The Barricade Girl (A Les Miserables FanFiction)

Chapter Thirty

"Ooooh Maggie..." I lift my hand to my head as I pace back and forth through the downstairs kitchen. "What am I going to do?"

"You're going to sit down", she makes me sit on the edge of the kitchen counter. "And you're going to eat this", she says, shoving a spoon and some ice-cream into my hand.

"Thank you", I smile. Maggie and the other servants start washing up the dinner dishes. "Here, let me help you", I go to get up, but Maggie stops me, holding her wet hands up in the air.

"No, you will not. Sit back down and eat", she warns sweetly. "Ice cream always helps in times like these!"

"Duly noted!" I point my spoon in the air before taking a mouthful. "I just don't understand! How did he find out?!" I say, my mouth full of ice-cream, making my speech slightly muffled. But Maggie and the girls are still able to decipher my words.

"The man has eyes everywhere. I swear the walls even have eyes. Nothing stays secret for long in this place. The Master has a way of finding out everything..." Maggie replies, sounding as if she's telling a ghost story of some sort.

"But...how did he know?!" I moan, taking another spoonful of ice-cream.

"Is there something for him to know, Miss?" Maggie asks innocently. "I mean, Juliette", she corrects herself quickly.

"I'm sure you've figured out by now that there is..." I sigh. "It hasn't been going on for long though...that's what's so confusing...I don't know how Grandfather will have found out..." My voice trails off.

"Your Grandfather is a smart man...but he also jumps to conclusions. He'll have seen the two of you together, or one of the groundskeepers will have seen you, and your Grandfather will have put two and two together and come up with love!" Maggie states.

"I guess you're right..." I stuff some more ice-cream into my mouth, grunting with annoyance at myself for not being more vigilant.

"So..." Maggie says, drawing out the word, a glimmer in her eye, as she quickly wipes her hand on her apron. The other girls take this as a cue to drop their towels and dishes onto the side and pull up a stool to sit by me. "Who is he? How did you meet him? Tell us everything!" They all look at me, eagerly awaiting my answer, expecting a story.

"Well..." I start, and they all immediately giggle and gasp in excited anticipation. I stop myself. "Just making sure...Not a single word of this to Grandfather or Auntie, okay? This stays between us, yeah?" I plead. They all nod keenly. "Okay...well. It all started when Marius left..."

I told them everything – every last detail, every event, every exchanged look, and each kiss. They ooh'd and aah'd and aww'd as I told the story, and it was interesting to get their opinion and take on things. Was I just seeing things? Was I reading too much into things? Was I misinterpreting Enjolras' signals? Or...was I completely right, and was Enjolras actually well and truly in love with me? We retreated back up to my room. Maggie had been eager to show me my dress for the reception Grandfather was throwing. I invited all of the girls up to my room. I had enjoyed their company so much tonight that part of me didn't want it to end, and I was reminded of the female companionship that I had been missing out on at the Café Musain. Tonight was definitely filling a void.

"I can't wait for you to see the dress, Juliette!" Maggie exclaims, opening up my wardrobe as I stand in front of the mirror, waiting to change, the rest of the girls sitting on my bed. She helps me unfasten my dress, and I stand in the middle of my room in my undergarments. "It's so beautiful, and he is going to love you in it!"

"That's if I invite him..." I reply.

"Why wouldn't you invite him?" She gasps, scolding me in a jokey manner.

"I just...I don't know. Should I? Is it too soon? I'm not sure it's the best idea..." I pause. "And what if Grandfather finds out who he really is? He already threw Marius out of the house for cavorting with the revolutionaries. If he was to find out I was courting their leader, I dread to think what he'd do to me..."

"Well...we won't say a word to him, will we?" She turns to the other girls, who all rush to assure me that my secret is safe with them. "It'll be the best kept secret in Paris...I swear. We'll all work hard to keep it that way. If we all stick together, your Grandfather can't do anything...because if he throws you out, we'll all walk out!"

"And...if he got rid of you girls, I would do the same for you...I would be out of here like a shot!" I smile, giving Maggie's arm a supportive and thankful squeeze, feeling warm inside at the solidarity that has formed and bonded me and these girls together.

"So...are you ready to try this dress?" Maggie beams.

"I guess I am..."

"Close your eyes!" I do as she says. I hear her rustling around in my closest, and then I hear her voice again. "Ta-da!" She sings, as gasps of awe escape from the other girls. "What do you think?"

"Wow..." is all I can say.

"You're going to look beautiful, Juliette!" Maggie exclaims excitedly.

"Well...I'm not quite so sure about that..." I blush. "But thank you for the compliment".

"Just you wait until he sees you!" She claps her hands, holding the dress up in her arms.

"That's if he agrees to come..." I shrug, still feeling unsure about the whole thing. Something hits the window in my room, but I ignore it. Sometimes the branches of the trees outside hit the window as they blow in the breeze.

"You will ask him though, right?" Maggie raises her eyebrow at me, almost telling me more than asking me. Something hits the window again, and Maggie strolls over to it, just to check everything is okay.

"I'll mention it to him tomorrow, I guess...if I have to...if I have the guts...I don't know..."

"Or just ask him now..." Maggie stares out the window, as the window gets his again.

"What?" I scrunch my face up in confusion.

"What?!" The other girls gasp in unison, rushing over to join Maggie at the window.

"Mr. Revolutionary is throwing stones at your window!"