"It's a kind of sweet. Here." She offers one out, not phased by the fact Eponine doesn't know what a cookie is. She's already met a man who didn't know what lemonade was.

"And that's pretty impressive, you know. A lot of kids who don't have access to school never learn to read and write. Don't worry about it, nobody down here is looking their best. It's not your fault. I promise my husband isn't normally as scruffy as he looks right now, either."

There's no judgement here. Nadine has seen more than enough young people in less than ideal circumstances, she knows how it is.