The group slowly rode into the village, looking around them for signs of life. There were lanterns in most of the windows but they were very aware of how quiet it was.
“ Where is everyone…?” Marius looked around them.
“ Maybe they’re all in bed,” Rosie suggested.
Suddenly, proof of the contrary proceeded to flow from a large house at the other end of the village. At least fifty people poured out of the doors, laughing and shouting. They seemed to be carrying a young man on their shoulder who didn’t seen to be as happy as they were. As the large group drew nearer, Phillipe cleared his throat.
“ Er…Hello! I don’t suppose you could help us…We’re looking for the Inn…” The group froze and once more silence fell upon the village. Jo looked around cautiously.
“ This is Aritgat…isn’t it?” Marius asked quietly.
“ Who wants to know…?” came a voice from the back of the crowd. Marius’ grin broadened and he straightened himself up in the saddle.
“ Marius Pontmercy…you may have heard of me…” he smiled winningly at them, only to be met by blank faces.
“ Should we have? Are you a bandit?” came the shouts from the crowd. Marius, crestfallen grew redder and looked at the floor. Jo rolled her eyes and dismounted.
“ Jo!” Lucy hissed, “ What are you doing…they could be…well…nutcases for all we know!”
“ To be honest…” Jo whispered back, “ I think that’s what they think we are!” Jo turned back to the mob and smiled as pleasantly as she could. She walked towards them and took a deep breath.
“ We’re sorry to intrude on your…er…festivities…but we’re looking for a place to stay…you see we’re supposed to be staying at the Artigat Inn…” Jo spoke softly and kept smiling throughout. The young man on the shoulders on the mob, jumped down and approached.
“ The Inn is run by my father…is he expecting you…?” He looked at Jo suspiciously.
“ I believe so…” Jo started.
“ We sent our luggage ahead of us…it should have arrived this afternoon…” Phillipe announced.
“ Oh!” smiled the young man, “ You’re the group from Paris aren’t you?! Do forgive me, we didn’t expect you until tomorrow! Please follow me...er...?”
" Oh Jo...it's Jo..." she smiled. He offered his arm to her, Jo took it after turning and giving a bemused smile to the others. They quickly dismounted and followed Jo and the young man. “ We don’t get many visitors you see and well…as I said, we weren’t expect you!” He continued. “ My father is expecting you…in fact the village has talked of little else…well…almost little else…” he added almost sadly onto the end. Jo’s brow frowned a little but she smiled back.
“ So Monsieur Guerre is expecting us?” Marius asked.
“ Oh yes…I myself helped move the trunks to your rooms this afternoon!” Jo stopped walking,
“ Guerre? Your father’s name is Guerre?!” It was the young man’s turn to frown confusedly.
“ Yes…why shouldn’t be!” he laughed carelessly as he took Jo’s arm, put it on his and continued to lead the way.
“ Then you…you are…” Rosie piped up nervously from behind,
“ Oh how rude of me!” The man smiled again, “ My name is also Guerre, obviously!” He giggled in a way that made Lucy think of a schoolboy, “ My name is Guerre, Martin Guerre.” Now, you would be forgiven for thinking that having lived amongst their favourite musical characters for a year would mean that meetings such as this would no longer amaze the friends and would have lost their magical effect by now but you would be very wrong. The reason being because it was at this point that Jo fainted. Martin caught her quickly and looked up worriedly. Phillipe strode over and scooped Jo up into his arms,
“ She’s just tired…it’s been a long day…and we got set upon by bandits…” he explained, trying to hide the concern in his voice.
“ Of course!” Martin rushed ahead to the Inn, the others following quickly. Lucy and Jenny exchanged worried looks and Marius hugged Rosie,
“ Don’t worry,” he said reassuringly, “ She’s fine…just tired…”
“ Yeah…yeah you’re probably right…” Rosie agreed quietly although she had to admit she hoped rather than believed him. They got to the Inn and were shown inside. The group decided that they were all quite tired and so they said their goodnights and went to their own rooms.
