Twisted Every Way(Phantom Of The Opera Fic)

Chapter 102: Patience

"Where is he?" Ilios thought herself impatiently.

 It had been nearly two hours and she was sure David would think himself deserted and leave at any minute. 

"An hour," She repeated to herself, "An hour then he'd come back and cover for me. That was the plan." 

"Do you know where Eli is?" Christine asked curiously, "I thought he had turned back to get something." 

"If only I knew," Ilios thought to herself, "I'd string him up with a lasso backward before he could tell which way was up." 

"Ilios?"Christine laughed putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "Are you all right? You look troubled." 

"I'm fine Mother." Ilios smiled as best she could. 

"Ilios," Luke murmured making his way across the table as dinner finished to her. "I've been thinking, well rather it's quite up to you but-"

He gestured rather grandly to the dance floor and Ilios gave a laugh aloud at the clumsy delivery of his request. 

"Of course Luke," Ilios grinned, forgetting her worries for a moment, "I'd love to."  

"Nope," Erik said hurriedly rising at the sight of the two joining the floor, "I won't-"

"Erik," Christine said putting a hand to his chest and forcing him back to his sitting position. "Nothing will come of it. Let them be." 

As they took to the middle and Gustave rather grandly began to play as Erik had taught him, Ilios gave a small chuckle at the sight of Mary and Winnie dancing on their own with imaginary partners on the outskirts. 

"Winnie's a funny sort of girl," Ilios noted with a laugh as she curtsied to Luke. 

Luke frowned as he took her waist, "How so?" 

"I don't-" 

His eyes narrowed and he nearly stopped dancing for a moment as he asked the following. 

"How much of it do you know Ilios? Has Eli told you?" 

"Goodness Luke," Ilios blushed in irritation, "I don't know what you're talking about." 

Seeing his error he gave an embarrassed smile, recollected himself, and by the downbeat of the net measure, began again. 

"Is Eli out?" Luke asked slowly. 

Ilios was less than forthcoming with information. She held her lower lip steady as if the smallest tremble of worry would give away all of her heart's innermost yearnings. 

"Yes." 

Luke's eyes fixed on her own intently, she was a stubborn girl, always had been. 

In an air of disappointment, as they waltzed, his eyes turned upward to the ceiling, wondering how it would feel to have such structure in his life as those sturdy beams that held every part of the building into place. 

He was to check the possibility of one of the certainties he had in his own building of personality now.

"Is he out with Clara Dechangy?" 

Ilios turned and looked at him sternly, a look which told him all he wished to know. 

"He was." She nodded, her heart asking desperately for answers on how her well-guarded secret had escaped. "Lord knows he was." 

"Is he back late then?" Luke asked with a slight frown and a look in Erik's direction. 

The Father had eyes of hawks, and while Erik's face did not meet his own, Luke keenly felt their presence on him.