r/AlexandreDumas

I'm reading Twenty Years After and I'm just a bit confounded at the age gap here; not so much the gap but the intentions? Raoul seems to be specifically grooming this 7 year old into wife material when she's eventually of age.

I'm no stranger to different historical norms, especially with this being Dumas' take on a time long in the past, but even then this seems a bit much for how little I was able to find people mentioning it (none).

Is it just one of those things where you gotta accept it was the thing of the time? I think this is the highest suspension of acceptance asked by Dumas in what I've read so far (3M and Count)

I mean, yeah, Edmond was her true love, and all that. But then again, Dantes spends 15 years in prison, his voice changed, he's pale beyond recognitzion, also his mannierisms was completely different, after he receives education from Abbe Faria.

I’m currently on “The hundred days” chapter where Napoleon is reinstated as the Emperor of France and Villefort is still in authority. M. Morrel has come to plead the release of Dante and I’m assuming that Villefort doesn’t let this happen (I haven’t finished the chapter) but why?
Villefort was ridden with guilt when he first put Dante in the prison to save his father and like gain reputation but now he has the chance to set things straight? Why not help Dante now? Why not let him go?

Do we have character motivations or is it just for the plot?