Many thanks for the reviews, I'm not the sort of writer who demands them before updating or gets in a tissy if people don't like things, nor do I indulge in long author notes. This is just a short note of thanks to those who have reviewed I have tried to take your suggestions under advisement.

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Nellie Lovett never considered herself a superstitious woman. She avoided walking under ladders but that was just common sense, but she never worried about black cats or stepping on cracks in the pavement. Yet there were something's that caused even her to get Goosebumps; graveyards after dark, desolate abandoned houses and in way this little room qualified as both.

Taking a deep breath and chiding herself for her foolishness Nellie forced her hard to turn the key and take the step over the threshold. Standing in the dusty abandoned room, the faint sunlight trickling in through the grubby windows, it was nonsense really the idea that this place was considered haunted. Yet it felt sad with its dull water damaged wallpaper, not cheery like her cherry printed paper, a thick layer of dust coating each surface like a shroud.

Forcing away such morbid thoughts Nellie quickly crossed the room, her fast shuffled footsteps whipping up a cloud of dust. Stifling a cough she bent down and rapped her knuckles along the floorboards, smirking to herself when the dull rattle confirmed she had found the right one. Prising it loose she retrieved the items buried in such a secret hideaway. The silver picture frame she barely glanced at, she couldn't allow herself to get caught up looking at 'him' at a time like this, especially not when 'she' was there sat next to him all pretty and prim. No it was another treasure she was after.

Opening the box she caught sight of her bounty nestled all snug in their red velvet lining. Polished silver caught and reflected the light eagerly, causing little circles of refracted light to dance a merry jig across her pale face. "There you are pretties." Nellie mumbled her fingertips tracing the cure of the handle, unable to stop the thought that his had been the last hands to hold them before her, to caress their cool surface just as she now did. She had meant to keep them for him but no they were better off helping save his daughter that is what her Mr Barker would have wanted.

"Oh Mr B...I'll keep 'er safe for you Mr B, I'll make 'er smile I will just like you did, and I'll hold 'er close when she cries just like a mum should. I'll steal our pretty little Joe from that bleedin' Judge, I'll make 'im rage and scream, cause he'll never find 'er once I've got 'er. I'll make our Joe happy Mr B..." Nellie muttered aloud as if to assuage any lingering ghosts of her intentions before she got to her feet and hurried back to her own parlour.

Placing the box of silver razors reverently down on the sideboard Nellie opened one of the many drawers and pulled out a few sheets of old writing paper. Fumbling around in the drawer for another moment she eventually found a rather bent old pen and a half full ink well stopped with an old gin cork. Grinning as she dipped the pen in the dark blue ink, careful not to let any drops fall on the old paper she considered carefully what she was going to write.

Dear Beadle Bamford....

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The sharp rap on the shop door shook Nellie from her day dream. Pulling back the lace curtain she restrained the urge to grimace and instead forced a welcoming smile onto her face. Unbolting the door she greeted her guest with a jovial, "Good evenin' Beadle Bamford, so kind of you to visit so promp'ly."

"Anything to be of assistance to my friends and neighbours." The Beadle sleazed his sticky eyes lingering on the baker's ample bosom before he allowed her to usher him into her parlour. "Oh what a quaint little room you have here Mrs Lovett, so much cosier than one might expect." The Beadle complimented in his own patronising fashion, parking his own ample derrière on the overly cushioned love seat. "Now how my dear madam how can I possibly be of assistance?"

"I was goin' to ask you 'elp. Well since my poor Albert got sick it 'as become impossible to keep the business goin', I've made the decision to sell up and with our debts being what there were, I was considerin' goin' into service to 'elp support m'self in the future."

"Ahh." The Beadle murmured a look of deviant delight filling his face. "And I suppose you would like me to provide you with a sterling character reference. Well I am sure that will be possible, I always like to oblige my good friends, perhaps if you were..." He began his greedy eyes feasting on her exposed flesh. "How does the saying go you scratch my back...I'll scratch yours." He added lasciviously patting the space beside him.

"Oh please sir let me get you a drink, what sort of 'ostess would I be if I didn't get you something...Gin?" Nellie gushed as she flittered delicately across to the sideboard and picked up the bottle of gin she had purchased especially for the occasion.

"Only if you'll join me my dear." The Beadle replied, smiling slimily as he accepted the glass, again patting the place beside him on the sofa suggestively as he took a large sip.

