Eleanor Darbyshire, or Nellie, was a pretty woman. With her dark mahogany brown spirals, brushing the top of her shoulders, and a killer smile, she was easily one of the most attractive young women in London. She could also bake, sew, read, and knew all the skills anyone needed to know in the streets or when with the opulent. Her parents were not as rich as the higher class in their community, but well enough that they could support themselves and their daughter for when it was time for her to marry. As much as her parents raised her to be a proper lady, she still classified as a tomboy socially, which unfortunately outcast her from both spectrums of society. As a child it was easy, but she was a child then, and the children around her grew up as she did. She could mingle with the other proper ladies, but because of her quirky interests that they all scoffed upon, they would only snub her aside. On the other hand, because she was a lady, she couldn't properly maintain any platonic relationships with the young men, for they only wanted one thing from her.
Nellie thought to herself that it was best if she just avoid all of that clutter of rubbish and immerse herself in her hobbies. So she spent most of her time in her household, mostly baking. She became really good at it too, a "natural knack" for it, as her mother would call it. And she was content with being occupied with her activities…and then it all changed.
"You're marrying me off to who now?" Nellie put her hands on her hips and demanded the answer from her mother, Mrs. Darbyshire.
"Mr. Albert Lovett. Think about it, dearie! He owns a place good for business and plus, with the money inherited and what you both make would be great for you both!" Her mother sounded so excited about it, like as if this was the best thing in the world to happen to her daughter.
"But mum, didn't people do this a hundred years ago?" She protested.
"Oh posh, dear. Nothing's wrong with a little tradition." Her mother snootily replied back to her. Nellie, to be honest, wasn't as upset. Just annoyed. She knew this was supposed to happen sooner or later, and now that it did, while it was quite a big change from her currently boring life, it's still something that she didn't exactly want. Marriage was something that was viewed as a partnership to her parents, and she agreed with that idea to an extent. All the stories of people wedding their true love was nice and all, but too sappy for her young and audacious heart. But sadly, she had to admit, time was running out. She was twenty-six, rather late for a woman, around her age, in her town, to only get married. She couldn't object to her mother, and not because of guilt or any power her mother had over her, it was because she really couldn't. Her mother was getting old now, and she understood that the point where her deceased father's fortune couldn't support her, wasn't too long ahead. The situation was that Mrs. Darbyshire had arranged to live with her sister in the country side when she had become sick of London, and that time was now. In a matter of days, Nellie would be married, and the day after, her mother would be leaving her.
Nellie sighed as she climbed up the stairs to her room, hoisting her skirt up so she wouldn't trip. It was a long day and all she wanted to do was get some sleep before the upcoming days. Surely everything would be done before the week was out, and then, it would be the start of a new life for her.
8 Months Later
Out of everything that came out of her marriage with her and Mr. Albert Lovett, Nellie loved her bake shop the most. That was Albert's gift to her. Very sweet gift…was her first thought of it. And honestly, it was the only thing that kept her going. She was passionate about her talent, and now that she was making a business out of it, it was all she could want after spending most of her days in her own kitchen. But times were getting tough, and even her dream of a grand pie bakery was starting to slip out of reach along with the living conditions of London at the time.
And Albert. Oh Albert. For the first few months of being married to him, Nellie tolerated him fine as a husband and business partner, until he began to show his true colors. Nellie was on the counter chopping up some meat for some meat pies, when the door to the shop opened and Albert walked toward their living room right across from the front door.
" 'Ad a nice day today, dear?" she asked him as he walked in, with a little bit of a smile. Albert just grunted for an answer and Nellie sighed as she got back to chopping. The smell of alcohol clouded the room's air moments after he walked across the room.
As soon as the economic depression started, Albert started getting drunk and being more aggressive towards her. Albert was a butcher down at the street market, and he'd be gone for most of the day, but as soon as he'd come back, he'd snap at poor Nellie if she didn't have his dinner ready. There were also times where he tried to use her for pleasure, but Nellie wouldn't give in to him. The first time, she managed to get away and would run to her neighbor, Mrs. Mooney, who owned her own pie shop across the street from her. Albert knew better than to show his rage out into the street in front of other people, so this was Nellie's way of keeping herself safe. Now, every time she had a feeling Albert would be taking advantage of her, she'd just run off, and her husband would forget all about it after getting himself mad drunk the next night. Sometimes, things would go normally as they did the first few months. She swore, about once every few months, on a full blue moon, when all the planets align, she and Albert would actually have an intelligent conversation with each other. Usually, the topics of these conversations were about food or business, or something funny that they encountered about one of their customers. But then, in what she thought was a flash, it would go back to the same depressing routine where she had no control of her life.
Nellie, trying hard to be the strongest she can, would push through these moments in her life. She would do what she can to sell the best pies she can make, meat and desert pies alike, the most she can in one day, and that's all she devoted her time to. But alas, as more months went by, the conditions just got worse and worse. Albert just got meaner towards her, and as a result, she'd earned some bruises from him. Nellie would be worried for her own life, to the point where she was thanking God that they were just bruises, even if it was a horrific sight to see that she had so many, and that quite a few were pretty severe. To top it off, business was starting to decline. The money her mother had left her and Albert as a dowry was just almost about used up. Luckily for her, it was one of those nights where she and Albert could actually speak to each other about something.
"So wot are we gonna do?" She stood on the side of the counter, leaning on it with a rolling pin in her left hand and her right hand on her hip. Albert sat at the dining table looking at the floor, clearly having trouble breathing because he was so obese. It was a few moments of silence before he actually spoke up to her.
