Mrs. Lovette smiled proudly as she pushed the shop's door open, welcoming the afternoon crowd. Men and women poured into the shop and took their seats at the benches and tables. Very few sat outside, as the weather hadn't been particularly pleasant as of late and, although it was sunny at the moment, the London clouds were known to show up rather unexpectedly. Toby went right to work- the little sweetheart- taking down orders and collecting the pay. Mrs. Lovette's looked on in joy, Oh! How Mr. Todd had been such a blessing.

Over the buzz of the lunchtime crowd, she heard the familiar creak, slide, crack as another of Mr. Todd's customers made his way down to the cellar. Nellie had fairly good hearing and often wondered if any other customers had ever wondered about the sound, if, in fact, they heard it.

"Missus Todd?" Nellie heard a low pitched voice call. She ignored it, thinking it was her imagination, and went on handing out her pies.

"Missus Todd! Oh, Missus Todd!" Uh-oh. Nellie Lovette knew this voice and cringed. Her tray was empty, no more distractions. She muttered curses under her breath as she reluctantly turned.

At the front of the shop stood a very, very fat haggard old woman with messy graying black hair pulled back to reveal a rather unpleasant face. Or so Ms. Lovette saw her. This woman was Mrs. Mooney.

Melinda Mooney's face formed into an ugly sneering smile as Mrs. Lovette provided a mask of a smile (one she found rather painful to produce) and walked over to her.

"Mrs. Todd!" She cried, shaking Nellie's hand excitedly.

"Hello, Mrs. Mooney," Nellie half-growled.

"How are ya, Mrs. Todd?" Melinda asked.

"Now what is this all about, Ms. Mooney?" Nellie sighed just as Sweeney came through the back door, to grab a pie most likely. Lord knows why the man insisted on one meal a day, he was so thin.

Mrs. Mooney's smile faded a bit, only a smirk on one side remaining. "Why, whatever do you mean, Nellie?"

"You know very well what I mean, you twit!" Nellie whisper-screamed. Her eyes narrowed and she pointed at Mooney accusingly. "What's all this 'bout you callin' me 'Missus Todd', eh? Ye know my name is Nellie Lovette."

"Oh," said Melinda in false surprise, "See, that's not what the rumors be sayin'"

Nellie's eyebrows raised and her eyes widened. "What rumors?"

"Well surly you must know, Nellie."

"Well I surly do not."

Mrs. Mooney smiled again, leaning in close to Nellie's ear and whispered exactly what Nellie had been expecting. "You know Nell, the town's been talkin'. Says you and Mr. Todd gots an affair goin. Everyone sees the way you look at the man. Plus what else to expect when two that are unmarried move in together."

Mrs. Lovette gasped. She spun around to look at Sweeney. "Wouldn't blame ya, dear." Said Melinda quietly from behind her. "The man's handsome."

Nellie was steaming. How dare this woman come into HER shop and spread some REDICULOUS rumor about complete nonsense.

"Well, Nellie, I best be on my way. Got a shop of my own to run, you know." And with that, Melinda Mooney left the shop.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

Nellie flopped down on her settee, utterly exhausted. Not only had it been their busiest day yet, but Mrs. Mooney's words still lingered in her ears. All day she had noticed when people would stare, when hands flew up to the ears of another and words were whispered, when gossipy old women would giggle as she and Mr. Todd conversed. But perhaps she was just paranoid. Yes, no one would believe such a thing…

Would they?

It was then that Nellie decided she would go to Mr. Todd to see if he had noticed anything peculiar.

As she made her way up the steps, she wished that she had taken the dusty old stairs inside (even if they scared her a bit) because she could've sworn that people were watching and giggling as she went quickly to his 'tonsorial parlor'.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

As he slowly and carefully cleaned his beautiful razor, three quick knocks on the door startled him and he jumped a little. Damn that woman! Must she always be interrupting him?

As he reluctantly made his way to the door, he sighed. At least she wasn't Anthony, he NEVER knocked. What a bother.

He pulled the door open. There she stood eyes wide and brows raised as usual. She stared at her, a tired and annoyed. However, instead of beginning her ramblings there, she pushed him into his own shop and closed the door forcefully, leaving the bell to ring out in the silence.

"Mrs. Lovette! What in god's name-,"

"Mr. T, I gotta talk to you!" She interrupted.

"What the Hell is So Goddamned important that you couldn't wait till morning?"

"Mr. T, Have you heard any…um…peculiar rumors lately?"

Sweeney gritted his teeth and buried his face in his hands. "Mrs. Lovette," he spoke slowly, "You came up here, in the middle of the night, interrupted me while cleaning my razors, my precious razors, PUSHED me, and then interrupted me again, to Gossip?"

Mrs. Lovette sighed and slid down the door into a sitting position, "No, Mr. Todd! I'm being serious! What 'ave you heard?"

"Get out" He growled.

"But-,"

"Out!"

With that, Mrs. Lovette stood, stomped her foot childishly and turned, nearly slamming her face into the door. She then composed herself, adjusted her corset and laft with her nose in the air.

Damn woman…