Chapter 26 #2
“Raoul,” Madame de Chagny began, her eyes wide and bewildered. I thought she might race to him with pleas for mercy, but she remained rooted to the chair instead. “Darling, I’m not sure what you overheard, but—”
“Everything,” he replied, sounding utterly at ease. Cheerful, even. “I heard everything.” Without warning, his calm demeanor broke, and he lashed out, striking the back of an empty chair. “How dare you!”
“Raoul,” she said once more, reaching out a hand, but she immediately jerked it back as he smacked the seat again.
“You forget, madame, I am vicomte now. It is my home. My title. And I have made my choice. If my wife and I decide we wish to remain in Paris, we will do so. If my wife chooses to sing every night for the rest of time, she will, and without fuss from you. These are our lives, and we will be at the helm of them. If you don’t agree with that or you think you can manipulate Christine into something she doesn’t want to do, there are ways to assure we’re not around to hear your complaints. ”
I didn’t know who was more stunned—Madame de Chagny or me. We stared at Raoul in disbelief, and I found myself wanting to smile.
He’d stood up for me!
I hadn’t known for sure if he would, but he had. A rush of affection welled up, warming me. I wanted to race across the room and plant a great kiss on his lips, propriety be damned.
He held out his hand. “Christine?”
I rose and went to him. Slipping my arm through his, I squeezed his elbow, hoping the small gesture would communicate my appreciation.
When Raoul spoke again, he stared out the window, not even deigning to glance his mother’s way.
“I’m willing to chalk up this unpleasantness to the very late hour we now find ourselves in.
As you said, it was a long day of travel.
We’re all tired.” He swallowed hard, and I could feel the way he trembled, fighting to regain his composure.
“I’ll make sure Christine finds her way to her chambers. I bid you good night, madame.”
Several heartbeats passed in silence. Then she cleared her throat. “I wish you both pleasant evenings. Good night.”
“We’re leaving,” Raoul said once we were far down the hall and had turned a corner.
He leaned in close, keeping his voice low in my ear.
“First thing tomorrow morning. Christine, I’m so sorry.
I knew she had reservations about the engagement, but I’d never have guessed…
” He trailed off, his voice pained. “Forgive me, please.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” I said, and I meant every word. “Her delivery may have been cruel, but…she’s not wrong.”
Raoul blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”
I shrugged, feeling helpless. “I don’t understand all of this.
” I nodded to the grand corridor around us, gesturing toward the statues and paintings, the tapestries and tall arches.
“I don’t know how it works, how I’m meant to work within it.
I don’t have the first idea about how to be a vicomtesse, and…
” I brought my hand to his face, rubbing a thumb over his beloved cheek.
“I would never want to do something to embarrass you, to make you question if you’d picked the right woman to stand at your side. ”
“Christine,” he gasped, looking horrified. “You could never, never!”
“I could,” I acknowledged. “And I don’t want that for you—or me,” I added quickly. “You said it yourself. I need to be here, learning the rhythms and routines. I need to see how such an estate is to be run. I can’t experience all that in Paris.”
Raoul frowned. “What are you saying?”
I sighed. “I’m saying…we shouldn’t leave.
Not tomorrow. Not yet. There are so many things I need to learn.
Things that she can teach me. But I’m not going to let her boss me around,” I said in a rush, seeing his protest forming.
“I want to learn. I want to be the best wife I can be. For you. Can we stay? Please? For a little while longer?”
Raoul glanced down the hall, looking unconvinced. “I hate that she said all of that to you.”
“Well, yes,” I said. “But I loved how quickly you were there to defend me, to fight for me.” I drew him closer, winding my fingers round the back of his neck. “It was the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Oh, yes?” he asked, a wicked gleam lighting his eyes. His hands slid up my back, pressing me against him, warm and flushed.
“Truly,” I whispered, my lips brushing lightly over his skin. “And…perhaps she’ll change her mind. Perhaps everything will be different in the morning.”
He snorted. “I very much doubt that, Christine. But if anyone could bring about such a miracle, it’s you.”
He kissed my forehead before glancing up and down the corridor, searching for any sign of servants.
Then his mouth was on mine, hot and hungry and sparking a matching flame within me.
I kissed him back with equal intensity, eager to show him my appreciation and gratitude, impatient to carry out the desires which had built all day in that damnably long carriage ride and were now spiking to uncontrollable fervor.
I ran widespread fingers across his chest and stifled a gasp as his lips roved down the column of my neck, pressing marks of wet ardor to my skin.
“You said…” I managed to squeak out as his tongue swept over the hollow of my throat. I wanted him so badly in this moment that I couldn’t form a coherent thought.
“Yes?” His voice was hushed and urgent. “I said?”
My breath was heavy. My pulse was racing. “You said something about chambers?”
Raoul let out a wolfish laugh. “Shall we give the future vicomtesse a grand tour of all her domain?”
I claimed his hand and tugged him to the stairs. “We shall indeed.”