Éponine became a regular at Le Café Musain. When Marius was there, she stared off at him dreamily, barely even hearing the teasing jabs that Grantaire thrust at her. When Marius wasn't there, she stayed til the last minute, hoping he would show up.
On the latter days, her attention was a little freer—though she still kept a frequent eye on the door—and she and Grantaire fell into easy chatter. Enjolras sometimes glared in their direction if, after an inordinate amount of alcohol, they became too boisterous. This happened more frequently after Grantaire started bringing whiskey for Éponine, in addition to his favoured absinthe.
Éponine usually took pains to rein things in after receiving such a glare from the ABC leader. After all, Enjolras had permitted her to stay on the condition that she didn't cause any more disturbances—and she couldn't risk losing the opportunity Le Café provided to observe and admire Monsieur Marius on a regular basis.
It didn't take long for Éponine to notice that Grantaire, too, had an object of admiration at Le Café. She observed how his eyes regularly wandered over to the formidable leader and lingered there, tracking every shake of his golden head, every clench of his white fist.
She tried to tease Grantaire about it once. But his jaw tightened and his face became pale and drawn.
Had he reacted with irritation, she would have teased yet more aggressively. But, uncouth though she was, Éponine could tell the difference between irritation and quiet anguish. So she didn't mention Enjolras to her drinking partner again.
"Have you seen that nice man with the ugly face again?" Azelma asked Éponine one day as they counted the money from Thénardier's latest burglary.
Éponine cocked her head and stared at her sister, uncomprehendingly.
"You know," Azelma pressed. "The one who bought me the rolls. He has a face kind of like a toad." She tried to squish up her facial features to imitate.
"Oh," Éponine laughed. "Grantaire. Yeah, I've seen him. All the time actually. We sit together at Le Café Musain, where I go to see Monsieur Marius."
"Is he your friend?"
"No." Éponine shook her head. "He's alright though."
"I liked him."
Éponine rolled her eyes, but not without smiling. "I know. He fed you."
"And he was nice!"
"Don't lose count, 'Zelma."