Chapter 12

"It's not worth it no more, I tell you. She 'as protectors ev'rywhere." Montparnasse tried to convince his leader, "We should jus' find someone else and move onwards."

"This is the bes' course we 'ave. You know 'at. We'll be rich af'er this." Mr. Thenardier squinted his eyes to try and shake the double Montparnasses he was seeing and took another swig from his canteen.

"Have you seen my face? That rebel nearly killed me."

"Which is why we'll be grabbin' her when they're all unavailable, yes?" Thenardier rolled his eyes at the thick-headedness of the other man and stood shakily, "Jus' make sure it all 'appens according to the plan." And with that he staggered off to heaven knows where, leaving Montparnasse to look after him with no small amount of trepidation.

Danielle had quickly recovered from the events at the Opera. She was always a rather resilient girl, and all she worried about now was the whereabouts of Raul. She still needed to discuss the funding of the Revolution with him, after all. She had slept late the next morning and he still hadn't returned. Alain had even been sent to the Opera House to inquire after Raul, but he had not been seen there, either. He was quite missing.

Unfortunately, that meant she had to explain all to Lady Baybridge. She traipsed down the stairs as quietly and refined as possible, hands clasped in front of her and chin held up. Naturally, the Lady would still find something to be cross about, but as long as Danielle did her best, she felt no qualms about being reprimanded.

"Danielle, don't slouch. You seem to have the same figure as a crippled farmer." The Lady snapped from sipping her tea in the Drawing Room. Danielle sighed and entered. She would accept that as her morning greeting and curtsied deeply before sitting gingerly on a sofa.

"My Lady, I believe I have bad news." She began. The Lady's head snapped to her and she rose a cynical brow. "Raul disappeared after the Opera last night and hasn't been seen since." She informed as briefly as possible. Although Lady Baybridge had schooled her in the art of flowery words and delicate subjects, she knew that the other woman was actually rather impatient with that method.

"Is he with the floosy?" She inquired, sipping her tea serenely. Danielle gaped. She had never encountered someone with so little propriety and grace.

"I can only assume so. I believe that she is missing, also. Nobody has seen either of them." She sat delicately on a wooden chair in the corner of the room, the furthest spot from the other woman.

"He'll run out of money shortly, then he'll be back." Lady Baybridge cocked her eyebrow and returned to a novel she had been reading. Danielle nodded and sat awkwardly for awhile. Her thought were in a turmoil, with each new one pressing it's way to the forefront of her mind.

What if he ran away and left me here with this harpy?

What if they went to America?

Will they ever make contact with us?

What if he was killed?

She took a deep breath, stood, curtsied to the woman ignoring her, and strode purposefully from the room. Looking back on the encounter, it actually went better than Danielle expected it would.

"Alain, would you saddle Maestro for me? I'm planning to ride through the Luxembourg today." She peeked in the kitchen to issue her order as Annette was chopping carrots for a stew and Alain came in from the garden to put tools away.

"Yes, Mademoiselle. Will you be needing an escort?"

"No, thank you. I'll be meeting Cosette."

"Shouldn't you both be needing an escort, then?" Alain inquired, confused. Two girls could certainly not be that much safer on the streets of Paris than one would be.

"We will have our horses and I can protect us both quite well, thank you." She spoke in a tone which broached no argument, although her expression was facetious. She turned quickly and went to change into her riding clothes, which consisted of a split skirt and rose colored jacket. As she passed the Drawing Room once more, she didn't spare a glance for Lady Baybridge. If the woman wished to sit around like a lump, that was no concern of hers. Danielle only wished she had shown more concern for Raul. It only meant that she was once more alone.

"I heard there was a terrible phantom that tried to kill Christine." Cosette gossiped from atop her bay gelding. Danielle should have known that the gossip would be circulating through the gardens as overwhelmingly as the scent of the blooming flowers. Two women riding in a barouche had their heads together in conspiring whispers while glancing towards her. As though she had some major part to play in her brothers dramatic disappearance.

"I don't know what happened, Cosette. All I know is that I searched for him and found nothing." She smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry, Danielle! I didn't mean to upset you!" Cosette stopped her horse and turned towards her, "Please, you must forgive me!"

"Oh, there is nothing to forgive! Of course I want every clue as to my brothers whereabouts."

"Have you spoken with Meg Giry?"

"I'm not sure I know of whom you speak."

"She was a dancer and a good friend of Christine. Apparently she was intimately acquainted with the goings on at the Opera." Cosette wiggled her eyebrows conspiratorially.

"Well, I will have to find her then, won't I?" Danielle teased.

"I never would have known you for a detective."

"Well, neither would I! You learn something new everyday."

"People have been talking about you and Enjolras." Cosette changed the subject. Danielle cast her a sharp look.

"In what way?"

"They say that it is a love match more than anything. Apparently you are destined to be a beautiful couple. She sighed dramatically. Two other figures on horseback came closer to the girls. It seemed to be Marius and Enjolras. Seeing Enjolras riding was rather amusing to Danielle, although he did look very comfortable atop a horse. The students tipped their hats to the girls and Danielle noticed Marius staring at Cosette, who was blushing and fidgeting with her reins.

