1) -
It was a beautiful spring morning. The morning sun gleamed in the clear blue sky, its ray hitting the trees and buildings, castinglong, swirled shadows that intertwined with each other. The grass was green and fresh, swaying like elegant ballet dancers in the wind and the sound of laughter echoed throughout the street.
Lucy Barker stood at the window of her shop with a sad expression, cradling her daughter in her arms. She watched as the children rushed to and fro, laughing as they tagged each other and called out to each other. She frowned, longing to step outside and bask in the sunlight.
The door of the shop creaking open made Lucy turn around, her saddened expression turning to one of guilt as she saw Benjamin.
"Lucy!" He gasped, striding forwards. "You should be in bed, love."
"But Benjamin - "
"No buts," Benjamin insisted, taking Johanna from Lucy's arms and putting his hand on her shoulder, guiding her to the bed. "You were very ill last night, and I'm not taking any risks."
"Benjamin, I'm fine now," Lucy replied calmly. "I can accompany you to the market."
"Lucy, I am insisting that you rest today."
Lucy sighed as she reluctantly gave in, lying herself on the bed and reaching for her book. Benjamin took it from her almost immediately.
"Benjamin!"
"You have to rest, Lucy," He told her with a smile, placing the book in the drawer. "And I mean rest. Reading will only strain your head."
Lucy sighed, but smiled up at her husband. "You take such good care of me." She murmured, reaching up to place a hand on his cheek. Benjamin smiled again, kissing the palm of her hands.
"I love you." He reminded her.
"I love you too."
The husband and wife exchanged smiles and Benjamin kissed her brow, stroking her hair.
"Go to sleep," He ordered gently. "Johanna and I will be fine, won't we, pet?"
Johanna gurgled in her fathers arms, clapping her hands together with a wide grin. Her parents laughed at her antics.
"Make sure she doesn't get too hot," Lucy told him. "She gets ever so agitated when she overheats."
"I know. We won't be long, and when I return, you'd better be where I left you."
Lucy laughed softly. "I will be, I promise."
Benjamin kissed Lucy again quickly before straightening up, talking softly to Johanna as he carried her out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Lucy waited until she could no longer hear his footsteps before getting up from the bed and retrieving her book. Opening it to her page, she began reading.
The sound of pots and pans banging against each other and various surfaces echoed throughout the kitchen of Mrs Lovett's Meat Pie Emporium, scattered around recklessly. The floor was covered in bags of flour, the kettle, jars of spices, bottles of alcohol and kitchen untensils, including silverware.
"Where is that bloody thing?" Mrs Eleanor Lovett muttered furiously, resting on her hands and knees. Her front half was hidden, concealed by the kitchen cabinet that she was searching. She was running her hands, swamped in her husbands gloves for protection, against the wooden boards in vain hope to find the spider that had been bothering her for several days now.
"Spidey..." Mrs Lovett sung in what she hoped was an attractive manner. "Come out, come out, wherever you - "
"Nellie?"
Mrs Lovett's body jerked in surprise, her head bashing against the cabinet with a loud thump. Cursing loudly, Mrs Lovett clutched her head with one hand and scrambled out from the cabinet, using her free hand to push herself up from the floor.
"Oh, 'ello Ben!" She said cheerily, brushing down her skirts and trying not to flinch as pain seared through her head. "Is everything alright?"
Benjamin, who had been stood in the doorway but was now striding forwards, wore a half amused, half concerned expression. He carried Johanna in his arms, but she didn't seem too bothered at the present situation.
"Yes, everything is fine, but what were you doing?" He asked. Mrs Lovett grimaced, still clutching her head.
"Well, you see, love, there's a massive spider that's scuttling around 'ere somewhere, and I'm trying to kill the bas - "
"Nellie!"
"Spider." Mrs Lovett said quickly, her cheeks flushing slightly. She often forgot that Ben and Lucy didn't like it when she cursed in front of Johanna; they thought that she might repeat it one day and that would be dreadful.
In her opinion, Mrs Lovett thought that a bit of cursing didn't hurt anyone. Why, her mother cursed daily to accustom Nellie and her siblings to the foul language that they were sure to encounter on the streets!
"Are you going out, Ben?" She asked quickly, trying to make up for her slip of the tongue. Benjamin seemed appeased as he smiled, keeping his eyes on the ground while crossing the room so not to trip on anything.
"Yes, Johanna and I are going to the market. Aren't we, Johanna?"
Johanna cried out in agreement, making Mrs Lovett chuckle. She had always loved children and thought that Johanna was darling.
"I don't suppose you want some company, do you?"
Benjamin appeared from the parlour, pushing Johanna's pram through to the shop.
"Actually, I was rather hoping that you could keep an eye on Lucy for me, Nellie," He told her, much to Mrs Lovett's disappointment. "She's insisting that she has recovered, but I don't want to take any chances."
