Chapter 11
Charlotte looked between her brother and Monsieur Laroche, who hadn't taken their eyes off one another. Leon came to Gustave and Charlotte backed towards the study.
"Tell me I didn't hear you correctly," said Leon, through gritted teeth. "You did not just say you were in love with a woman other than my daughter."
"I am afraid I cannot deny my feelings, for I did love that other woman."
"Claire? Claire Merle? The girl who took care of your siblings? That Claire?" He spat the word 'that' out like it was foul.
"I don't know any other Claire."
"She came into your life far later than my daughter did, and she left much earlier. You can't possibly tell me that you loved her."
"I did. But make no mistake about my feelings for Brigitte, because I loved her regardless of my feelings for anyone else."
"Like hell you did!" Leon grabbed Gustave's collar and pulled him closer. Charlotte gasped and threw her hands over her mouth. "Don't lie to my face about your feelings for my daughter! Admit that you never loved her and only married her for her dowry!"
"Never. I did love Brigitte."
"You can't love two women at the same time!"
"Why not? Who can say that? If anyone, it certainly isn't you!"
"You'll regret the day you ever crossed me, boy."
"Leon! Leave him alone this instant!" Catherine came down the stairs, and Leon set Gustave down. By then, Marius had come out of the study.
"What's going on? Is there a problem?"
"Your son is the problem!" roared Leon. "Him and this Claire!"
Marius shot a look at his son. "What about Claire?"
"Leon, do not make this worse than..." Catherine was silenced by a blow to her face from her husband's hand. She looked at him wide-eyed and touched the side of her face. Eponine appeared, shoved Charlotte inside the study, and closed the doors.
"What in Heaven's name is going on?"
"I think there's more than one issue in this house."
"The only issue we're going to worry about, boy, is the issue that was first brought to my attention."
"What issue would that be, Leon?" Marius questioned.
"Your son is in love with Claire Merle. I even suspect that he loved her while he and my daughter were engaged."
"Claire?" breathed Eponine.
"Gustave, tell Monsieur Laroche that that is simply not true."
"I can't tell him it's not true, Father. It is true. I did love Claire."
Marius and Eponine glanced at one another. Eponine put her hands over her mouth and began to breathe heavily. Marius approached his son.
"Come with me, now."
Marius left the three in the hallway while he lead Gustave into a room down the hall. As they entered the room, Marius rounded on his son.
"Why?"
"It just happened."
"Did you ever love Brigitte?"
"You know I did."
"Are you lying to me?"
"No. I wouldn't have proposed to someone I didn't love, especially since you and Leon were at each other's throats. You mended fences because of this marriage."
"You just broke them down! Your wife just died!"
"You think I wanted that? Believe me or not, I was in love with Brigitte and that is all I'm going to say. You have no right to preach to me about loving one woman!"
"You have no clue what you're saying."
"Mother told me about when you were young. You loved Mother, but chased after another."
"But I didn't dishonor your Mother. And I may have loved that other woman for a while, but my feelings overcame me."
"Father, don't you understand? It would have been completely dishonorable of me to back out of my engagement with Brigitte."
"No, it wouldn't have."
Gustave turned to his Father. "What do you mean?"
"I was engaged to that other woman, and I told her I couldn't go through with it because I knew that being with your mother would make me happy."
"So, I should have...but Leon would never have let me live it down."
"Son, listen to me. Sometimes, you have to forget what people think and do what suits you best."
"Even though it might hurt someone?"
"Especially if it might hurt someone. It might have stung when you turned Brigitte down, but she would have moved on and found another man. Now it burns because they think you dishonored her."
"I didn't. I just felt more strongly for Claire then I did for Brigitte." Gustave felt lost every time he opened his mouth. He knew what he felt, but trying to explain this to other people was the most difficult thing he had ever done. "I loved them both."
"I believe you. But you have to tell Leon that you've given up on Claire. If you don't, he'll feel like you've dishonored her memory. Please, just do this for Brigitte. She didn't deserve this."
"I know that. Very well. I'll do what I have to."
Marius opened the door and followed his son back to where the chaos had begun.
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A week after Brigitte Ann Pontmercy had been laid to rest, Gustave sat in his old room in his parents' house, looking out the window. There was a knock at the door, and he turned to see his sister come in with a tray.
"Mother said that some tea might make you feel better."
"Thanks, Charlotte." She walked to the door, but did not leave. Instead, she closed it, and sat next to Gustave.
"When did the Laroches leave?"
"This afternoon."
"To Lille?"
"They want to be closer to where Brigitte is buried."
"How long are you going to stay here?"
"As long as it takes."
"You closed your practice?"
"I couldn't live in Lille any longer."
Charlotte looked out the window while her brother sipped his tea. She looked back at him. "You both lied to me."
"Who did?"
"You and Claire."
"What about?"
"About loving one another."
"I'm so sick of that word. I wouldn't care if I never heard it again."
"So, you're just going to sit here for the rest of your life?"
"If that's what I feel like doing, then yes."