"How are you this morning, Mademoiselle?" Enjolras enquired politely.

"I am well, thank you. And you?" Danielle answered equally politely and insincere.

"Never better." He replied flatly.

"Monsieur's, this is my dear friend, Cosette. Cosette, this is Marius and Enjolras." Danielle smiled at her friend. Cosette's attention never left Marius.

"May we ride with you ladies awhile?" Marius practically begged. Enjolras glared at him, annoyed.

"Of course, Monsieur." Cosette smiled demurely. The two paired off and began conversing. Danielle looked at Enjolras warily. She prayed this didn't mean she had to ride with him. Small talk was the most loathsome aspect of polite society.

"Have you recovered from the Opera, then?" He began their conversation and urged his horse after the other pair.

"I believe that is a personal question and therefore shall not be answered." Danielle snapped. She was tired of talking about Raul and the Opera.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to trample your delicate emotions." He scoffed.

"Implying that simply because I am a female I must have a mood that swings like a pendulum is not only ungentlemanly, it's completely archaic!"

"I was apologizing for my apparently impolite question. Your offensive manner only proves the point I am allegedly trying to make."

"You forget that we are in public, monsieur. It wouldn't do to feed the rumor mill with your accusations and barbaric manner." Danielle beamed at two men riding closely past the pair. They were supposed to at least be friendly towards each other. Never before had Danielle felt more friendless. It seemed everyone in her life was going on without her. Cosette had found Marius, Enjolras didn't care about anything but his dear Patria, and her own brother didn't care enough to stay. She was worthless.

"Mademoiselle, I meant no offense. I wasn't aware that we were holding a serious conversation." Enjolras turned his horses' shoulder into hers to cut her off. "I didn't come here to quarrel with you."

"Then why did you come here?" She looked at him skeptically.

"I wished to speak with you."

"Yes, I understand that, but what about?" She pressed.

"Nothing in particular." He looked at her deeply. Her eyebrows furrowed and she tried to formulate a response.

"Well if you wish to talk of nothing perhaps you should have kept Marius as a riding partner." She realized too late that it was a cruel joke. She was about to apologize emphatically when Enjolras started laughing. She graced him with a quizzical look.

"You're in a terrible mood and your anger is very comical." He supplied. That only fueled her fury.

"My rage isn't a laughing matter! You're supposed to take me seriously! Stop it right now!" She pouted like a petulant child, which only fueled his humor. If her pride hadn't been so hurt by the idea that her fury wasn't terrifying, she may have been almost happy to realize that this was the first time she had seen Enjolras really laugh. Her mood softened.

"Why do you not laugh more, Monsieur? It must be hard to be so dismal." She stated bluntly.

"My happiness doesn't matter, Danielle. My life means nothing, it doesn't count in the scheme of things. I am part of something bigger, and my contribution to that is all that matters."

"And so you would leave a miserable life if only to prove a point to the monarchy. They don't care for the feelings or comfort of the everyman. You aren't helping the helpless by reducing your abilities and resources to meet theirs." She was in a bad mood, and that inspired quite a pointed manner in her.

"But I can show them that I stand by them, through it all." He argued, but still with a more lighthearted manner. Danielle found his argument to be weak, as he would, also. She nodded, with a look displaying her opinion, and moved her horse around him.

"Am I summarily dismissed then, Milady?" His sardonic voice came from behind her. She walked her gelding forward quickly and didn't respond. Unfortunately, she knew the boy well enough to anticipate him following her.

"Leave me be, Monsieur." She threw over her shoulder.

"Are we back to such formalities, then? Hardly convincing, considering what we're supposed to be." He was almost laughing at her. She spun Maestro around to face him and scowled from under her riding hat.

"We are nothing, Monsieur. I have lost everything that bound me to you. Marius is gone and with him any need I had of your...assistance. Any communication or contact we would have had is terminated." She felt almost sad to speak the words, and didn't exactly know why, but she was curious as to his reaction.

"Are you breaking our engagement, then?" His smile was gone and, for the first time, he was completely still.

"You are free, Enjolras." She nearly whispered, "Go and start your revolution."

He had no expression or reaction; he simply stared. Danielle found that this was the worst reaction she could have anticipated. If he would yell she could justify her cruelty, if he would beg she could console herself with his weakness, if he would hate her forever she could confront the fact that he could never care for her. But he just stared at her as though they would never see one another again and he was memorizing her face. She had just told him he could die for all she cared, and he stared. She couldn't handle it. She almost felt like she could throw herself to the ground and sob until the pain overwhelmed her. But what made her feel that way? Perhaps because she never wanted to see anyone unhappy, and Enjolras certainly seemed miserable right now. But he never really wished to marry her, and she was releasing him from any commitment to her.

"Good day, Monsieur." She tipped her head to him, wheeled Maestro in a haunch turn, and spurred him into the swiftest gait she could safely do with so many people, and ran. It was her release. She ran him and forgot. And maybe his face wouldn't haunt her every waking moment. Maybe she would never have to see his face again.