Chapter Two

Six Years Later

*

Cat smiled at the customers as they started pouring in and took their orders. Nellie went about filling them and Cat would get them drinks. She had long learned what exactly was in the pies, and had since stopped eating them. But Mr. Todd's and Mrs. Lovett's secret would be safe with her; they had done so much for her and Jessica.

In fact, she had taken to running up the stairs when Mrs. Lovett's shop was slow to help Mr. Todd by sweeping up or trimming a gentlemen's hair while the barber was busy. She and Mr. Todd never spoke, but it was a silent agreement that he wouldn't kill anyone while she was helping out in case Jessica ran upstairs looking for her.

It was during just such an occasion that her entire, fragile world was turned completely upside down.

She was sweeping up Mr. Todd's parlor and he was shaving on his more routine customers when he walked in. Her glance up at the door turned her entire insides cold. He was still as beautiful as she remembered, and that made her heart jump into her throat.

"Mr. Todd, I hear you give the cleanest shave in all of London. How long is it to wait?" the man's baritone filled the room uncomfortably.

"Ten minutes," Sweeney answered, not looking away from his work. "If you can't wait, Cat'll take you now."

"No, it's all right, I'll wait," he said, and she kept her eyes on the pile of hair she had been sweeping up for ten minutes as he crossed the room and sat down in the vacant waiting chair. She prayed he wouldn't recognize her. Five minutes later, she couldn't help herself; she glanced up at him for one more look.

His eyes were directly trained on her. When their gazes met, his appreciative smirk turned into a look of shock. Oh yeah, he recognized her. The whole time this was going on, Sweeney never noticed a thing. The man smiled at her, and winked. She shook her head and grabbed the dust pan to sweep up the left over hair.

The man who had been getting the shave when her worst nightmare walked in was finished; he paid and left without another word. Sweeney turned to the new customer and stopped.

"Judge Harper, what a pleasant surprise. I'm honored you've come to my establishment," Sweeney said softly.

Daniel rubbed his jaw and the sound of rough hair filled the room. "If you're as good as they say you are, I'm the honored one."

Sweeney smiled and Daniel sat in the chair. Cat slowly creeped toward the door as Sweeney lathered the judge up.

"Actually, Cat, could you refill the water bowl for me before you leave?" the barber asked.

"Sure thing, Mr. Todd," Cat said reluctantly and she moved to do so.

The silence in the room was deafening and the trickling of the water into the basin was surprisingly loud. She put the basin on the vanity just as Sweeney was finished shaving Daniel.

After wiping the excess shaving cream off his face, Daniel stood up. "Well, Mr. Todd, you've proven yourself a master. I thank you." And Daniel handed him ten pounds. Then he turned to Cat.

She was not paying attention, instead she was sneaking out the front door. "Cat, could you come here for a moment."

Damn, damn, damn, she thought as she walked back into the room. Daniel was watching her, and Sweeney was observing closely, ready to intervene if the judge did something inappropriate.

"Yessir?" she asked as she stopped well away from him. He offered his hand with another ten pound note in his hand.

"For your assistance today," he said, mirroring her soft tone.

She gave a tremulous smile and said, "Sir, I can't take that."

"I insist, Cat," Daniel said, taking a step closer to her. It took all she could not to step back. She admired the polish on his shoes and refused to look up.

She hesitated before reaching up to his hand to take the bill. Immediately, she knew that she had made a mistake. He grabbed her hand while she started to pull away. He bowed low over her hand and kissed it softly.

She wrenched her hand away and tucked it behind herself. She could sense that Daniel frowned, but said nothing.

"I bid both of you good day. I will be back probably sometime in the next week or so, Mr. Todd," the judge said before leaving the room. Only when she heard his footsteps on the stairs did she look up and take a breath.

"What was that?" Sweeney asked.

"What was what, Mr. Todd?" she asked, her voice a little louder.

"You know that judge, and you don't like him. What did he do to you?" Sweeney prompted.

"Nothing. He's just a little… intimidating is all," she explained.

They stared at each other for a long moment, and then Sweeney turned away. Taking it as a signal to leave, Cat practically ran down the stairs to get away. She didn't see Daniel across the street, watching her enter the pie shop.

* That Evening

"Cat, can you close up tonight? I'm tuckered out," Nellie said softly as she retired to the parlor.

"Sure thing, Mrs. Lovett," she called after her. "Could you make sure Jessica got into bed all right?"

"Of course, dear," Nellie called back.

It was dark out as Cat started to clean up, doing the dishes and wiping tables. The lights inside the shop were bright and shined through onto the streets.

The bell over the door chimed as Sweeney walked in. Cat looked up and gave him a smile. "Good evening, Mr. Todd. Mrs. Lovett's in the parlor, I think," she told him.

"Thank you, Cat," Sweeney said, and he made his way in that direction.

She was turned away when the door chimed again.

"Sorry, we're closed now, if you can come back tomorrow-"

"I don't think you want customers here while I'm talking to you," said that severely unwanted voice.