"Oh," Mrs Lovett replied flatly.
"If that's a problem, I'm sure that - "
"No, no, it's fine, love," She interupted quickly. "I'll make sure that she stays in bed and rests."
Benjamin smiled at his friend, his whole face lighting up as his chocolate brown eyes twinkled. Despite being a somewhat-happily married woman, Mrs Lovett couldn't stop her heart from missing a beat at the beauty of his face.
"Thank you, Nellie, I really appreciate your help."
"It's nothing, deary, nothing at all."
"I don't know, without you and Albert, I think that Lucy and I would be struggling. There are very few landlords as kind as you, I can promise you that."
Mrs Lovett blushed, but smiled proudly. "I 'ope you 'aven't been looking!" She warned jokingly. "You've been 'ere for six months now, you ain't leaving yet!"
Benjamin laughed. "Oh, Nellie, you do say the funniest things."
Her cheeks bright red, Mrs Lovett strode past him and opened the front door of the shop.
"Go on, be off with you! I ain't standing for anymore of your cheek, Mr Barker, and if I 'ear another word from you, I'll box your ears!"
Still laughing, Benjamin bid his farewells and wheeled the pram out of the shop. Mrs Lovett saw him off with a wide grin, waving until he had disappeared around the corner.
A small scuttling sound made her spin around, her eyes widening as she saw the spider run across the shop.
"Come back 'ere!" She cried, running after it.
Benjamin loved the market.
It was such a busy place, but not in an unpleasant way. Benjamin loved to stroll along and watch the world around him.
Stall holders yelled over each other as they fought for attention, trying to attract customers. Men strolled to and fro in a relaxed manner, some accompanied by their wives or daughters. Wives would rest their hand in the crook of their arm whereas daughters would quite happily walk hand in hand with them. Mothers rushed around, wicker baskets filled with food, and called for their unruly children as they ran around, chasing each other.
Johanna gurgled in her pram, and Benjamin reached down to calm her. He smiled as she curled both her hands around his one finger, chewing on it.
"Are you hungry, Johanna, or do you just like eating papa's finger?" He asked with a smile. Johanna beamed up at him, reaching that age in which she could respond to facial expressions and tones of voices.
Gently withdrawing his finger from her grip, Benjamin continued his walk through the market, pausing at the flower stall. The kind woman, Sarah, smiled at him as she saw him approaching.
"Mr Barker!" She called. "Oh, and little Johanna! But where is Lucy, may I be so bold as to ask?"
"Hello, Sarah. I'm afraid that Lucy is in bed."
Sarah pouted; she and Lucy were good friends, and enjoyed gossiping together.
"What did you do to her this time?" She asked jokingly.
"I did nothing," Benjamin protested. "Lucy fell ill a few nights ago, and I've insisted that she remains in bed."
Sarah sighed in relief. "Am I correct in presuming that you have come for Lucy's favourite, then?"
"Yes, Sarah, you are very correct. I thought that some flowers might make her feel better."
"You are a sweet man, Mr Barker, and Lucy is a very lucky woman."
Benjamin's cheeks flushed slightly, but he smiled. "So I've been told."
As Sarah prepared Lucy's flowers, Benjamin gently pushed the pram back and forth in hope that the motion would send Johanna to sleep; she had been grumbling for quite some time now.
Unfortunately, Benjamin wasn't prepared for another man standing by the pram; the pram went straight into the strangers leg.
"Oh, I am so sorry!" Benjamin cried, pulling the pram away as fast as he could manage without disturbing Johanna. "I'm afraid that my head was in the clouds, in a manner of speaking."
"It's fine," The man replied crisply. "There shan't be any lasting damage."
The stranger turned to face Benjamin, causing him to gasp.
"Judge Turpin!"
Turpin raised an elegantly arched brow. "You know me?"
"Is there anyone in London that does not?" Benjamin countered. "It is a pleasure to meet you in person, your honour."
The judge smiled in a charming manner, obviously pleased at being recognized.
"The pleasure is all mine," He replied loftily, running his eyes over the younger man's form. He was well dressed, but no so much as to be of the upper class, such as he was. "Do say if I am wrong, but am I correct in saying that you are Benjamin Barker of Fleet Street?"
"Yes, sir, I am Benjamin Barker. I wasn't aware that someone of your class would know of me."
"I know of a lot of people, Mr Barker, but you are quite famous for being the best barber of London, so they say."
"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that I am the best." Benjamin replied modestly.
"Mr Barker,"
Sarah held out Lucy's flowers, looking at Judge Turpin with a venomous look that Benjamin had never seen her wear before. He was surprised to see it, because Sarah was so happy and cheerful, befriending nearly everyone that came to her stall.
