"What do you mean he has two mistresses?" Gillenormand said, completely shocked. "He came to me barely two days ago, all self-righteous, against mistresses and affairs, and now he has two?"
"I only know what I saw," Inspector Noreau said. "He's medium height, with dark hair? Early twenties?"
"Yes," Gillenormand said.
"At 16 rue de la Verrerie. That's him. And there were two women there. They came out of what must have been the bedroom, practically half-nude. The first girl kissed him, and said, "I'll see you tonight," and then left. The second girl was all over him; they were practically...erm...cohabitating by the time I left.'"
"Well," Gillenormand said with a smile. "I'm thrilled. I'm just tickled. The boy is a chop off the old block! I always knew he'd come round!"
Noreau grimaced, not liking the image that appeared in his head when he thought of this old man and two mistresses.
"Here's your money," Gillenormond said, handing him an envelope. "My gratitude, good sir."
16 rue de la Verrerie, Valjean thought.
"That's where she is," he realized suddenly.
It was nine in the morning. He'd gone into Cosette's room an hour ago, wondering why on earth she was not awake when they had to eat and load all their belongings into a carriage and leave by ten. He'd found an empty bed, and no note.
Valjean had no doubt where she was; she was with that boy. Montpercy? Ponnerny? Something like that- that oafish creature. He looked about twelve, and had absolutely no spine. Some idiot who had come and waltzed by, saw a pretty girl, and tried to woo her with stupid words.
He had Cosette now, somewhere. She had no doubt gone off with him, not of her own will, no! But because he'd taken her!
But Valjean knew where she was. That address carved into the wall of the Rue Plumet! Well, if it wasn't his, whose was it? It had to be his! No one else would be in that garden. After rifling through some maps, Valjean was certain he was right. It was a poor street in the Latin Quarter, very close to where they were living. A perfect place for a poor student to be living.
After shrugging into his National Guard's uniform- in case he was stopped on the street- Valjean set out. He would get Cosette back, hopefully in time to catch their carriage. If they didn't catch it, well... they'd reschedule, but no matter what they would be out of France in a matter of time. Boy or no boy, he was Cosette's father, and she would be coming with him.
And she would be happy!
"Who are you?"
"I am the boy's grandfather!" an old man was saying to the porter when Valjean arrived. "I have every right to come up!"
"I need to see a Monsieur..." Valjean was about to begin, but realized he had no firm grasp on the boy's name. "Does a young man live here?"
"Why do you ask?" the porter said. After months of these two young men living here with scarcely any visitors, why was it that suddenly all these people needed to see them?
"He's kidnapped my daughter!" Valjean said viciously. "I highly recommend you let me up."
"Pontmercy?" the old man said, turning in shock to Valjean.
"That's it!" Valjean exclaimed. "You know him?"
"I'm his grandfather!" he said, and started to laugh knowingly. "I don't think he's exactly kidnapped her."
To Valjean's horror, he winked.
"What do you mean to say?" Valjean said, and dared to draw himself up to his full height. The old man did not seem to care, however.
"I know this might be hard to admit but I think she was here of quite her own accord," he said with a chuckle.
"Excuse me?"
"Well, from what I know, all female company of Monsieur Pontmercy's is only too glad to be here. Both of them, from what I've heard!"
"What do you mean both?" Valjean growled menacingly. What had that bastard done to his Cosette? Why had there been two girls there? Oh, his poor, corrupted Cosette! He would love her, nonetheless. She had done no wrong, Valjean was sure.
Gillenormand's reply pulled him from his reverie. "Look, monsieur, I'm not here to meddle in your affairs-"
"Well, if you have the information, if you have information about my daughter- I... I-" Valjean stumbled over the words.
"Would you two like to go up?" the porter said nervously. It sounded like they had business to attend to, and he hardly wanted a fight to break out on his hands.
"Yes," Valjean said curtly.
"Him too?" Gillenormand said, and just earned himself a glare.
The porter let the two men up, and they stood side by side by Marius' door, Valjean seething, Gillenormand triumphant. It was all part of a young man's growing up to anger a father or two- why, he'd angered many in his heyday! He remembered there had been one girl that he had smuggled out of a convent - ah, how pretty she had been? What was her name again? Sophie? Giselle? Her father had been furious with him, especially when the girl, whatever her name was, had become pregnant. What had happened to her? Gillenormand didn't remember.
Valjean knocked, and then knocked again when no one answered. Finally, the door opened, and a thin young man, looking exhausted, tired and stressed, stood in the doorway.
Valjean looked past the one opening the door, and his eyes fell on Cosette, who had a panicked look on her face.
"Darling," he said, and, pushing past the young man and into the room, pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Father!" she said, very surprised to see him. She managed to take in a very old man hugging Marius, too, before she was enveloped in her father's arms, her gaze blocked by his coat.
Gillenormand was embracing Marius, and whispering in his ear, "Oh, my boy, I am proud of you! Two mistresses! Why didn't you tell me, I was getting worried. Pretty, are they? Just couldn't choose the one?" His whisperings got considerably ruder and more profane, and Marius, struggling to escape the situation, started to listen in on Valjean's conversation with Cosette.
"I know you're scared, but everything is alright now," Valjean was saying soothingly. "We'll just go home, and we can still go to England if we move fast- oh, Cosette, everything will be fine. Are you hurt at all?" he said, pulling back. "Did he hurt you?"
"I did not hurt her!" Marius pulled away gratefully from his grandfather's grasp, and now pushed his way into Cosette's embrace with her father.
"You bastard! You swine! I've been meaning to give you this," Valjean cried, and dropped his hands from Cosette's shoulders. Calmly, and powerfully, he clenched his fist, and pointedly punched Marius in the face.
"Well, this looks like fun," Courfeyrac spoke for the first time since the two old men had entered the room. He had a grin on his face as he watched his friend stagger back and the girl scream - at last, Marius was enjoying the full experience of bachelorhood! "I'm terribly sorry, but I have a prior engagement that requires me to leave this scene..."
"Who are you?" both old men demanded.
"I'm..." Courfeyrac thought wildly for an alias; he didn't trust Gillenormand not to mention his name to his police friend. "Jean Prouvaire. Marius' dearest, considerably more charming and better looking friend."
Gillenormand found himself liking the young man's cheek. Courfeyrac turned to the old man, inclined his head, and said, "Oh, Monsieur Gillenormand? I believe your friend Monsieur Noreau came by earlier? Do tell him that the gentleman he observed was myself, not Monsieur Pontmercy." Gillenormand started to speak, but Courfeyrac overrode him. "Much as I'd like to stand around explaining things further...goodbye," he said, smirking. Then, he let himself into the back room.
"Are you alright?" Cosette said, with Marius' face in her hands. She turned to glare at her father.
"I'm fine," Marius said, obviously lying.
"Cosette, let's leave these fools. Come now, let's go home," Valjean said, putting his arm around his daughter's shoulders.
Cosette took a very deep breath. She could not do this, could she?
She looked at Marius, who was looking at her beseechingly.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and said decisively, "No."
"Cosette?" Valjean said, shocked.
"I said, no," she said again.
The room was utterly silent. Gillenormand, out of the loop, was just looking entertained. Marius, Valjean, and Cosette all looked surprised at her will, which had never really presented itself before. Valjean was about to speak and break the silence when an anguished cry sounded itself from the back room.
They all jumped.
"What is going on here?" Valjean cried, his voice terrible. He looked demandingly at Marius, and then at Cosette. Neither had anything to offer him.
"I'll be right back," Marius said, and dashed into the back room.
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