Page 20 of Angel's Kiss
“From the perspective of someone or something that might try to hurt me?”
Erik smirked, knowing it made his eyes glitter in the dark, and shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Then show me your Paris,Monsieur le Fantôme.”
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Raoul was finally beginningto learn his way around the Opera. Or at least he knew his way from the Patron’s entrance on the side to the office and dressing rooms. He believed the regular public wasn’t allowed in this part of the building, but he wasn’t the regular public. Things were quiet today, which was odd, given that he had been assured by a kindly stagehand that there would be a rehearsal with the entire cast and chorus today, set to end around this time. But the halls were deserted.
“Oh, Lord, what are you doing here?”
Raoul turned at the familiar lilt of Sorelli’s voice. She was in her rehearsal clothes, he assumed, since the white toile and blue ribbon were rather plain for a formal costume. She was pale and lithe with a haughty look in her eye that Raoul had become familiar with given her assignation with his brother.
“Do you really have to ask?” Raoul replied.
Sorelli heaved an exasperated sigh that was much like the sighs Philippe had been directing at him since Sunday. “She’s gone, I’m sorry to tell you,” Sorelli said.
“But I thought Christine and the chorus had rehearsal?”
“Christine is the reason the chorusdoesn’thave rehearsal. Carlotta practically kicked the entire lot of them off stage just to spite your pretty Swede.”
“Carlotta? The other soprano?”
“The only soprano,” a voice declared from behind Raoul and he turned. It was the very woman in question, Raoul was sure. The way her ostentatious hat sat high above her blonde curls and her narrow body made her look like a gilded stalk of wheat. But what was more confounding was the person that emerged behind her: Raoul’s own brother.
“What are you doing here?” Raoul demanded, feeling exactly as he had as a child when Philippe would catch him sneaking out to play with the local children.
“The same thing as you, but with much more success,” Philippe replied with a grin as he strode towards Sorelli and took her hand to kiss it. “Signora Carlotta was kind enough to escort me.”
“Your brother was telling me that you have quite the outsized interest in the little songbird who contrived to replace me,” Carlotta said, her pale eyes boring into Raoul as she made no effort to conceal her contempt. “Such a pity you won’t be hearing her for a while.”
“I would not be sure of that,” Raoul snapped back.
“My dear Comte, thank you for the kind words and insight,” the diva said, turning to Philippe. “I shall treasure them. Until next time.” Carlotta swept away with a final sneer to Raoul and Sorelli, who was staring at Philippe in pure fury.
“Do not tell me she’s got her claws in you too now!” Sorelli said before Raoul could. “We were clear on our rules!”
“Darling, don’t be foolish!” Philippe exclaimed. It did not console Sorelli, who snatched her hand away.
“You can come find me when you’re done flirting with that Spanish whore or chasing after your blue-balled brother!” With a huff, Sorelli was gone, leaving both Chagny brothers staring slack-jawed down the hall. It took a beat for Philippe to snap to attention and deliver Raoul an annoyed thwack to his shoulder.
“Thank you. Now you have two women furious with me,” Philippe admonished.
“The Spaniard didn’t seem furious,” Raoul grumbled as he rubbed his upper arm.
“I meant Sabine. She’s the one who told me you were on your way back here,” Philippe replied.
“I wanted to see if anyone had seen—” Raoul cast about again, even though the hope in his heart was faltering.
“My dear brother, if that little minx of yours wanted to see you, she would have sought you out. Her kind aren’t shy. I told you when you were a mooning boy not to trust artists like her and that rootless father of hers. You should have listened then and you should listen now.”
Raoul frowned, hating how, as always, Philippe was right. “I just wanted to know where she’s been and if she’s alright. She was upset when I last saw her.”
“I’m sure she’s fine, little brother,” Philippe told him, though he did not sound entirely convinced. “From what the Signora was telling me, Christine is safer away from the Opera for now.”
