Beauty Of Music

Chapter 22

At the Hotel Lutetia, Christine and Phillippe were together in a private suite, sitting at a table in the middle of the room and drinking tea. Christine was wearing a white blouse with a laced pattern on the chest and a long dark purple skirt. Phillippe was wearing a white shirt, a white frilly tie, a light cream waist coat and darker cream colour trousers. Neither one of them spoke, their minds were too consumed with worry over Catherine's safety. After the Chandelier's fall and Catherine's disappearance, Monsieur Cholet thought it would be best for her to stay away from the Opera House until things had calmed down more and Catherine was safely returned, in the meantime Phillippe offered for her to stay with him in his hotel suite which she agreed to without hesitating. The two were so lost in thought that they jumped when they heard a sudden knock at the door. Phillippe rose from his chair and went to answer it, there was a bell boy at the door. He was wearing an Emerald green uniform with three rows of golden buttons going down the front of the coat, matching trousers with two golden stripes going down both legs on the outside and an a matching bellhop hat with two golden stripes going around the top and the bottom, he was holding a silver tray in his left hand with an envelope resting on it. He bowed to Phillippe.

"Pardon me, Monsieur La Count. A messenger dropped this off at the front desk. It is addressed to Mademoiselle Daae" he said holding the tray out.

Christine rose from her chair, abruptly, and made her way towards the two men. She took the envelope from the tray.

"Merci Monsieur" she said before turning to walk back further into the room.

Phillippe gave the bellboy a tip for his services and dismissed him, closing the door as he saw him walk away. He turned and walked towards Christine.

She quickly opened the envelope and read the letter inside, briskly. When she finished reading the letter she gave a small smile and breathed a sigh of relief.

"What does is say, Christine?" asked Phillippe as he watched her reaction.

Christine turned to face him; her smile grew.

"It's from Catherine, she is safe, and she wishes for us to meet with her tonight" she said happily as she held out the letter to Phillippe so he could see for himself.

He took the letter from her and read it himself, feeling a slight disbelief after hearing what she had said.

"Is this her hand?" he asked.

"Yes, I know my sister's hand anywhere" she said with confidence.

Phillippe could not believe his eyes at what the note said but also felt relieved to know the letter wasn't forged and it was proof that Catherine was indeed safe. But he also couldn't help but feel slightly confused by the 'P.S' at the bottom.

"What do you think she means by 'Monsieur Carriere knows of the situation'? He told us he had no idea where she was when we first questioned him" said Phillippe.

Christine shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe he knows more than what he led us to believe" she said.

"If that is true he will have a lot to answer for. Gerard has always been a dear friend to me. Why would he keep something this important from us?" asked Phillippe, rhetorically.

"I know that her message states to not tell the police of this, but I think we should. For all we know it could be a trap" said Phillippe, walking towards the telephone that was on a small table by the window.

"No! I will not betray my sister...not again" exclaimed Christine.

Phillippe stopped in his tracks when she spoke, he turned back around, slowly, to look at her with an expression of confusion.