Blogging from A to Z: E is for Erik LeMaître

The stallion continued his wild dance, and yet no one came in response to my cries. Where in the name of Hades were the stable hands?

To my amazement, a tall figure appeared beside the angry horse. He wore evening dress, black leather gloves — and a white porcelain mask over one side of his face. His hair was black as a raven’s wing and he exuded confidence and mastery. He raised one gloved hand to the angry horse’s neck, fearless of the waving hooves not far from his head.

I, on the other hand, clung to Pierrot’s mane for grim death, willing the horse to cease his frightened antics. I looked into the stranger’s green-gold eyes and, in that motion, shifted my weight just enough on the seat bones to unsettle Pierrot’s balance. He returned his forelegs to the ground, stamping and snorting impatiently.

My rescuer wrapped his gloved hands around my waist and lifted me tidily from the horse; I noted that he smelled of sandalwood. He lifted the saddle flaps, undid the girth, and started in anger.

There was a short nail driven through the saddle flap, one that would not have affected Pierrot until I used my legs to grip but that would then have put him in agony. Horses’ skin was so sensitive that they could feel a fly land; this was unconscionable. Whoever had done this had also, I was sure, put the gag bit on the horse, knowing I would remove it.

“I will see that this mischief is punished,” my rescuer said, his eyes flashing. With a swirl of his cloak, he was gone. — Excerpt from In The Eye of The Beholder

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This is the first time we see Erik LeMaître, although he has sent notes to Claire Delacroix. This masked man is her mysterious benefactor … the so-called Phantom of the Opera.

In the canonical story by Gaston Leroux, Erik has no surname. Likewise, Erik is a name that he chose for himself. It’s of Scandinavian origin, and means “dark ruler.” All we ever learn of Erik’s family history is that his father was a stonecutter in Rouen … and that he was abandoned by his mother. Thus, we have no idea what (if anything) he was named by his parents.

I chose LeMaître as Erik’s surname strictly for its meaning: the master. As musical conductors are called “maestro,” which has the same meaning, it seemed fitting.

During the book release party for “In The Eye of The Beholder,” 2009. Photo by Vivien Lee

Every author has their own vision of who Erik is. For me, he was equal parts Earl Carpenter, Gerard Butler, my husband Jeff (who plays the Phantom at a local Victorian event) … and a smattering of my long-time friend Tom Westlake, who has the kind of long, elegant hands that make me sorry that he isn’t a pianist. Tom’s hands were actually called out in a review of his on-stage portrayal of Dracula!

It will come as no surprise that Erik is one of the main protagonists of the tale.