FicWad

"Oh Victoria, you look beautiful!" Cosette Pontmercy gushed at the nervous bride-to-be. "Let me
help you with your hair." Cosette finished combing Victoria's lovely raven tresses into a beautiful
upswept coiffure, with soft curls trailing softly about her neck. Victoria was thrilled. It had been over
a year since she'd worn her hair is such an elegant style.

"Thank you so much, Cosette." Victoria said, sincerely grateful for the help. "All things considered,
I was pleasantly surprised when you said you'd come and help me prepare for my wedding...but I'm
so happy you're here."

"Not another word, Victoria. I'm glad to do it! And you know that Aunt Gillenormand would have
gladly been here to help as well, had she not been called away."

"Of course. I do hope everything is well with her. She is a good friend of my Aunt Elisabeth."
Victoria missed her aunt more than ever now. She tried to put that out of her mind, and asked, "How
does my dress look?"

"As beautiful as when you sat for the portrait! You are the perfect bride, my dear!"
Victoria turned around, and there in the doorway was her dear Aunt Elisabeth, standing with Mlle.
Gillenormand, who had gone to meet her.

"Aunt Elisabeth!" Victoria squealed. "I---I'm so glad you've come! Why didn't you tell me you'd
come back?"

"Well, then, my dear, it would not have been a surprise!" Elisabeth embraced Victoria warmly, then
held her at arm's length to get a better look at her. "Your parents would have been so proud. Your
mother most of all, since you resemble her so!"

"I hope that's true!" Victoria replied. She could barely believe that her aunt had returned to attend
her wedding. Didn't Aunt Elisabeth disapprove? Victoria had to know.

"Aunt Elisabeth...I'm thrilled that you're here, make no mistake about that, but I don't understand.
When you left, you made it quite clear that you did not approve!"

Elisabeth smiled. "Well, my dear, were it not for the very convincing correspondence I'd begun to
receive soon after I arrived in London, I might yet be there!"

"But I never tried to sway you, Elisabeth!" Victoria said, puzzled. "Although perhaps I should
have..."

An idea struck her. "Then it was your doing, Mlle. Gillenormand!"

"Would that I could take the credit, child!" Mlle. Gillenormand's eyes twinkled. "Although I also
began corresponding with your aunt at that time, I had no part in convincing her!"

"Who, then?" Victoria asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Cosette and the older ladies looked at each other and smiled, then Elisabeth told Victoria.

"Why, it was your dear Inspector himself!"