "Now, please allow me to pass."

Removing his hand, he holds both hands in the air, walking backward. "Of course, forgive me. I was just so happy to see you again. To be with you here. I thought you were happy to see me as well."

"I was…am. Perhaps we can have luncheon tomorrow," she says, drawing her cloak tightly around her. "Madame and I were discussing my return to the opera and…well…you interrupted us. I am being impolite to her…she is my guardian now."

"Ah, your guardian and your employer."

"And my landlady," Christine laughs lightly, hoping the lighter tone will calm him.

"Then I best get you back," he says, gently taking her elbow. "If I am to come calling, being on her good side is necessary."

"Yes. Yes it is. It most certainly is."

"Wait," Nadir whispers, grabbing Erik's arm. "I hear voices above us."

"In here," Erik says, guiding his friend into one of the doors leading to the service areas built into the Garnier. One of his idea to facilitate maintenance, also giving him the idea of how to build his home at the fifth level.

Leaving the door slightly ajar, both men wait in silence for Christine and Raoul to pass.

"Then you would agree to have me call on you?" Raoul asks.

"My time will be much taken up with performances," she replies. "Luncheon would be best, as I mentioned."

"Luncheon – what of supper after your next appearance," he says. "You indicated that would be something you would like."

"I must ask Madame Giry," she replies.

Their voices drift off as they pass the doorway hiding the two men.

"There you see, nothing to be concerned about." Nadir pats Erik on the back.

"She has given him permission to call on her, which means she has made her choice."

"Sounded to me like she was giving him excuses why she was not going to see him."

"She agreed to luncheon."

"You are hopeless." Nadir shakes his head. "Come, if I know our Madame Giry she will run the young pup off once he safely delivers Christine back into her care. Then you can find out for yourself that the girl is not interested in the vicomte."

"I think I should still prefer going home," Erik says. "I heard enough to realize she plans to return to her old life."

"Erik…"

"I will still be able to hear her sing," Erik says. "And she does not hate me…so there is that."

"Erik…"

Putting up his hand to stop Nadir's pleas. "You know the way back down?"

The daroga nods.

"Then I will bid you good night." Darting back inside the small room where they were hiding, Erik closes the door leaving Nadir standing on the staircase frowning. "Erik?" When there was no response to his knocking on the door, he follows the path Raoul and Christine just took down the stairs, looking back once at the landing where he just stood with Erik, now empty. Shaking his head.

*Daughter