Another one of those missing pieces bits...after the barricades
June 7, 1832
"Is Papa awake yet?"
"I-I don't know,"
Cosette sipped her tea and looked around. "Yesterday, there was fighting in Paris, did you hear, Toussaint?" she asked the maid.
"O-of course. It was t-ter-rible," Toussaint said, bringing in some bread. "T-the barricades have been taken already."
Cosette put down her teacup. "What if Marius was there?" she thought. Fear rose up within her as she remembered some of Marius' stories about his friends, and all of his talk about politics. "But he said he'd be gone only a day...only a day!."
Suddenly, the door to the dining room opened. "Good morning, Cosette, Toussaint," Valjean greeted as he walked in. Toussaint excused herself and went to clean some of the rooms.
"Ah Papa, where have you been? I didn't see you all day yesterday!" Cosette said, getting up from her chair.
"Fetching something," Valjean said.
Just then, Toussaint entered the room again. "Your uniform, M'sieur...i-it's gone!" she said to Valjean.
"Oh how so?" Cosette asked, gripping her chair. Just then, an answer dawned on her. "You wore it to get news? Well, the barricades were taken, Papa."
"It was dangerous all the same," Valjean said, getting a piece of bread. "Not so long ago, I got news of a young man..."
Cosette's heart began to beat faster. "What young man?"
Valjean gave her a knowing look. "Marius Pontmercy. You know him?"
Cosette nodded slowly, feeling dread starting to overcome her. "What of him, Papa?"
Valjean met her eyes. "He was at the barricades, and he was wounded. But he lives, Cosette."
Cosette's hand flew to her mouth. "How? Can I see him?"
"Not yet. Not till he's better,"
"Anything I can do to help? Oh, how terrible...oh why him? Why did he have to go to the barricades?"
"I do not know, Cosette."
The girl finished her tea and went to the door of the dining room. "He will be fine, will he not?" she asked.
Valjean paused. "They will need bandages for him,"
Cosette smiled. "Very well then," she said, leaving to search her closet.
