::Eponine::
Eponine
was quickly brought back to her senses. She rushed over to Kate
despite her leg, and tried to stifle the bleeding wound with a tear
from her skirt. Kate tried to smile, but it was with much difficulty.
Eponine helped her to the bed.
"Kate."
She said softly, putting her arm around the girl. This girl was only
a few years younger than she. "Kate." She said again. Kate
looked into Eponine's eyes and locked her gaze there. "I want
you to tell me as best you can, why this man was after you. If you
must stop, please do, but only if you can't go any further."
She
looked expectantly at Kate. "I was-That was Mark. He has been
courting me for months now. God knows why I hadn't left him before."
She winced, but forced herself to go on. "And recently I found
that. . .I. . ."
"Found what?" Eponine asked.
"I found that I was carrying his child." Everyone stared at her.
"How old are you?" Eponine asked, concerned. Kate started crying.
"Fourteen." She sobbed. Eponine drew her into a hug, the poor child! Fourteen and already with child. Suddenly Eponine thought of something.
"Kate, for your own safety, was this 'of your own free will'?" Kate looked at Eponine solemnly.
"No."
She whispered. "That's why I left."
Eponine stared
at the girl. "You did the right thing." She empathized.
"Now, go on with your story." Kate inhaled deeply and
regained what she had left of her composure.
"He
was using me, just for a bit of fun, the bastard. So I left, and he
got angry...and then..." She paused. "I'm sorry you had to
see that."
Eponine shook her head. "Don't apologize;
this was NOT your fault. By the way, how far along are you?"
Kate considered.
"About a month." She replied. Eponine hugged her again.
"Don't
worry; we'll take care of you. Just try to get some rest."
She
helped Kate lie down, and covered her with a blanket. Eponine liked
Kate. She wasn't perfect, and neither was her life. She could tell
that Cosette had different feelings on the matter entirely.