"Suppose we could use my room, the room upstairs?" he asked her. No way…Nellie thought to herself. After what was happening between her and Albert, she didn't even want to sleep in the same room as him. But now she feared this might be the only way.
"So that's it then? Shall I start tellin' people that it's up for rent?" she asked.
"Do what you want Nellie. Whatever will make this work." He managed to say at the same time he was trying to push himself off the chair to get up. Nellie rolled her eyes and put everything down to help her husband get on his feet, and helped him get up the stairs to the room above. Every day was really a job for Nellie, and as much as she loved to break down and cry about it, the courage inside of her fighting spirit simply couldn't let her do it.
The next morning, Albert was off to work. Before leaving, he walked into the shop, kissed Nellie on the cheek, and went on his way. The morning customers came and went, buying their pies, asking how the Lovett's were doing, she'd tell them the room above her shop was for sale, and then going on their way. Nothing special. Everything was becoming as repetitive as her life was before her mother had left with. With all this stress, Nellie needed a break. As soon as it was beginning to turn to the evening, when business was nonexistent, she closed up shop early and took a small, relieving nap. After about an hour, she woke up and began to prepare dinner for her and Albert. She made him three meat pies, and one dessert pie, just like he liked it, and one vegetable pie for herself, in order to save on the meat. When she was almost done with the food, she heard the doorbell chime. She wasn't looking up from her work, for it was probably Albert and he would slap her again if she wasn't done in minutes.
"Back so soon, love?" she asked, still not looking up while flouring the pies before putting them in the oven. She then heard a small chuckle.
"I beg your pardon Mrs. Lovett, but I think you are mistaken." The voice said. She finally looked up to see a fellow standing there with chocolate brown hair, and his face clean and pretty. He was tall, young, about her age, his face nice and defined, and his onyx eyes…
"Oh. Sorry love. Thought you was my husband. Anyways, if you're here to order something I'm awful sorry, but I closed early this evening." She explained, pointing at the sign on the window with her rolling pin. The man turned slightly to look in the direction she was pointing, then back to her with a small smile.
"No, no, it's no problem at all. I should be sorry. In fact I did see the sign upon the window but I saw you were inside so I came to ask you about my business matter," he began. Nellie had loaded the pies into the oven and put everything down to listen to what the man had to say. "I hear that the room above the facility is being rented?" he asked.
"Yes, that's right. About £105 a month." Nellie responded.
"I see. Well, I am definitely interested in being the Lovetts' residence's new tenant." He smiled and nodded his head to her. Nellie smiled lightly back towards him.
"Thank you so much, dearie. It's a big 'elp to us with our situ-" she began to thank him, but the door bust open.
"Who is this?" Albert pointed at the man and began storming over to Nellie to grab her by the wrist.
"Oh no, please sir, it's alri-" the man began to explain why he was there but Albert just cut him off.
"Quiet you! Who is this?" he turned to yell at Nellie whom he was gripping her wrist really tight. The poor man witnessing all this observed that Mrs. Lovett has bruises all over her arm, now that Albert was holing it and raising it up high from her. Nellie tried to remain as calm and affirmative as she could at the moment.
"Albert please-" she struggled to break free from his grip.
"What?" he demanded.
"He's just a costumer! 'E came in 'ere askin' about the room we rentin' out." She finally got to explain. Albert finally let her go, and looked from her to the man, shocked at what just happened. He then put on a smiled and walked towards the interested buyer as if nothing happened.
"Well, my boy! How perfect you've come at this time. Here, come, let me show you the room." Albert shook the man's hand and put a hand on his shoulder, guiding him towards the stairs.
"Oh no, that's okay Mr. Lovett. I'm sure I'll come back to see it in a few days. I'm only here to inquire about it." The man awkwardly smiled and slightly moved away from Mr. Lovett and towards the front door.
"Aw, come on. Are you sure about that?" Albert asked.
"Yes, sir. I assure you I'll be back to see it. It is late, and I should start walking home." The man smiled and reassured Mr. Lovett so that he wouldn't make him stay any longer. He figured he'd caused enough trouble already, especially for Mrs. Lovett, whom he felt terribly sorry for. He moved his eyes from Mr. Lovett. to Mrs. Lovett. "I'm terribly sorry for any trouble I caused." He gave them both a small smile and walked towards the door.
"Wait, sir!" Nellie called, and the possible tenant turned around.
"Yes?" he asked. Nellie took her pies out of the oven and wrapped hers in a napkin before tossing it to him. The young man caught it, nodded in thanks, and opened the door to leave. The Lovett couple just watched the man leave and waited until he was out of sight to speak to each other again.
"Think I scared him?" Albert asked Nellie. Nellie sighed and made no eye contact with her husband as she started piling on bowls on top of each other.
"Ah, don't worry about it love. I don't think you did." She lied. Albert accepted it and began to walk to his room when he just remembered he forgot dinner.
"Where's my food?" he asked her. Nellie placed the four pies for Albert on a large plate and handed it to him before going back to cleaning her counter.
Alright, so...new story. New category too. This is my first Sweeney Todd fanfic xD It's a such a different atmosphere from what I usually write about, and I love it! Please R&R, tell me what you think, I'd usually say my slogan here but I feel it's unfitting with the mood and tone of a story like Sweeney Todd lol So I'll just see you guys next chapter!
