Nellie Lovett was chopping onions when the shop bell tingled as the door opened. Upon looking up, Mrs. Lovett's mouth nearly dropped open. Mr. Todd stood in the doorway next to a very dirty street girl dressed in not much more than rags.
"Mr. T!" she gasped "What 'ave you done?" the baker dropped her knife and hurried to the door, stunned with the possibility that Sweeney Todd was off violating young girls.
"Absolutely nothing like that," Sweeney grumbled "Take care of 'er," he threw the shawl into Mrs. Lovett's hands and stalked out another door in the shop. All was quiet for but a moment.
"Did 'e hurt you?" The woman demanded of Lucy, meeting her eyes intensely. Lucy shook her head.
"No, Ma'am. Rather, he saved me from a group of horrible boys," Lucy looked down, embarrassed by what had nearly happened to her. "I'm quite grateful to that man." Mrs. Lovett straightened up slowly, relaxing now.
"Oh well tha's a different matter then. Come on, let's get you cleaned up dear" The woman lead Lucy up the stairs and into a small bedroom with a washtub in the corner.
"So, what's your name love?" The woman asked as she bustled about pulling soap and cloths from various drawers.
"Lucy, Lucy Beckett."
Mrs. Lovett froze. So that was why Mr. Todd was acting more gruff than usual. This young one had the same name as his poor wife.
"Is there something wrong with my name Mum? Mr. Sweeney Todd acted much like you did when I spoke it to him." Lucy followed as Mrs. Lovett walked briskly back into the kitchen to fetch water.
" 'E'll 'ave to tell you about that when the time comes. Now, be a dear and help me get this water upstairs, hmm?"
Soon the dirt had been scrubbed away from Lucy's skin and her long, brown hair was glossy once again. Comfortably clothed in one of Mrs. Lovett's old dresses, Lucy followed her caretaker down into the kitchen and sat in one of the chairs near the front of the shop.
"Thank you so much for your hospitality Miss," Lucy said warmly as Nellie sat down across from her and poured glasses of gin for Lucy and herself.
"You can call me Mrs. Lovett dear, it was no trouble at all." Mrs. Lovett took a guzzle of her gin and met Lucy's dark eyes. "So tell me love, where do you come from?"
"I was born in Dover, but after my parents died," Lucy cleared her throat averting her gaze from the baker's "I was sent to an orphanage here in London. I fled that despicable place the moment I got the chance. Since then I've been wandering the streets, begging for my supper and sleeping in alleyways," Lucy finished bitterly. Mrs. Lovett could see already how sensitive an issue this was for the poor thing, so she didn't press it any further.
"Ah, well love, I've been needing a little 'elp in me shop lately. Why don't you stay here with us? Mr. T won't bother you any." Lucy's face lit up and she stood, grinning.
"Thank you Mum, I won't be a bother, I promise!" Mrs. Lovett couldn't help but grin. This Lucy was so beautiful, so full of life, despite the horrible time she must have been having. Mrs. Lovett inwardly shrugged to herself and brought the girl to the spare room. Poor Lucy was asleep before Nellie even left the room.
The next morning Lucy flounced up to the baker.
"Mrs. Lovett, may I please bring Mr. T his breakfast? I want to thank him better for saving me last night."
Mrs. Lovett hesitated. She enjoyed using every excuse she got to visit Mr. Todd, but it couldn't hurt to let the girl go this once. . . She handed Lucy the tray.
Sweeney Todd gently caressed the picture of Lucy and Johanna, running his thumb over their smiling faces. He was so involved in the images from his past that he nearly flew out of his seat when the door creaked open.
"What?" he barked loudly, expecting to see Mrs. Lovett. When Lucy stepped through the doorway, blushing something awful, Sweeney immediately regretted his outburst. He cleared his throat nervously. "Ahem, come in, come in," he said gruffly, beckoning with one hand. Lucy gingerly entered the room, setting the breakfast tray down on a small side table before walking up to the slim, wild-haired man sitting in the barber chair.
"Sir, I just wanted to thank you again for your help last night. It was. . . very kind of you."
He nodded, not meeting her gaze. Lucy crouched down and looked up so she could see his face. His harsh stare flicked toward hers for barely an instant, but when their eyes met, he couldn't look away. The pain in her eyes was so familiar. . . it took him a moment to realize it was the same pain he saw in the mirror when he chanced a look there. A slight vibration of camaraderie passed between them then. But there was no anger or thirst for revenge in her dark brown stare, just pain.
"Mr. Todd, what. . . happened to you?" she breathed. He broke the gaze and the tremor that seemed to come with it. But somehow, he could not come up with a fitting reply.
"Leave me," he growled. Lucy stood, bowing her head modestly, and hurried out the door. Sweeney Todd strode to the window