The Phantom Diaries (8 page)

“I’ll invite the Aragon family to marvelous feasts every Sunday and show them the elegant mistress of the household I can be. The day of my birth is two weeks after the wedding date. No doubt I shall be showered with family jewels and priceless gifts that are worth a fortune. I’ll slip them to you so that you can taste the sweet life we’ll soon have.”

She pulled him into her arms and her eyes darkened as they stared far into the distance. “Rupert enjoys long morning rides atop his favored stallion. After our wedding I’ll mark out the path he takes. A long stretch of that ride is through a rather dense forest. He has bored me with this ride several times. Little did I know those dreary mornings would actually come to have such value.”

Silence lingered for a moment and Eric pulled free to look at her. Her lips were curled into a sweet smile and her eyes sparkled with joy and contentment. While he wanted to share her enthusiasm, he was filled with doubt. “And what do you want me to do?”

She brought her cunning gaze to him. “Rupert will simply not come home one day. I’ll be sitting in the foyer with Isabelle. We’ll gossip, berate the help and enjoy fine pastries. Half an hour past Rupert’s usual time of arrival, I’ll mention my concern. We’ll move to the gardens outside, have tea and take in some fresh air as we look in the distance for signs of his return. As the hour passes, I’ll pace and become overwrought with worry. Isabelle will no doubt console me and remind me of Rupert’s excellent horsemanship and innate knowledge of the land.

“Rupert’s stallion will appear on the horizon and I will scream my torment. When I realize Rupert is not atop him. Or perhaps I should faint.
 
I’ll see when the time comes. The important thing is for me to convey my utter horror.

“My faint, or hysterics, will last for close to ten minutes to give you ample time to get away. Then stable boys, groomsmen and anyone else at the household will be sent out in search of my dear husband.” She clapped her hands with glee. “By the time they get back, Rupert’s family will have gotten word and they will have come to assist in the search and attempt to console the inconsolable new bride.”

She paused a moment and her face broke out into a bright smile. “Me!”

“And what will have happen to Rupert?” Eric was reluctant to hear the answer.

“At the far end of the forest, there is an old and enormous dead tree. Rupert has often mentioned to me and to his family how his horse is apt to get spooked by that old tree. You will wait for him there, Eric.”

He grew hot and uncomfortable.

“He’ll question your presence on his property and will step down to confront you. You’ll be concerned by the sight of a man you’d just seen in the dense bushes. You’ll point to the distance and tell him the man had run that way. As he looks away, you’ll take the large stone you’ve found and kept nearby, and you will smash it over his head.”

Eric’s brow furrowed and his lips parted to protest. As detestable as he found Rupert, as repulsive and vile as he might be, taking a man’s life…it left him cold.

“When he falls to the ground, his head leaking out his life’s blood, you’ll settle the stone down, then place him so as to have his head pillowed on the very stone that cracked that spoiled little head of his.”

“Kristine, I don’t know if …”

“The terrain is rocky, so there will be little need to waste time erasing any trace of your footsteps. Hang onto his horse for a while, just to make it look more unnerving from my end. Then, the moment you slap his rump and send him on his way, get yourself as far away from there as you can.”

“That’s murder and…”

She suddenly pouted. “I know it sounds dreadful, Eric, but Rupert has done so much to deserve such a horrible end. Hasn’t he hurt you enough? Hasn’t he been insensitive to your plight?”

Filled with the power of her beauty, Kristine got to her knees and pushed Eric onto his back. She straddled him and brushed her body against his. “This will be the greatest role I’ve ever played. My only regret is that you won’t be there to see it. Oh,” she said, her eyes glistening with joyful tears, “when they return with his body, I will scream in horror, will pull my hair out in despair and will rack my body with tears.
 
I’ll be distraught for days.”

“There must be another way.”

Her gleeful smile disappeared and was replaced with a grim and determined line. “This is the only and best way. Have I ever misled you, Eric? Have I not been there for you? Do I not love you more than any other woman could ever love you?”

She shrugged out of her shift and let it fall to her waist. Her breasts exposed, she watched the hunger take over the doubt in his eyes. He would do anything for her; anything to have her; of that she had no doubt.

“He’ll have put his hands on my, Eric.” She reached for his hand and brought it to her breast. “He will have touched my skin.”

Eric’s face shifted under the light of jealousy. Kristine knew of his capacity for anger; knew of his temper. The mere thought of her in someone else’s arms was enough to drive him insane.

“My breasts will have filled his hands.” She leaned forward, pressing her breasts to his flesh.
 
“He’ll have taken what’s yours, Eric.”

Rage filled Eric’s eyes. He wrapped his hands around her tiny waist, threw her onto her back. With one quick motion he tore her shift off and devoured her.

Chapter 10

December 1
^st
, 2009

Dear Diary,

Though the night started out warm and filled with foreign sensations that thrilled my body, I awoke cold and alone. I sought Eric’s arms to warm me, but all I found were the crumpled sheets of my bed. In disbelief, I spread my hand out across the width of my bed, not daring to open my eyes.

I wanted to be in his home, in his room and to find him nearby, perhaps preparing a sumptuous breakfast. But I could smell where I was before I took a look around. There was my dresser, my chipped mirror, the curtains that barely kept the sun out and the potted plant who’d had the misfortune of being bought by a negligent housekeeper like myself.

Home. I was home. I’m not really sure what that meant.
 