Phillipe carried Jo up to her room and laid her gently on the bed. His face bore a concerned expression, this was not the first time this had happened. She had fainted once at the theatre when Marius had introduced her to Christine Daae and her young friend Raoul. He had thought it had been the warmth of the theatre but now doubt filled his mind. Jo stirred and her eyes opened slowly. She looked around and then into Phillipe’s eyes,
“ Javert?” she asked in a dreamy voice, barely awake.
“ Yes Jo, it’s me…Phillipe…” he smiled gently.
“ What a dream…” she sighed closing her eyes once more, “ I could have sworn I was in a musical…I saw Martin Guerre and everything…” she added before quickly drifting into a deep sleep. Phillipe’s brow creased in concern as he gently pulled a blanket over the now sleeping Jo and left her room. He went to his own room and got into bed. He lay there for a few hours before falling into a restless sleep, with a single question burning in his mind…what on earth was a musical?
Jo awoke the next morning with a thumping headache and the feeling that she had done something very stupid before she went to bed. The fact that she didn’t remember going to bed was a bit of a sign. Then when she got out of bed and realised that she was still fully dressed worried her slightly. She quickly filled the basin with water and washed and changed before leaving her room and heading downstairs. She remembered arriving in Artigat and then meeting a young man but then…blank. She smiled at the man in the hallway and headed into the breakfast room where the others were already assembled. They had been talking quietly, with worried faces but they melted away as she walked in.
“ How’s you this morning?” smiled Jenny. Phillipe pulled out her chair and she sat down,
“ Did you sleep alright?”
“ What happened last night anyway?” Mark asked eyebrows raised. Jo looked up and smiled wearily.
“ I was going to ask you the same thing!” Jo poured herself some water and sipped it. “ I honestly can’t remember a thing about last night. I remember arriving in Artigat but how I got into the room is a mystery!” She laughed quietly.
“ Well…” Rosie grinned and took a deep breath, “ We arrived and met all those people…remember…and one of them, a young man started talking to you and turns out this is his father’s Inn…” Jo nodded slowly as things began to fall into place, Rosie continued, “ So…he starts to lead us here…introduces himself and you go and faint on him…literally!” She giggled quietly. Jo looked very confused.
“ Why on earth…I don’t understand!” She smiled and shrugged, “ So who is he again…” Jo began to butter some bread.
“ Martin...Martin Guerre.” Lucy said matter of factly, Jo dropped the butter knife.
“ Martin Guerre!” Jo exclaimed remembering instantly what had passed, she then realised that Marius and Phillipe were staring at her. “ Oh right…I knew I knew his name…just couldn’t remember it this morning…that’s all!” she laughed nervously and picked up the knife. Phillipe noticed Jo’s hands were shaking slightly.
“ Jo…when I put you to bed last night…you said something…” Phillipe leaned over towards Jo,
“ Oh if this is lovey dovey mushy stuff…or just plain rude…!” Lucy laughed, “ I for one don’t want to hear it!” Rosie, Jenny, Marius and Mark laughed loudly but were cut short when they realised how serious Phillipe’s face was. He cleared his throat and continued,
“ You said something strange…I think you may have been dreaming but you said…you said… ‘I could have sworn I was in a musical…I saw Martin Guerre and everything’…Jo…” Phillipe looked into Jo’s eyes, “ Jo…what is a musical?”
“ I…er…well…you see…” Jo stammered nervously, for the first time in front of their newfound friends they had mentioned something from the real world. Rosie, Mark, Jenny and Lucy all grew pale as they realised an explanation was required and they feared that for the first time, Jo might be at a loss for words.
“ Jo…why have you never told me anything of your past?” Phillipe continued, a tinge of sadness in his voice, “ Where you came from…your family….”
“ Well…you see…” Jo thought wildly for an excuse but she knew the time had come to tell the truth.
“ Jo…where did you come from?” Phillipe asked flatly, the beginnings of tears shining in his eyes. Jo looked at the others, they knew too that there was no choice. Jo looked back at Phillipe, took a deep breath and prepared to speak.
PART ELEVEN
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