Title: Parties
Summary: Monsieur Gillenormond brings his family to a party, to the delight of Cosette and the dread of Marius
World: Book
"Do we have to go to this?" Marius whined for the hundredth time that day, his cravat still untied and his boots not laced up, as Cosette darted about the room looking for her gloves, her pearls, and various other accessories.
"I told you before- grandfather's friend is having this party to honor their fifty year long friendship. It's very special to them both. But wouldn't know- unless you've been friends with someone for fifty years?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Marius, still only twenty-three, decided it was best not to point out the absurdity of her question.
"Anyway. He wants us there-"
"You could go without me. Just go with grandfather," he said grumpily. He hated parties. He hated dancing. And he hated everyone asking him questions and all the attention he received, purely for being young. All the older people suddenly wanted to talk to him. Marius also realized that, in coming with Cosette, the amount of attention he would receive would increase exponentially.
"Do you know how silly that would look? And it's not as though I'll be having a grand old time at a party for people who are, at best, forty years older than me. So you have to come to keep me company. Besides, grandfather wants you there far more than I. You're his grandson. He'll want to show you off."
"I don't know... it seems as though he likes you far better than me. Just watch- within ten minutes, he'll be carting you around the room, showing you off and leaving me all alone in the corner. He definitely likes you far more than me," Marius whined. "Though I think it's only because you're pretty, which isn't very comforting to think about."
She rolled her eyes and pushed a few more pins into her hair, securing the curls to the top of your head.
"Now do I have to lace your boots up for you, or can you handle that?" she said with a smile on her face. "And keep in mind there is only one acceptable answer to that question."
"And this is my lovely granddaughter," Monsieur Gillenormond said, proudly gesturing to Cosette and smiling when people greeted her with kindness and awe at her beauty. "She's such a delight. Oh," he said, noticing Marius. He gave an awkward sort of cough and gestured weakly to Marius. "And this is her husband."
"I told you," he whispered in Cosette's ear. "I. Hate. Parties."
"Be polite," she said through a smile.
"Come, let's sit down," he said, gesturing to where their seats were at the prearranged tables.
Marius groaned when he saw the little place cards. They were at the head table, sitting with his grandfather and and other guest of honor and his family. "Whoever designed this seating chart must have been angry with me."
Cosette giggled when she saw it. Grandfather was seated in the middle. On his left was his friend who was throwing the party, and all the way down the left was his friend's family. She was seated at Grandfather's right, and next to her was an old friend of both men. On his other side was Aunt Gillenormond, and then Marius was stuck sitting at the end of the table next to her.
"No, no, no!" he whined again. "I already had to come to this party- and, my dear, have I made it clear enough that I-"
"Hate parties?" she said, smiling.
"Yes!" he exclaimed, trying very hard not to make a scene. He felt like he was ten and had to sit at the kid's table like he used to when his grandfather would have dinner parties. "Since I already made this sacrifice to come here, I demand to have you next to me. That way you can save me from saying something stupid, or attempting to drown myself in my glass of water."
Cosette rolled her eyes again at his melodrama, but then calmly sighed. "No one else is at the table yet. Here- switch Grandfather's friend with you and sit next to me."
"You're brilliant!" he exclaimed.
"And you're the lawyer," she said to herself. Weren't lawyers supposed to argue people out of problems? Well, Marius was being a very good arguer tonight.
They sat down in their seats, and Cosette sighed, watching all the people dancing. She looked down at her beautiful dress, which was meant to be admired and danced in. She sighed again, more loudly this time. It took until she started to sound as though she was having an asthma attack before Marius noticed.
"I know what you're thinking," he said, looking dreadfully at her her. "But really, darling. It's for the best. You don't want me to dance."
"Actually, I do," she said, ignoring his look of protest. "I would love for you to dance with me. See, I dressed up and look quite beautiful tonight, do I not?"
"You do."
"Thank you. So why look so beautiful if I cannot enjoy it, while I am dancing? My gown is brand-new. I haven't worn it yet outside of the seamstress' place. What is the use of it, if I cannot dance?"
"Because I see how beautiful you look," he said, clutching at straws. "Isn't that enough?"
She knew how to get what she wanted. So she sighed again, put a hand on her husband's arm, and made her eyes very big and beseeching, noting that the violet of the dress picked up the blue in her eyes and the blush in her cheeks. "Oh, I would just love to dance. I so wish I could dance with you, just once. It would make me so terribly happy. Though I suppose I cannot force you-"
"One dance," he said, standing up and looking grim, as though he were walking to the guillotine.
