By Way of Arrangement
Even in the Parisian underworld, it was possible to lose sight of one's nearest and dearest family members. The Magnon family was one such case. Of a brood of five, three had already perished from the pox alongside their parents back in 1818.
Suzette Magnon had, during the worst of the tragedy, managed to forget her youngest sister. Over the years, they'd both taken on different identities, so that nearly no one could make any connection save for those persons who had already known them in happier days.
So it was that Babet and Brujon took some time to comb the Latin Quartier, even with Montparnasse's help. By the time they arrived at their destination, little Cosette had fallen asleep on Brujon's shoulder.
"Are you sure this is the right place? Looks like some one's been renting rooms here," Brujon asked Montparnasse after they'd knocked on the door of the dilapidated tenement.
The gamin scratched his head. "She's removed a few times since last year. So I heard from some students."
"Who's there?" a lilting voice called through the keyhole.
"It's Monsieur Lucien," Babet replied.
The door opened to reveal a fair-faced young girl with dark curly hair and rosy cheeks. She wore an altered dress, which was cut low at the neck, and only succeeded looking awkward for a girl of fifteen.
"And what do Monsieur Lucien and his friends want? Some favor from my sister?" she asked lightly, meeting Babet's gaze.
Brujon chuckled awkwardly. "Actually, your sister turned us away, Musichetta."
Musichetta shook her head petulantly. "Call me Mlle. Laurain. My name is so peculiar. And you'd better bring those two children in. It's cold today,"
"You may not mind so much one day," Babet said, half-dragging Montparnasse inside the tenement. "About the boy, well I don't know. It's the little girl we're worried about."
Musichetta raised an eyebrow, but her smile softened as she looked at Cosette. "She looks so sweet. But why is she all in black?"
"Probably an orphan," Brujon muttered. It was the most logical explanation he could think of at the moment.
Musichetta sighed as she lifted the sleeping child from Brujon's shoulder. "I'll watch her, just for a night. Never mind what the other girls say. That's why I've got you to deal with them, am I right?" she asked teasingly.
Brujon shook his head while Babet only laughed. "Don't you have other friends to do that for you, Mademoiselle?" Montparnasse wondered aloud.
Musichetta shrugged. "You could stay here to help me," she said to the gamin. "It would do you some good."
"Not with these clothes," the gamin said.
"I'll give you some," the grisette replied matter-of-factly.
At the mention of new clothes, Montparnasse's face brightened. "Sounds like a good thing to me," he said thoughtfully.