"You won't even try to find Claire?"
"My wife just died. I don't think that I should be searching France for her right now. Besides, you said that she found some other man."
"Maybe, but she doesn't lo...care for him like she does for you."
"I know she's moved on."
"You don't know anything, Gustave Pontmercy," Charlotte said coldly. She got up and left, slamming the door behind her.
Gustave kneaded his forehead. He was furious with himself. He was a wreck who didn't know what he was going to do next. He threw his teacup across the room, grabbed his coat, and walked out the front door.
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"Hello? Hello!" Gustave stood pounding the door.
"Who are you? What are you doing waking everyone up at such an hour?"
"Uncle Grantaire, it's Gustave. Please let me in. I need to talk to Enjolras." He heard the door unlock, and he saw his Uncle.
"Is something wrong?" Azelma asked, coming forward while throwing a shawl over her shoulders.
"Gustave's here. He wants to see Enjolras."
"Who wants to see me?" asked Enjolras, yawning.
"Your godson," Azelma said, a little irritated.
"Gustave, what's wrong with you?"
"Enjolras, I need your advice."
"Oh, God. I'm going back to bed."
"Wait one minute, Grantaire. Gustave, do your parents know you're here?"
"No, Aunt Azelma."
"Oh, dear God. Grantaire..."
"Let him have his old bed for the night, and we'll send him off in the morning."
"Knock some sense into him, please, Enjolras." Azelma and Grantaire left the two alone in the semi-lit room. Enjolras brought a candle over to the kitchen table, and set it down. He motioned for his godson to sit, and he did so.
"Now, to what do I owe such a visit?"
"Enjolras, I'm a mess."
"As is expected."
"I don't know where I stand."
"Yes you do. You want to find Claire."
"But I can't. If Leon ever knew..."
"Leon's in Lille. He knows that you love her."
"I can't take it anymore."
"Just take it one step at a time. What does Leon want?"
"He wants me to honor Brigitte's death."
"What does your family want?"
"For me to be happy."
"What do you want?"
"To find Claire."
"So put them all together so everyone will be happy. Put on a good show for a year and remember Brigitte in a fashionable manner. Then, go and try to find Claire, and when you do, we'll all be happy."
"You make it sound so simple."
"I never said it was going to be simple. I was just throwing out a suggestion."
"A good one, at that. It could work. Only I won't be putting on a good show. From now on, I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve."
"That's a good starting attitude. Now, if that's all..."
"For the night, yes. Thank you."
"Goodnight, Gustave."
Charlotte looked between her brother and Monsieur Laroche, who hadn't taken their eyes off one another. Leon came to Gustave and Charlotte backed towards the study.
"Tell me I didn't hear you correctly," said Leon, through gritted teeth. "You did not just say you were in love with a woman other than my daughter."
"I am afraid I cannot deny my feelings, for I did love that other woman."
"Claire? Claire Merle? The girl who took care of your siblings? That Claire?" He spat the word 'that' out like it was foul.
"I don't know any other Claire."
"She came into your life far later than my daughter did, and she left much earlier. You can't possibly tell me that you loved her."
"I did. But make no mistake about my feelings for Brigitte, because I loved her regardless of my feelings for anyone else."
"Like hell you did!" Leon grabbed Gustave's collar and pulled him closer. Charlotte gasped and threw her hands over her mouth. "Don't lie to my face about your feelings for my daughter! Admit that you never loved her and only married her for her dowry!"
"Never. I did love Brigitte."
"You can't love two women at the same time!"
"Why not? Who can say that? If anyone, it certainly isn't you!"
"You'll regret the day you ever crossed me, boy."
"Leon! Leave him alone this instant!" Catherine came down the stairs, and Leon set Gustave down. By then, Marius had come out of the study.
"What's going on? Is there a problem?"
"Your son is the problem!" roared Leon. "Him and this Claire!"
Marius shot a look at his son. "What about Claire?"
"Leon, do not make this worse than..." Catherine was silenced by a blow to her face from her husband's hand. She looked at him wide-eyed and touched the side of her face. Eponine appeared, shoved Charlotte inside the study, and closed the doors.
"What in Heaven's name is going on?"
"I think there's more than one issue in this house."
"The only issue we're going to worry about, boy, is the issue that was first brought to my attention."
"What issue would that be, Leon?" Marius questioned.
"Your son is in love with Claire Merle. I even suspect that he loved her while he and my daughter were engaged."
"Claire?" breathed Eponine.
"Gustave, tell Monsieur Laroche that that is simply not true."
"I can't tell him it's not true, Father. It is true. I did love Claire."
Marius and Eponine glanced at one another. Eponine put her hands over her mouth and began to breathe heavily. Marius approached his son.
"Come with me, now."
Marius left the three in the hallway while he lead Gustave into a room down the hall. As they entered the room, Marius rounded on his son.
"Why?"
"It just happened."
"Did you ever love Brigitte?"
"You know I did."
"Are you lying to me?"