"Well, don't ask politely or anything," she said, elated.
He grimaced. "Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"
She beamed and sprang up from her seat.
When they made their way out onto the dance floor, Cosette was positively glowing with happiness, and Marius was trying to hide.
"I don't know the steps," he mumbled so only Cosette could hear.
"Do you think everyone in this room knows the steps?" she asked, looking about at the crowd of people. "No. Just take steps around yourself and twirl me once in awhile. Just look as though you know what you're doing and you'll be fine."
"How did you figure this out?" he whispered. "You didn't have dance lessons either, did you?"
"No. Dancing isn't terribly popular at the convent," she said dryly.
"I can't imagine why."
They danced for one song, and then a simple bat of her eyelashes won her another. But then Marius, looking over the top of Cosette's head, groaned yet again.
"What is it?" she asked, wondering what could possibly be wrong this time.
"Look."
Then, just a minute later, they were joined by grandfather.
"Hello, you two. I hope you're enjoying the party. Now, Marius. Would you mind if I borrowed Cosette for a moment? I want to introduce her to some friends who haven't had the good fortune to meet her yet."
"Why can't I come, too?" he asked beseechingly.
"They already know you!" he said gruffly.
"It seems I have no choice," Marius surrendered. But not before he whispered once again in Cosette's ear. "I told you!"
Marius quickly reasoned that, without Cosette, he would be positively foolish to stand on the dance floor, as it would be only a matter of time before someone came to bother him. So he grumpily made his way back up to the table and sat there alone, watching grandfather tow his wife around just like he knew would happen. He was rather comfortable with not having to talk to anyone, though, and no one was bothering him.
"Hello, Marius," came a voice, and he looked up to see his Aunt. He nodded at her, but was very upset that she sat down next to him. "Are you enjoying the party?" she said glumly.
"Not very much," he admitted.
"I am not either. I don't enjoy parties. They're so faithless."
That wasn't why Marius hated parties, but he just nodded. Silence crept over them both, but it was not a comfortable silence like sitting alone. He kept thinking 'I should say something to her' but he couldn't think of anything. Awkwardness sat with them too, as though determined to make Marius uncomfortable. He shifted positions in his seat about twelve times in one minute, cursing grandfather for stealing Cosette away. See, if Cosette were here, she would think of something to say to Aunt Gillenormond, because Cosette never felt awkwardness, it seemed. Not in social situations, anyway. Not even Aunt Gillenormond's stony, staring silence could make Cosette uncomfortable.
Finally he gave up and left the table after an awkward goodbye to Aunt Gillenormond. He found Cosette in the crowd, standing by an old couple and Monsieur Gillenormond. Cosette, of course, was being the picture of politeness and youth in complementing the woman on her dress and jewelerly.
"You look so lovely," she said with a kind smile to the older woman, who looked more flattered than she'd probably been in years. Marius rolled his eyes- could Cosette fail at being charming to anyone in the entire world? No. Then she noticed Marius was standing next to her, and she beamed at him, and then introduced him to the older couple. Grandfather had lied. They didn't know Marius- he'd never seen them before in his life.
Finally, dinner was served. They all made their way up to the table, and then grandfather eyed the seats.
"I could have sworn you were at the end, Marius," he said.
"No," he said, and Grandfather eyed him suspiciously.
"No, he was next to me the whole time," Cosette said smoothly. Of course Grandfather believed her right away.
Throughout dinner, grandfather made several backhanded complements about Marius, which he certainly did not appreciate. He made it through the meal because Cosette had artfully angled her chair so that her knee was against his throughout the meal, and she could lean in to tell him things without attracting notice.
"Smile," she'd say, reminding him. "Happiness. Be polite."
After dinner, speeches, dessert, and some final rounds of dancing and socializing, it was time to go.
On their way out while Marius was holding out Cosette's cape for her, he whispered in her ear one more time.
"I-"
"Hate parties!" Cosette said happily, as though it were a wonderful thing. She giggled. "You are so funny when you're grumpy."
He sulked. Nothing worked. But as he sat in the carriage on the way home, he was consoled. Home. There was no one dancing at home, no one questioning him or staring at him. Perfect.
"I think I should host a party," Grandfather mused. "We haven't had a large party in the house since the wedding... I think it would be marvelous idea."
Marius slumped into his seat and sighed. Cosette put a hand on his arm, but he was past solace. Another party.
Wonderful.
This might be my favorite chapter so far. Please let me know what you think!