"Well alright I am not much of a drinker m'self, can't handle more than a glass or two before I get all tipsy, and then who knows what I'll do." Nellie replied taking a seat on the sofa as far as possible from the smirking Beadle. "I kept it around for my poor Albert, god rest his soul, pain got so bad near the end it was his only respite."

"Well I think after all that you've been through recently you deserve the chance to relax with a drink or two Mrs Lovett." The Beadle replied breathlessly before taking another large swig from his glass.

"Oh let me top you up sir." Nellie insisted, filling his glass to the top before he could protest, leaning slightly forward as she did so he was more preoccupied with the view of her cleavage than his full glass.

"As long as you do the same Mrs Lovett." He replied slyly seizing the bottle and tipping a generous amount into her glass.

"Oh no sir I'll get tipsy."

"I must insist...A toast perhaps to your dear Mr Lovett."

"Oh sir what a marvellous idea, down the hatch."

Gasping as the gin burned his throat Beadle Bamford relaxed back into the cushions, the alcohol slowly doing its work as he eagerly allowed the baker to refill his glass.

"To you sir, for bein' such a kind gentleman." Nellie proposed lifting her still half empty glass in a toast, smiling as the gullible man quickly downed his full glass and accepted a re-fill.

"I've often wondered Beadle Bamford sir, I mean I see you every week, well your such a dashin' important figure and I can't 'elp but wish I knew more about you, 'ow you rose up to become Beadle...Oh you must forgive me it's the gin, didn't I say it made me funny."

Smiling broadly the Beadle waved aside her blushes."It is nothing to be embarrassed about my dear." He replied generously, sipping at his glass as he leaned in closer.

"It was a combination of hard work and friends in the right places of course, I am most fortunate to be considered close friends to several men of influence; they naturally respect my opinion and it is through such high opinion I am honoured today." He added punctuating each word with a wave of his now empty glass.

"'Ere 'ave another." Nellie insisted catching his flailing hand before it could 'accidentally' wander off in her direction, the lecherous old soak.

"Do tell me more Beadle Bamford sir, I find it all simply fascinating." Nellie added, forcing a look of adoring attentiveness onto her face as the Beadle droned on and on about his truly boring past, taking care to fill his glass whenever it got more than half empty ignoring his half hearted protests.

"I shouldn't really." The Beadle muttered, his words slurring slightly.

"Oh but you work so 'ard sir." Nellie insisted filling his glass as the morbidly obese beadle slumped deeper and deeper into her cushions. "An since there is no Mrs Bamford, well someone's gotta look out for ya."

"Yes I suppose so; it's just such a lonely life Mrs Lovett..." The Beadle mused, his free hand sliding across the sofa to pat her knee suggestively.

"Oh you poor dear." Nellie replied sympathetically, ignoring the desire to push his clammy hand off of her and squashing the nausea that threatened to come up all over his fine brocade waistcoat. "You just rest there, let Nellie look after ya."

"Hmmm you're such a warm woman Mrs Lovett; so warm and so very beautiful." Beadle Bamford slurred his heavy eyes glazing over, as a trickle of drool escaped from the corner of his mouth.

"You just relax sir...Rest your eyes for a moment."

"Just a moment...I..." The Beadle grunted, his breathing becoming deeper and slower until the tell tale rasp of snoring filled the air.

Freezing Nellie sat and waited, her eyes fixed on the little mantle clock her heart pounding ten to the dozen. Finally after half an hour had passed she finally dared move. The Beadle was still as he fallen asleep; head lolled back mouth open as he snored loudly, traces of drool and spittle dribbling from the corner of his mouth onto his folded jowls. He truly was a disgusting specimen of a man with his trousers cut under his fat belly, his gaudy brocade waistcoat straining at the buttons and thinning greasy hair combed over his head.

Putting her personal disgust to the side Nellie crept over and leant over him hesitantly, then with all the skill of being brought up on London's streets she picked his pockets. Wallet, handkerchief, both useless since she didn't wish to rob him or catch any of his nasty germs. Then finally she hit the jack pot, a tightly bound journal, with assorted letters and lists rammed in between the bound pages.

Taking her prize over to the sideboard she retrieve the paper and ink, flicking through the journal it didn't take long to find a nice long list written in the Beadle's scrawl of handwriting. Taking up her pen Nellie began to slowly copy, stopping to repeat the words until she had mimicked his style completely. Then she started on faking her own character, stopping and starting over when it was needed until she was satisfied with the forgery. Then folding the letter in half she lit a red candle to warm the wax, glancing across at the Beadle to ensure he was still snoring soundly.