"No. I wouldn't have proposed to someone I didn't love, especially since you and Leon were at each other's throats. You mended fences because of this marriage."
"You just broke them down! Your wife just died!"
"You think I wanted that? Believe me or not, I was in love with Brigitte and that is all I'm going to say. You have no right to preach to me about loving one woman!"
"You have no clue what you're saying."
"Mother told me about when you were young. You loved Mother, but chased after another."
"But I didn't dishonor your Mother. And I may have loved that other woman for a while, but my feelings overcame me."
"Father, don't you understand? It would have been completely dishonorable of me to back out of my engagement with Brigitte."
"No, it wouldn't have."
Gustave turned to his Father. "What do you mean?"
"I was engaged to that other woman, and I told her I couldn't go through with it because I knew that being with your mother would make me happy."
"So, I should have...but Leon would never have let me live it down."
"Son, listen to me. Sometimes, you have to forget what people think and do what suits you best."
"Even though it might hurt someone?"
"Especially if it might hurt someone. It might have stung when you turned Brigitte down, but she would have moved on and found another man. Now it burns because they think you dishonored her."
"I didn't. I just felt more strongly for Claire then I did for Brigitte." Gustave felt lost every time he opened his mouth. He knew what he felt, but trying to explain this to other people was the most difficult thing he had ever done. "I loved them both."
"I believe you. But you have to tell Leon that you've given up on Claire. If you don't, he'll feel like you've dishonored her memory. Please, just do this for Brigitte. She didn't deserve this."
"I know that. Very well. I'll do what I have to."
Marius opened the door and followed his son back to where the chaos had begun.
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A week after Brigitte Ann Pontmercy had been laid to rest, Gustave sat in his old room in his parents' house, looking out the window. There was a knock at the door, and he turned to see his sister come in with a tray.
"Mother said that some tea might make you feel better."
"Thanks, Charlotte." She walked to the door, but did not leave. Instead, she closed it, and sat next to Gustave.
"When did the Laroches leave?"
"This afternoon."
"To Lille?"
"They want to be closer to where Brigitte is buried."
"How long are you going to stay here?"
"As long as it takes."
"You closed your practice?"
"I couldn't live in Lille any longer."
Charlotte looked out the window while her brother sipped his tea. She looked back at him. "You both lied to me."
"Who did?"
"You and Claire."
"What about?"
"About loving one another."
"I'm so sick of that word. I wouldn't care if I never heard it again."
"So, you're just going to sit here for the rest of your life?"
"If that's what I feel like doing, then yes."
"You won't even try to find Claire?"
"My wife just died. I don't think that I should be searching France for her right now. Besides, you said that she found some other man."
"Maybe, but she doesn't lo...care for him like she does for you."
"I know she's moved on."
"You don't know anything, Gustave Pontmercy," Charlotte said coldly. She got up and left, slamming the door behind her.
Gustave kneaded his forehead. He was furious with himself. He was a wreck who didn't know what he was going to do next. He threw his teacup across the room, grabbed his coat, and walked out the front door.
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"Hello? Hello!" Gustave stood pounding the door.
"Who are you? What are you doing waking everyone up at such an hour?"
"Uncle Grantaire, it's Gustave. Please let me in. I need to talk to Enjolras." He heard the door unlock, and he saw his Uncle.
"Is something wrong?" Azelma asked, coming forward while throwing a shawl over her shoulders.
"Gustave's here. He wants to see Enjolras."
"Who wants to see me?" asked Enjolras, yawning.
"Your godson," Azelma said, a little irritated.
"Gustave, what's wrong with you?"
"Enjolras, I need your advice."
"Oh, God. I'm going back to bed."
"Wait one minute, Grantaire. Gustave, do your parents know you're here?"
"No, Aunt Azelma."
"Oh, dear God. Grantaire..."
"Let him have his old bed for the night, and we'll send him off in the morning."
"Knock some sense into him, please, Enjolras." Azelma and Grantaire left the two alone in the semi-lit room. Enjolras brought a candle over to the kitchen table, and set it down. He motioned for his godson to sit, and he did so.
"Now, to what do I owe such a visit?"
"Enjolras, I'm a mess."
"As is expected."
"I don't know where I stand."
"Yes you do. You want to find Claire."
"But I can't. If Leon ever knew..."
"Leon's in Lille. He knows that you love her."
"I can't take it anymore."
"Just take it one step at a time. What does Leon want?"
"He wants me to honor Brigitte's death."
"What does your family want?"
"For me to be happy."
"What do you want?"
"To find Claire."
"So put them all together so everyone will be happy. Put on a good show for a year and remember Brigitte in a fashionable manner. Then, go and try to find Claire, and when you do, we'll all be happy."
"You make it sound so simple."
"I never said it was going to be simple. I was just throwing out a suggestion."
"A good one, at that. It could work. Only I won't be putting on a good show. From now on, I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve."
"That's a good starting attitude. Now, if that's all..."
"For the night, yes. Thank you."
"Goodnight, Gustave."