"I do not need help," Erik said. Nadir rolled his eyes at the obvious jealousy he heard in the masked mans voice. Nadir knew that Erik held a certain respect for Raoul for him coming with him that faithful night, but as long as he was married to Christine he would be jealous of any man going near her that he believed posed a threat.
"Ah, I did not say you did, but two heads are better than one," Raoul informed him. Christine's eyes found his, pleading with him to accept Chagny's help. Erik found it as an insult. He did not need some boys help, he could do just fine without him. However he knew that Christine would feel a lot better if he simply said yes and so he reluctantly nodded. The things he didn't do in the name
Meg had not wanted to rush down in her undergarments at the sound of the loud knocking so she rushed to put something decent on. By the time she managed that Erik, Christine, her mother, and Nadir had already went back to their rooms. She had heard another mans voice, a deep, handsome voice, and she wanted to see who it belonged to. She raced down the stairs and stopped when she reached the bottom, listening for any sort of noise. She heard someone moving around in the foyer. Whoever it was he must have been staying over night. Interested Meg opened the door as little as possible, trying to get a look at the man inside.
There was a fire blazing in the fireplace but whoever it was he was not standing near enough to the door for her to get a good look at him. Meg suddenly gasped when she saw him walking towards the door and before she could scramble back he had opened the door and she had tumbled into his arms...
Very strong arms and a chest that had no shirt to cover the bronze muscle. Meg looked up in embarrassment into the most handsome face she had ever laid eyes on. Blue eyes looked down at her with some interest and perfect white teeth showed in a charmingly boyish grin. She was extremely aware of the heat radiating from his bare chest. He was extremely well built, with a hard stomach and thick arms. He helped her stand up and Meg looked away, blushing, perhaps her curiosity was not a good thing!
"Well, good evening, mademoiselle," he said with a small chuckle.
"I am sorry, monsieur, I was only curious to see who you were," Meg said, seeing no point in lying. His brow rose in question. Raoul admitted that he had not expected to open the door to have a beautiful young girl tumble into his arms. And he did find her very attractive.
"I am Raoul de Chagny, mademoiselle, it is a pleasure to meet you," he said, holding out his hand. Meg slipped her own hand into his and allowed him to kiss the pale flesh.
"Meg Giry."
"Your mother is the woman who owns this house?" he asked, wanting to make a conversation with her. She nodded.
"Please, sit down, I for one cannot sleep," he said, offering her a chair. Meg sat down and he sat in front of her, not bother to put on a shirt, something she did not fail to notice. Did he have any idea how handsome he was?
"Raoul? May I speak with you?"
Raoul turned from window where he had been silently observing Meg in the garden. He found himself entranced with the blonde haired beauty, with her perfect curves and charming attitude. That first night, when he had talked to her in the foyer, he had found that he had quite a bit in common with the woman, as far as thoughts and beliefs went. She was as curious as a mouse and could make him laugh quite easily, something he enjoyed, it was a lot better than the heartache he felt whenever he thought about the fact that he had lost Christine. But the voice that had spoken from behind him was filled with great worry. Christine stood not far from him, her hands fidgeting with her skirts and a troubled look in her eyes. Raoul could not help the frown that crossed his features. What had happened? When he'd seen Christine with her husband she always had a sparkle in her eyes and a smile on her lips, the woman standing in front of him was the complete opposite.
"Of course, Christine," he murmured, offering her a chair. Christine shook her head, biting her lips and glancing at the door nervously. What was going on with her?
"Can we speak in private? Would you go for a walk with me?" she asked, her voice nearly pleading with him not to say no. Raoul nodded and grabbed his coat. When they went into the late evening sun Raoul offered her his arm and she took it, steering him away from the cottage. Meg saw them and frowned, knowing by the look on Christine's face that she should not interrupt. Christine said nothing until they were a fair distance away from the house. She repeatedly looked behind her, as if praying that there was no one behind them. Finally, with a long sigh, she spoke.
"I am worried about Erik."
Raoul was taken completely by surprise by her statement. He would have never believed that she would come to him and say such a thing. He would have thought is was some sort of hoax but the tone of her voice left little doubt that she was completely serious.
"Christine, I-"
"I know he is going to do something foolish!"
"Did he tell you what he had planned?" he wondered. She shook her head and bit her lip, tears beginning to well in her eyes.
"No...but I know him, he will not rest until he sees Michael dead!" Christine whispered. Raoul stopped and wiped the tears from her eyes. He still had feelings for this woman, he knew he always would, but he knew now that her love for Erik could never be replaced. But he would always be there for her.
"He knows that you would never be able to bear it without him, he will not rush blind into something like this!" Raoul assured her, although he was not altogether sure. Erik was the type of man that would do anything for those he loved. Raoul knew how much Erik loved Christine. He would have never admitted it before, or even now, but he knew. If protecting her meant acting rash Raoul knew the masked man would do it.
"I know nothing I tell him will make a difference," she whispered, looking down at her stomach and caressing it lightly. Raoul sighed. He could not begin to say that he knew what Erik was feeling about when it came to Delauney, but he wanted the man to realize that he needed to think everything through. For the sake of his baby, and Christine's.