Delarioux

Chapter 6

-Present Day-

Rachel was worried, extremely worried. She had needed to come up with a plausible story for the Doctor, which had been rather simple, however, she didn't think it would be that easy to pull the wool over Christine's eyes. She had this suspicious look in her eye, and it betray her thoughts rather easily. She remembered. This task assigned by Michael had just become increasingly difficult.

She could feel her eyes following her as she moved to sit at the end of the couch, as that was the only place to sit in the small, daft room. She sat in contemplative silence as she weighed out her options, all the while feeling Christine's heated gaze burning holes into the side of her head. She twiddled her thumbs with a blank expression on her face. What could she possibly say? Michael had made it clear that he didn't want her to know what she had actually been doing. How foolish of him to demand such a thing as if the girl didn't know her own mind. Well, the more she thought about it, she realized that that probably held some truth. He thought that she would believe anything she was told. He had assumed that she had lost her memory, which was his mistake, and it seemed that she was the one who would pick up the pieces.

Just like always.

"Not that you mind." her mind sang to her.

Rachel could tell that Christine recalled all of the events by the look on her face. The girl was an open book. Though, the stage could be to blame for that. She supposed that Christine had always been taught to show her emotions, even if she herself didn't realize it.

Rachel made eye contact with her, vaguely wondering why she had yet to speak. It seemed Raoul was right, she was truly timid. She didn't really know Christine, as she had only met her once briefly, and it was hardly enough time for her to make a lasting impression. She concluded that Christine didn't remember her, as they hadn't even spoken two words.

"You don't remember me do you?"

Christine as straight as she could manage, "Should I?"

Rachel smiled humorlessly. "I suppose not."

She turned away again, truly wishing that she was not in this situation. She would not waste her breath trying to convince Christine of some mishap on the steps, as that would only result in making Christine highly suspicious, and that wouldn't do at all. Christine needed to stay close to her as she could. Rachel was certain that she would be her only hope once she entered the DeChangy household. Her family was full of deceit and lies, and it would be over her dead body that Christine would be at its mercy. She truly wanted Christine and Raoul to be together if that was what Christine wanted, but without the influence of their family. She just hadn't figured out how that would happen yet.

Christine took this time to study this woman. Had they met before? She racked her brain for any familiarity but could find none. She looked her over. Her clothes were expensive, and she had this regal posture that spoke of her high-class upbringing. She was a noble, but that only confused her even more. She knew of no nobles who would willingly watch over an opera worker like herself. Other than Raoul of course. Her shoulders sagged and she was overcome with guilt every time she thought of her fiance. No doubt he would become upset at the fact that she had gone down there again, by herself, no less.

"I am Rachel DeChangy, Raoul's older sister."

Christine's eyebrows were in serious danger of disappearing into her hairline. What could she possibly want with her? How had she found her? Christine suddenly felt on edge. Was she here to tell her how she thought this engagement was a bad idea? Everyone else in Raoul's family that she had met had said so. Maybe not with their own mouths, but you could certainly see it in their eyes and in the way they treated her. She could have slapped herself for not remembering Rachel, she had been the nicest out of all of the family that she had had the displeasure of meeting. She stopped herself. She shouldn't say such things as they would be her own family soon.