“Alors, has he been spreading rumors about me already?” Courfeyrac winks at his friend. Marius, he learned long ago, is incapable of intentionally saying a bad word about anyone. The way the woman is smiling certainly confirms Courfeyrac’s suspicion that Marius has only said good things about him.

“We follow your lead, Violette.” Falling in step beside Marius as Violet takes them to the horses, he causally puts his hands in his pockets and shoots his friend an amused look. Pikachu? he mouths - for surely that is the most absurd name for a horse he has ever heard. Thank goodness both were not named so ridiculously.