"Thank you, Sarah. How much will that be?"
"Oh, don't be silly. They're a present for Lucy."
Benjamin smiled as he took the flowers from her. "Thank you very much, Sarah. I'll be sure to tell her."
"You, sir, are very welcome. I just hope that she feels better soon."
During this exchange, Turpin had bid Benjamin a quiet farewell before strolling off, disappearing into the crowd.
"There goes an evil man if I ever did see one," Sarah muttered darkly. Benjamin stared at her in shock. "Oh, don't look so surprised," She snapped. "Surely you know of his reputation?"
"I'm afraid that I don't," He admitted. "Would you care to elaborate?"
Sarah took a quick glance to check that no one was eavesdropping before leaning forwards, gesturing for Benjamin to do the same.
"Judge Turpin," She whispered hurridedly. "Is an evil man. Once he has set his sights on something, or someone, he will do everything in his power to get exactly what he wants."
Benjamin frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that he will not take no for an answer."
Sarah stepped back, allowing the sentence to sink in. Once it had, Benjamin's eyes widened, his mouth falling open.
"That...that is terrible! He cannot get away with it!"
"Yes, he can," Sarah corrected him sternly. "Because he is a man of power in a high position. Who are we to question him?"
"There isn't a chance in 'ell that you are going to convince me to take up knitting, love."
Lucy smiled in amusement. She had been lying in bed for ten minutes before Mrs Lovett burst into the room, chattering away about a spider. Truth be told, Lucy was glad for the company.
"I simply believe that Albert would appreciate the gesture of coming home and seeing that his wife had knitted him a nice scarf."
Mrs Lovett snorted. "Fat chance. It was only the other day when 'e told me that 'e'd rather go cold than where something I knitted for 'im!"
"I'm sure that he was joking, Nellie."
"Believe me, Lucy, that man 'as very few gifts and a sense of 'umour ain't one of them."
Lucy laughed, leaving Mrs Lovett envious of her doll-like beauty. She and Ben were a right pair of beauties, and Johanna was sure to turn out the same.
"What about children?" Lucy asked. "Have you ever considered becoming a proper family?"
"Blimey, love, the shop is full enough as it is! If I 'ave a child, we'll be bursting at the seams." Mrs Lovett said, shaking her head.
"Oh, but Nellie, you would be a brilliant mother! Johanna simply adores you."
Mrs Lovett smiled modestly. "Well, I suppose that she is grateful for any motherly attention that she gets, what with Ben and Albert working all the time."
Lucy smiled back, reaching out to take Mrs Lovett's now bare hand (the gloves had been discarded in the bottom of one of her drawers; various stains, including what she thought to be a bit of crushed spider, now decorated them) in her own.
"Please, Nellie, at least suggest it to him. I know how much you want to be a mother."
Mrs Lovett opened her mouth to speak, but was interupted by the shop door opening. She and Lucy looked up, their faces lighting up in unison as they saw Benjamin walk in, balancing Johanna on his hip while holding a bunch of lillies.
"Ben!" Mrs Lovett cried. "What are you doing back so early?"
Benjamin didn't answer, and instead shut the door behind him. Both women noticed how pale he was as he crossed the room.
"Are you alright, Benjamin?" Lucy asked softly. Benjamin remained silent, sitting on the bed next to his wife.
"Oh Lucy," He whispered. "I met the most terrible man today, but I didn't know that he was a terrible man! I conversed with him and complimented him! I thought that someone of his position might be good for business, but I would hate for him to take one step towards this shop."
"Who do you mean, Benjamin?"
"Turpin. Judge Turpin.''
Mrs Lovett immediately froze as she heard those three words, knowing exactly what Turpin was capable of. She didn't fall for his compliments and charm, instead thinking of him as slimy.
"Oh Benjamin," Lucy whispered, leaning forwards to wrap her arms around him. "It's fine, he won't come anywhere near here."
"I would hate it if he were to approach either of you. I shan't let that man hurt those I love."
"Don't worry, Ben, we're strong, Lucy and I. Ain't we, Lucy?"
Lucy placed a hand underneath her husband's chin and stared straight into his eyes.
"A lot stronger than you seem to think."
Benjamin smiled a crooked smile at both women. "I'm being silly, aren't I?"
"Extremely so." Lucy agreed with a giggle.
Laughing, Benjamin held up the flowers he had forgotten were in his hand.
"These are for you," He said softly, handing them to Lucy. She held them in her arms, her eyes wide with awe.
"Oh, Benjamin!"
Mrs Lovett quickly averted her eyes as Lucy and Benjamin exchanged a kiss, supressing the sad sigh that she longed to sigh.
"I'd best be off," She said quickly, rising from her seat and brushing down her skirts. "Those pies ain't going to bake themselves."