Had I dreamt my time with Eric? It seemed so real; so deliciously real. I could still smell his skin, his breath. And the sensation of his arms around me.

Darn it! How could I wake up home alone?

Well, I have no time to dwell on it. Today’s my first rehearsal!

After quickly getting dressed I headed out the door and rushed to cross the street to get to the Met. The morning was cold and I was thankful for the short walk that took me from home to work.

Chace, however, wasn’t so lucky. Waiting for me at the door, he seemed frozen from his walk from several blocks away.

“Chace, what are you doing out here?”

“I brought you a coffee,” he said as he pushed opened the door to let me in.

I happily took the warm paper cup. “Hmm, perfect. I didn’t have time to make any this morning.”

With his hand to my shoulder, he stopped me before I could head to the rehearsal hall. “Annette, I wanted to make sure you were okay… after last night.”

“Sure, Chace.
 
I’m fine.” Shrugging it off as no big deal, I turned to be on my way.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry I let myself get carried away.” He kept up with me and seemed so agitated. “I care so much for you, Annette and I don’t want you to think that… well, that what I did last night is all I want.”

He was so flustered and adorable. Even though I was in a rush, I turned to put my hand to his cheek. “You’re so sweet, Chace. Don’t worry about last night. I wasn’t scared of what you were doing to me. I was scared of how I wanted you to do that to me.”

I was surprised by the blush the quickly reddened his face.

“I tried to call you after you left. I was worried. You seemed so angry and I wanted to be sure you got home alright, and I thought you might be mad and…”

It was my turn to blush, but not from embarrassment, from guilt. While Chace was at home worried sick about me, I was driving around through deep, dark tunnels with Eric and cuddling up in his arms.

Hold on. No I wasn’t. That was a dream. I had nothing to be guilty about.

I smiled at Chace, refusing to feel ashamed of a dream. “I’m perfectly fine.
 
I gotta go.”

He followed along. “How about dinner tonight?”

“Hmm, sure Chace. But I don’t know what time I’m going to get out of here.”

“Whenever you’re ready.”

He left to join the orchestra while I headed to wardrobe.

“Annette,” Roberta chanted. “I’m so happy for you, dear. I had no idea you were so talented.”

“Thanks. I guess I didn’t either.”

She smothered me in a huge hug only my mother could surpass. “I’m going to lose my little girl.”

“You’re sweet, Roberta. But I won’t be far.”
 
I mumbled into her bosom.

“Yeah, yeah. Not far, but not the same circle.” She released me and led me to the array of costumes I would be wearing.

While I’d seen a few during my weeks as seamstress, I had no idea there were so many; and so exquisite and regal.

“Don’t be silly.” My hands fluttered over one gown after another.

“You’re the star, Annette. Not just an extra or a second player.”

“Now, don’t you start fussing with me.” I fingered the fine fabrics and could almost feel the star within me rise. I would be wearing these.

“I’ll enjoy fussing over you, dear. Of course, I will have to scramble to find a replacement for you. Many of your costumes will have to be taken in. You’re tiny, honey.”

“Don’t worry. I can still lend a hand here.”

“Now that’s absurd. Rehearsals are going to take just about every minute of your day. Don’t think you’ll have much time to do anything else, young lady.”

I refused to believe her.

“Go behind there and put this on.” She pointed to a small partition.

She handed me one of the simpler gowns and I quickly stripped off my street clothes and struggled to get into the complicated garment. If this was one of the simpler gowns, how was I going to manage the more elaborate ones? I stepped out from behind the partition feeling clumsy and weighed down.

“I never realized how heavy these things were.”

“Wait until I bind you in. You’ll have to learn a whole new way to breathe.” She twisted me around and got to work.

I heard a distinct harrumph from Roberta and glanced back. “What is it?”

“How’s your breathing?”

“Fine. Great.”

“Well, it would be. I’ve pulled the laces as far as they’ll go and you’re still floating in this thing.”

“Really?” I looked down to see the waistline fluttering about me.

“This is going to be a lot more work than I’d anticipated.”

I turned to her, determined to make her understand. “Roberta, please let me help you. I can even take the garments home at night and work on them.”

“You’re underestimating what’s coming for you, Annette. These rehearsals will wear you out before you know it and once the show gets started, you won’t have much time to yourself. You’ll be the talk of New York. Every young buck, big shot and high brow is going to want to get closer to you.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“You think so?” Roberta said with a laugh. She turned me to the side and began pinning up the side of the dress. “Come back and see me when every wealthy patron is bringing you out to dinner and every young well-to-do is sneaking a peek backstage.”

“I’ll be back here, all right. But it’ll only be to tell you how mistaken you are.”

She laughed through the pins that were clamped between her teeth and pinched the fabric together before sticking a pin in. With every pin she added, my breath became more difficult to attain. By the time she finally stopped, I thought I was going to suffocate.

“That ought to do it for this one,” Roberta said. “Get out of this and head downstairs where they’re waiting for you.”

When I reached the rehearsal hall the cast eyed me with part recognition, part suspicion and a frightening dose of palpable envy.

“We’ll run through your solo first, then the ballad you share with Rose, Beth and Mildred,” the musical director said.

With every song I sang, my nerves calmed, my voice took assurance and I slowly developed the character within the song. I pulled myself into the skin of Adelle and felt all the emotions she would have felt. I gave my heart to those songs and when we’d run through the last one, I could hear the comments circulating the stage.