Limelight

Chapter Eleven: The Vicomte or the Opera Ghost?

Chapter Eleven: The Vicomte or the Opera Ghost?

November 1st, 1910, 5:00pm

"I do not know if that is wise, Elizabeth" Mamma Giry protested at hearing my idea, "he needs his time alone, and that time is spent there...Elizabeth he never lets anyone in whilst he is there!"

"Yeah sissy! Let's just go back to your dressing room and...what did he tell you to do? Oh, yes, 'look in your mirror' then, you must write to him about the English sweets!" Said Victoria with animation, I shook my head.

"Dearest sister, how am I to get the letter to him if it is a 'bad idea' to go to his opera box?" Asked I, Victoria's brows furrowed, but Mamma Giry smiled.

"Because, if you go then you'll have a note and a reason to be there...if you go now it's out of pure curiosity...and...well, you know the other, darling" Said Mamma Giry, I sighed and nodded, defeated I walked with them back to my dressing room; every once in a while stealing a glance back to box five.

Ten minutes later (in my dressing room)...

Mamma Giry placed the box of jewels down on my desk whilst I stood in front of my mirror with Victoria and made funny faces. "I don't think that's what he meant by 'look at yourself in the mirror' children" Mamma Giry laughed as I made a fish face and crossed my eyes; Victoria laughed until her face turned red. Then, there was a knock at my door, to which Mamma Giry answered; before her was Gerard, Vicomte Aaron Benjamin's butler. "Good afternoon, Mademoiselle, I come with gifts from the Vicomte" said he, his tone changed to a jovial one and his nose was no longer upturned! He kissed the top of Mamma Giry's palm and whispered sweet things into her ear, (secretly, Mamma Giry and Gerard were seeing each other) Mamma Giry giggled and her cheeks turned light pink.

Gerard coughed, turned and snapped and within moments ten butlers were in my room! Laying down pastries, jewelry, dresses, chocolates, fruit (some I had never heard of), and gift boxes that were wrapped in an assortment of colors. After all the gifts were placed and the other butlers gone, Gerard walked to me and bent down (Gerard is tall, and I sat down in the golden fabric chair) placing an envelope in my hands; my name was written upon it in golden ink. With a kiss to Mamma Giry's cheek Gerard softly closed my door and left us, Victoria instantly ran to the chocolates and began to stuff her face whilst Mamma Giry scanned the dresses I received. Reluctantly, I opened the letter from the Vicomte, it ran thus.

Elizabeth,

My, your beauty stuns me! You acting skills are as wonderful as ever, as we all saw to-day, yes, Elizabeth, I watched your awe-inspiring performance. May I say how imaginably captivated you kept me? How my heart throbbed when you sang of the youthful suitor? If only I played the part of Faust!

...I would shy from your ruby lips and sapphire eyes, for I feel unworthy of such a staggering woman. Enjoy these, Elizabeth, love them the way I love you; to-night you and I are to dine together, Elizabeth, I count down the minutes until our meeting at seven o'clock to-night, I shall call for you at your dressing room.

With Love,

   Vicomte Aaron Benjamin.

I sighed and laid down the note "are you going to go, sissy?" asked Victoria as she stuffed another bon bon into her mouth.

"What choice do I have? listen here, it says 'to-night you and I are to dine together' he doesn't ask me, he tells me." I shook my head and sighed "for a moment...just a moment I thought he had an ounce of humility and I pitied him" I paused and ripped the note in half "no more" I finished, throwing the shreds of paper onto the floor and rubbing my face in frustration, at myself. I sighed, stood, and walked to my desk; I then produced a piece of paper and a pen, I wrote a note to the Vicomte.