This was going to be the truly tricky part, crouching over him she replaced the journal in his inside pocket before reaching down to his hand and the signet ring that sat on his right ring finger. Sliding her own slender finders over his chubby digit Nellie gripped the ring with her nails tugging it gently but the bloody thing refused to move. Cursing under her breath she tried again this time tugging harder.

"Wha..mnn..." The Beadle grunted stirring in his sleep, turning further into the frilly cushions that littered the loveseat, his other hand now slung over Nellie's shoulder, his fingers greedily groping the soft skin of her neck even in his sleep.

Now there was nothing for it, stretching out her finger tips Nellie grasped the sweaty groping hand with her own and ducking under his arm placed it down by his side praying with all her might the old bleeder didn't wake up. When he continued to snore as loud as before Nellie allowed herself a small sigh of relief; then since she couldn't take the ring off she decided to seal the damn letter with it still on his finger. It was another tense moment as she pressed the molten red wax into the signet ring but the Beadle was by now completely out for the count and didn't even stir.

Clutching the letter to her heaving chest Nellie back as quietly as she could from the room, waiting until she had her own bedroom door bolted before chuckling into her hand; lying down on her bed she turned and buried her face into her pillow to stifle her laughter. Now she only had to wait a few hours until daybreak and she was home free.

---

"Beadle...Beadle Bamford...God's sake wake up you old soak." Nellie hissed as she shook the snoring Beadle. "Rise and shine Beadle it's a beautiful day."

Groaning into one of her overstuffed and frilled cushions the Beadle finally awoke, gasping out in pain."My head."

"Oh and that's rightly my fault, I've always been a little 'eavy 'anded with the pouring. Not being much of a drinker m'self I can never tell how much is right."

"Urgh well that is quite alright Mrs Lovett." The Beadle groaned blinking his eyes to correct his vision, surely that wall paper had not seemed so garish in the candle light. "I'll just be..." He moaned as his stomach protested at the sudden movement, his head pounding like an entire charging cavalry regiment.

"Oh deary you really aren't well. Perhaps I should go get Mr Cooper from across the way to come 'elp you."

"NO!" Beadle Bamford insisted this time forcing his body to obey his commands as he rose hesitantly to his feet. "I'll just be...My hat?" He asked groping around on the floor before retrieving the now crushed artefact.

"Well carefully does it." Nellie cautioned as she ushered the still staggering Beadle towards the door. "I really can never thank you enough."

"Thank me?" Beadle Bamford queried managing to lift one heavy brow questioning before the harsh morning light caused him squint in pain.

"For the character remember, oh you're such a dear man." Nellie gushed as sincerely as possible and if there was any falseness to her tone the Beadle and his hangover did not notice it.

"Character?" The Beadle queried confusion written on his face before he shrugged his shoulders, dismissing his lack of memory with a grunt. "My pleasure Mrs Lovett, perhaps I could pop around later in the week and you can thank me properly."

"Well I don't know..." Nellie replied glancing dramatically over her shoulders as if the devil himself might be listening in. "I mean what would people think?"

"Think?"

"I'm only thinking of you luv a respected man in the community, I mean if it got round you were seen visiting me often and leaving in the morning what would people think."

"Indeed." Beadle Bamford retorted disbelief contorting his already ugly face. "What might people think Mrs Lovett?"

Pulling out her handkerchief Nellie dabbed at her eyes and stifled a sob. "They don't know you as well as I do, why they might think you only came around to take advantage of my poor widowed state...How wrong they would be Beadle Bamford sir but you know how people do gossip..." Nellie trailed off her face the picture of innocent indignation. "I couldn't stand to have people think that about you sir. So since you have such a kind heart it seems I must be the one to save you from yourself."

"Myself?" The Beadle replied now clearly confused.

"Yes from your own generous nature." Nellie insisted drawing back the bolts from the door to her shop and virtually pushing the stunned Beadle out into the street. "It breaks my heart it really does you're such a lovely kind man but I 'ave to ignore you...yes that will save you from those malicious gossips."

"Ignore me?" Beadle Bamford gasped in horror, his plans for more intimate nights in front of the fire evaporating in front of his bloodshot eyes.

"Yes I will, I'll save you....Good bye Beadle we can never speak again." Nellie insisted dramatically real tears of pure suppressed joviality streaming down her cheeks and she slammed her front door shut in the astonished Beadle's face. Pulling the bolts back across Nellie collapsed against the door breathing heavily before sinking to the floor and burying her face into her skirts smothering her squeals of laughter. She'd done it that job was as good as hers.