One Year Later

There was a barber and his wife, and she was beautiful…

Distant chattering and bartering jabber echoed through the gentle chaos of the marketplace. Souls scurried here and there, all attention focused on lively movement from one merchant stand to the next. Yet the bustling humdrum of the morning passed with not a flicker of uniformity from one man, his pale but beautiful wife and their tiny daughter. The doting father lifted his child from her cradle and held her in his arms. His eyes, as dark and brown as liquid chocolate, were glazed with happiness. She was a gorgeous child, so full of life and so very perceptive to the feelings around her. Benjamin Barker laid his hand on the top of his child's tiny head, marveling at the golden strands already taking root in the young babe.

"She will be as beautiful as her mother when she grows." Benjamin said with a smile, lifting his daughter up high and then bringing her back down to kiss her soundly on the nose.

The child's mother laughed like a tinkering bell as she reached for her daughter.

"I only hope she will be more temperate than her father, we won't have a prayer at putting her to sleep if you keep on like that, Benjamin."

"My beautiful Johanna, her hair as golden as the sun, her skin as ivory as the snow…" Benjamin sang softly as he spun his laughing daughter around.

"Benjamin." Lucy Barker vainly attempted to force sternness into her voice, but she relented with a gentle laugh. "Hand me your daughter before you drop her."

Benjamin's expression adopted a look of feinted shock. "I would never. I'll have you know you did not marry a fumbling jester, no matter how much you suspect it."

"No." Lucy leaned forward and kissed Johanna on the head, and then lifted her chin to gaze affectionately at her husband. "I married a barber."

Benjamin offered a faint smile. "Far better than a jester's occupation, I daresay."

Benjamin grinned and leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Their lips touched in a delicate kiss, uncaring of the discomfort it caused the passersby. Finally Lucy drew back, taking their daughter in a gentle cradle and smoothing out her lacy white dress. Benjamin was still sporting a warm smile, and pivoted with a new attention focused on the flowers lying upon a table. The little child caught a golden glimmer at her mother's neck, and she giggled in delight as she gripped the shimmering locket in one tiny hand. Lucy made a gentle "tut tut" as she loosened her daughter's hold on the beautiful locket. It was a gift from her husband, and the woman's most cherished belonging. It would belong to Johanna when she grew older, and had already been engraved with their dear daughter's name. Lucy greatly anticipated that day when she and Benjamin could offer the beautiful locket to their precious daughter. Lucy reached into the tiny carriage and lifted a charmingly petite doll into one hand, holding it out for Johanna to grasp. The child made the tiniest squeak of approval and took the doll in two hands. Benjamin returned, presenting a pretty yellow flower to his daughter. Johanna glanced up, and let out an excited coo of eagerness. In her single-minded enthusiasm the toy she was holding nearly fell to the cobblestones.

Benjamin caught the doll effortlessly, and his speech reverted to the playful gibberish he naturally fell into when attempting to entertain his daughter. He placed the flower in the doll's hand and pinched his thumb and forefinger about the stem, holding it in place. Lucy laughed as her husband wiggled the doll before their delighted daughter, his animated voice raising a few tones higher than normal. As she demonstrated her amusement at Benjamin's antics, the latter lifted his chin and rested his gaze on her. He smiled with the glowing magnificence of a man who was at the very pinnacle of his existence. There was nothing that mattered to him more than his beautiful family. There was nothing he would not do for them. He loved them both more than he loved himself. His dark eyes were filled with happiness. He could not imagine a more fulfilling and perfect life.

______

There was another man who saw that she was beautiful…

The marketplace was always crawling with irritatingly simple peasants and common degenerates from the streets. Honorable Judge Fredrick Turpin didn't understand the fascination. Mulling about and purchasing useless odds and ends seemed rather wasteful to him, however, he was not a man who treasured any trinkets at all. He preferred to keep more…desirably practical possessions than a music box or statuette. Turpin strode down the street, his sleek shoes clicking at the stone as he walked. He straightened his immaculate golden umber coat and subconsciously straightened his collar. He wasn't about to demonstrate a disheveled appearance despite the modest nature of class he was forced to struggle through.

