At the Opera House

Chapter 16: The Ball, again

"Ah, mademoiselle Christine, I'm so very glad you came!" The mustached manager turned to face Christine as she approached him with a broad smile.

The second manager was somewhere across the room, talking casually to some Viscount. The first glanced across to the other for a moment, then slid his eyes back to her. "You look very well." He informed her, reaching up to straighten his tie.

Christine bowed her head, murmuring a thank you for the compliment and the carriage. It had been a nice pleasure to have someone assist her inside, with the promise of taking you somewhere that you normally would have had to walk miles to reach.

"I- yes. Well, you will need to be introduced." The manager told her, gingerly he held out his arm. "Allow me, please." He added.

Christine gave him a patient smile, and he began to guide her from person to person with the expertise of an experienced high class gentleman. Several dozen faces came and went, with Christine smiling and informing patrons and interested investors of the opera that the new production was going splendidly.

And it was, really, Christine told herself. It was just that she had forgotten how busy being in the play could be.

It didn't help that she was the lead lady now, and that she had to run through song after song, time after time. It had been so long since she had done this.

Erik made it ten times worse, because he was being so particular.

He always had had a heavy hand in casting and details. But now no incompetence was allowed whatsoever, the Orchestra was completely rearranged, the lead male had been sacked as unceremoniously as Carlotta and replaced with a far better member of the chorus.

Hourly notes were sent with a long list of critiques and "suggestions" for change. This singer was flat, this set piece must be repainted and moved, this costume must be changed.

Even the dancers suffered from his endless criticisms, where before they had been mostly exempt.

Only Christine stayed relatively unscathed, with only the occasional reminder to practice and a gentle correction here and there.

But of course she didn't tell the smiling higher ups that. She told them of the beautiful sets, and the costumes the seamstresses were furiously sewing. And the music? Well, the music was splendid, like nothing they had ever heard before.

That, at least, she felt she could comment positively on.

Champagne was passed round, the manager offered Christine a glass but she waved him off. "I don't drink." She explained. He nodded, looking puzzled, but stayed silent while sipping his glass.

Finally when she had been introduced to everyone worth knowing, Christine was allowed to sit on a chair on the sidelines to catch her breath.

Gingerly the manager sat beside her and finished the glass of champagne in one swallow. "I suppose I should tell you why we were so insistent on you having that role." He said.

Christine tilted her head towards him. "Oh?"

"I apologize about our behavior." He said, waving over a servant to take the empty glass. "You're right, you should be able to quit at any time."

Christine smiled, and nodded to encourage him.

"But we need you to play the role, you see," He hesitated, then turned to look at her directly in the eye. "Mademoiselle Carlotta wanders why we don't call the police, but we have." He said firmly. "They have investigated, and have decided that the best way to handle this is through trickery."