AN: I still own nothing

Chapter 4

What was an innocent visit to Benjamin Barker's barber shop turned into a daily routine. For the next month Nellie walked from her quiet house over to Benjamin's barber shop on Fleet Street with two pies on hand every day at noon. Benjamin had made a habit of closing his shop from noon to one o'clock. It was the perfect time of day. It was Albert's busiest time at the butcher shop, so Nellie never had to worry about him coming home to an empty house, and Lucy was gone every day from eleven o'clock to three o'clock working as a seamstress. Every day they'd have lunch together and talk. Nellie told stories about her childhood and life before her parents died and Benjamin would tell humorous stories about his clients.

"One time the Beadle came in with a mark on his neck, when I asked him about it he turned bright red and said that he had a date. Turns out it was one of those… what do you call them, kissing marks?"

Nellie laughed. "Benjamin, this past month has been wonderful. It gets lonely, sitting in that house all day."

Benjamin smiled. "It gets pretty lonely over here too. Every since Lucy took that job as a seamstress," he said with a trace of bitterness in his voice.

"You don't want her to work?" Nellie asked.

Benjamin sighed. "Based on how things are going with me and Judge Turpin, we both decided that it couldn't hurt to have some extra income, in case I ever get into legal trouble and need to be bailed out."

"You don't really think the judge could do that, do you?"

Benjamin angrily shook his head. "I don't know, but we also want to be sure to have enough money in case we have to leave town on short notice."

After what felt like ages of awkward silence Nellie finally spoke. "Benjamin, that day I came to visit you, why did you ask me to come back?"

Benjamin blushed. "You um… well, you reminded me of my sister Beth. She was two years younger than me and died about five years ago. Even though she was my little sister, she was always looking after me. When I was working at someone else's barber shop she used to come and bring me lunch. She also had a necklace a lot like the one you wore that day. She was a beauty, and I was often the only person to tell her that. I miss her a lot."

Nellie was taken. "I'm sure she was a wonderful person."

"Oh she was. You would have loved her…" Benjamin suddenly looked startled.

"What's wrong Benjamin?"

He shook his head. "Wow, I never talk about Beth. I've never even talked to Lucy about her."

Nellie stood still, in shock when suddenly the door slammed open.

"Here you are!" Albert Lovett suddenly yelled.

"Albert!" Nellie jumped and backed away from Albert.

"I came home to an empty house, and now I have to find you with some other man?"

At this point Benjamin attempted to get in between Nellie and Albert. "I asked her to come. I wanted to buy one of her pies."

"Stay out of this Ben," Albert whispered then pushed him aside. "Now come on Nellie!" he grabbed Nellie by the wrist and pulled her out the door.

Albert led Nellie by the wrist all the way to their house. Once they were safely hidden from the public in the privacy of their empty house, Albert threw Nellie to the floor.

"Albert please!" Nellie screamed.

"Whore!" Albert yelled back.

Nellie began to sob. "We didn't do anything, I swear!"

"Shut up!" Albert yelled.

When Nellie wouldn't stop crying, Albert punched her.

"We'll talk when I get home. I'm going back to work," was the last thing Nellie heard before she blacked out. When she regained consciousness a few hours later she looked in the mirror to see a black eye. She couldn't take it anymore. After seeing that a man could be as kind as Benjamin was, she couldn't handle living with Albert.

Quickly she took all of her clothes and threw them into a bag. She took all of the money she could find and ran out the door. Without thinking twice she sprinted to Benjamin's barber shop. Benjamin would let her live with him. Maybe they could even run away together. Lucy had a job, so she'd be able to support herself.

When Nellie got into Benjamin's barber shop she suddenly burst into tears.

"Nellie what happened?" Benjamin asked soothingly.

"I can't do it anymore; I can't live with that brute! I left him!" she cried. "Please Benjamin, let me stay here."

"Nellie?" a woman's voice came from behind.

Nellie turned around to see Lucy standing near the doorway holding Joanna.

"He'll find you," Benjamin said quietly.

"Then run away with me!" Nellie sobbed.

Benjamin stared at the ground.

"We have such a great connection. Please Benjamin, run away with me!"

Benjamin stared at the floor. "I love my wife," he said.

"Benjamin, please!" Nellie was sobbing at this point.

"I love my wife," he said again.

"Nellie, I think it's best that you go," Lucy suddenly said.

Heartbreaking, isn't it? Will things turn around for Nellie? Will Benjamin change his mind? And what's going to happen when Albert comes back? More to come!