As he wandered through the crowded streets, he felt himself pause for a moment. His gaze lingered on an exquisite golden goddess, not ten feet from where he stood. Turpin rested his hand on the stone pillar of an archway, tilting his head to one side as he admired her beauty. Although he was well bred and very wealthy, Judge Turpin was a man who enjoyed simple pleasures. He was not fascinated by elaborate paintings created by exceptional artists, nor was he a fan of delectably gourmet meals. He was very easily entertained, and he believed he could see the next prospect of easing the boredom that seemed to have plagued him of late. Turpin motioned to his deputy, a stout man with the cunning features of a rodent, and the man stepped to the Judge's side. Turpin leaned slightly toward the shorter man so as not to be overheard.

"Do you know the identity of that pretty young lady?" The Judge inquired.

The stout man, one Beadle Bamford, pursed his lips together thoughtfully.

"To which lady are you referring my lord?"

Turpin swallowed his irritation. "The woman there," he gestured. "The beautiful flower with the lovely yellow hair."

Another moment passed.

"Ah!" The Beadle smiled when he discovered the woman. Yet his frown dimmed slightly. "She who holds the baby?"

Turpin nodded, unfazed. "The same."

"Right. What of her my lord?"

Turpin stroked his jaw slowly, narrowing his eyes slightly as his gaze focused on the young man who was accompanying his treasure. By the contentment in the man's expression, the child was doubtlessly his. Turpin sniffed indifferently. It didn't matter to him whether the woman was attached or not. It was she he wanted, and therefore it was she he would get. The man was just an obstacle, one that could easily be removed. Turpin returned his attention to the Beadle.

"I would like you to remove the young man escorting her, as quickly as possible."

The Beadle's brow furrowed. "It appears as though that man is her husband, my lord."

Turpin slowly rested his gaze on the Beadle. "Yes?"

Beadle Bamford was rather dense at times, but he proved worthy once the definition was made clear. His mouth split into a disturbingly toothy smile as he deciphered the Judge's meaning.

"I understand, my lord. It will be done."

Judge Turpin nodded solemnly, and when the Beadle scurried away to complete the task the former turned back toward the woman, admiring the creature that would soon become his.

______

And he was…naive

Benjamin Barker caressed Johanna's cheek with a gentle finger, and she in turn reached for the flower in the doll's hand. She squealed in merriment as Lucy bobbed her up and down with motherly affection. As Benjamin continued to entertain his daughter, he could hear the approaching footfalls of careful marching. These footsteps were heavy and precise, unlike the chaotic movement of customers and merchants. However, Benjamin did not take any relevance in this. Squads of police officers were common in the normally dirty industrial city, especially along the lanes of Fleet Street.

Despite his former nonchalance, Benjamin was beginning to feel somewhat uneasy. He kept his gaze on his wife, and could not make a connection as to why her eyes had suddenly widened. Suddenly Benjamin felt a blunt attack that made a sickening thump against his head and he was blinded by a brief flash of white. He barely noticed himself sag toward the ground, and wasn't in a state to struggle against those who grasped him roughly by both his arms.

"Stop it! What are you doing?! Benjamin!" His wife's frantic voice was but an incoherent thrumming in Benjamin's ears.

Benjamin attempted to shake off his deliriousness, but the entire marketplace was swirling around him without any indication of settling. The voice shrieking in fearful anger could not be anyone other than Lucy, and his heart began to ache painfully when he heard the mournful wail that was his daughter. Finally he gained enough of his wits to speak.

"I don't understand. Why am I-?"

"I advise you to remain silent sir." The officer spat out the last word like poison. "Unless you'd prefer another good clout."

Benjamin didn't even have the awareness to struggle as he was forcibly dragged out of the marketplace. The last image he possessed of his family was his beautiful wife glancing up at a tall man who had slipped beside her. Benjamin still couldn't make sense of anything, but he felt the tearing pain in his heart as the fearful cries of his child echoed throughout the desolate street.