As the week progressed, Eponine made a slow recovery. After Sunday's service, Javert returned to the hospital as Eponine would be leaving the hospital that day and would be staying in his home.
When Javert stepped into the room, he found Eponine walking around with the help of the nurse. She looked up and smiled when she saw Javert.
"I'm walking again, monsieur."
"Well, her legs will be weak for awhile. She'll be in need of a wheelchair until the strength comes back." The nurse said.
"I am ready to leave now."
"You will, dear. If the Inspector is willing to help you, I will find your wheelchair and you can be released."
"Of course." Javert said.
The nurse gave Javert Eponine's hand and then left them alone. He continued to help her walk around the room.
"How is your pain?" Javert asked.
"I do ache, but it is much better."
There was no more conversation beyond that and the nurse returned in a minute's time. Javert helped Eponine into her wheelchair, thanked the nurse, and then wheeled Eponine outside.
Eponine sighed and leaned her head back slightly. "It feels good to be in the sun again."
"You know, you cannot possibly remain in that gown. I shall hire a seamstress to make you new clothes."
Hearing this, Eponine smiled. "I've not worn new clothes since I was young."
Javert placed Eponine in a coach that he hired and soon they were off to his home. It was a well-sized home with a parlor, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a guest room. Eponine, who hadn't seen fine things since childhood, was amazed by the house. Javert wheeled her chair into the guest room and then placed her in bed and tucked her under the covers.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door and Javert went to answer it. To his surprise, it was another inspector.
"Monsieur Javert, I've come to deliver news." The inspector said.
"Then do so, monsieur."
"Well, it was a beggar that wanted me to deliver this news, saying it might be of some meaning. His name was Thenardier if I remember."
Javert stepped outside and closed the door behind him. If Thenardier really had news, and news that might find him in jail or worse, he didn't want Eponine to hear. He didn't want anything to upset her during her recovery.
"What did he tell you?" Javert asked.
"Well, he gave me word that two days ago he had attended the wedding of Marius Pontmercy and Cosette Valjean."
Javert felt suddenly excited, perhaps he would not have to wait another ten years to capture Jean-Valjean.
"Was the bride's father in attendance?"
The inspector looked towards his feet. "Well, Monsieur Thenardier had informed me that the bride's father had taken ill and died that very night."
Valjean was dead? The convict that Javert had hoped to see spend the rest of his life behind prison walls was dead? Javert had never been more angry in his entire life; now, he would never pay for his crimes.
"Are you all right, monsieur?" The inspector asked.
"Y-Yes, I'm fine. Good evening."
Javert stepped back inside and slammed the door. He could hear sounds coming from the guest room and instantly regretted slamming the door close. He went to the guest room and found Eponine trying to sit up.
"Who was at the door, monsieur?" Eponine asked.
"An Inspector. He wished to deliver news to me." Javert explained, helping Eponine sit up.
"What news?"
Javert froze. Instantly, the feeling of anger over Valjean's death had vanished and was replaced with a sense of dread. Eponine obviously loved Marius, and now he had married someone else. How could he tell her?
"What news, monsieur?" Eponine asked again.
"He told me that there was a wedding a-"
"Whose wedding? I'm sure I must know either the bride or groom. I know everyone in Paris, from the highs to the lows."
"It was the wedding of Cosette Valjean and...Marius Pontmercy." Javert said quietly.
Javert waited for Eponine's reaction. He expected her to cry, to scream, to do something to express her sorrow over losing Marius. Instead, she just started at him, with a blank look on her face.
"Are you all right, Mademoiselle?" Javert asked.
Eponine finally blinked. "Yes, I'm all right. I had always known that Marius loved Cosette, but I hadn't thought that they would..."
"Well, I felt as though you had the right to know. I will leave you alone to continue your rest."
Javert bowed and left the guest room. Later in the night, he was awakened by the sound of Eponine screaming. He wrapped himself in his dressing gown and went to the guest room; he found Eponine screaming in her sleep and writhing in the bed.
"Don't leave me alone, Marius, please. I can't be alone. I can't be alone again." Eponine screamed.
Javert knew she had to be woken up, so he sat on the bed and grabbed her by her arms, sitting her up.
"Mademoiselle, wake up. You're having a nightmare." Javert said, nice and loud.
After a moment, Eponine gasped and opened her eyes. She grabbed onto Javert and hugged him, which took the inspector by surprise.
"It was horrible, monsieur. I was in a dark room, all alone and Marius came to me. I wasn't frightened when he was there, but then he left me alone again. I was alone and scared. I know I may seem brave, able to face anything. It's not true. I can't be alone."
"You're all right. You're safe with me."
"Will you stay until I fall asleep?" Eponine asked.
"Of course. Now, lay back. You still have stitches and you don't to tear them."
Javert helped Eponine lay back down. He took her hand and held it until her eyes closed and she drifted back to sleep.