Warnings at the bottom of the chapter.
Chapter Thirteen:
Say Goodbye
Once the shock wore off, Johanna began wondering why. Out of anyone, why would someone want to capture her?
Jitters ran through her body, keeping her from sleeping. She felt alive, awake, at least, after what happened. At night, Johanna turned her gaze to the window, watching the night pass in slow hours. Endless stars filled the sky. She tried to count them sometimes as her thoughts distracted her.
Mostly she wondered about the man, but when she went to tie her dressing gown and her hand ran over her stomach, a surge of worry ran through her. He couldn't have hurt the baby, could he?
Johanna told herself it wasn't possible. That couldn't happen. There was a knife to her back. That wouldn't hurt the baby. Just couldn't.
She worried even still.
The day after the man, Johanna went down for work, as if nothing happened. She cleared tables and served customers. Only, she avoided the corner of the shop. Johanna told herself she could go back there. Yet she avoided it. As if it was out of her own control.
The kidnapper returned.
He was daring enough to stomp through the door of Mrs. Lovett's after he attempted to abduct Johanna. After walking a customer downstairs, Sweeney found the man in the same corner where Toby was pouring ale into his cup. Toby left looking at Sweeney while keeping his head still. Sweeney grabbed the bottle of ale from him and descended on the kidnapper.
The kidnapper wouldn't trust him now, but get a little alcohol in him and he might open up a bit more. Sweeney flashed a smile as he sat down. The man briefly glanced at him. He bit into his pie.
"Good day, sir," Sweeney said.
The kidnapper blinked and nodded without giving an answer.
Perhaps, he had more than Sweeney originally believed.
Good.
Sweeney turned, finding Johanna happily chatting with a couple at a table. Distracted. She wouldn't know.
"I see you're close to Johanna over there," Sweeney said, tilting his head.
"Who?" the kidnapper slurred. He looked to where Sweeney gestured. "Ah." He lowered his voice. "That's Judge Turpin's girl."
His cup was empty. Sweeney poured more ale into it. The man gulped it down, moving his cup so Sweeney would refill it. He did, glad to poison him with the liquid. Things were moving along nicely.
"Judge Turpin's girl?" he prompted.
"Yeah." The kidnapper sipped. "Beadle tol' us ta' find 'er." He jerked upwards. "Mad, she is." He finished off his drink. "I'll get 'er."
"Hold on, sir." Sweeney blocked his way. "Before you get Johanna"-he smiled again-"How about a shave?"
"A shave?"
The kidnapper rubbed his neck.
Sweeney grinned wider. "Allow me to pamper you. Think of it as an apology for what happened last week."
"Last week?" The kidnapper laughed. "Wha' 'appended?"
"Just come, sir, come."
He swayed under Sweeney's grip, relaying on the staircase ramp. The kidnapper fell into the chair. Sweeney prepared the shaving cream and sharpened the blades. Revenge can't be taken in haste. It was the same way he used to pamper his customers. Silently with thoughts of Johanna.
He took pleasure in slicing the kidnapper's throat.
Sweeney pulled the lever, watching the kidnapper's wide, empty eyes as he tumbled down.
While he cleaned the blood off the chair, Mrs. Lovett burst in.
"Oh, Mr. Todd, you didn't!"
She sounded more pleased than anything, nevertheless upset. Her tone matched the one of a wife whose husband came home with a present for her.
Sweeney swiped a rag over his blade.
"Put 'pervert' on the menu."
Mrs. Lovett took a step forward, peering down. "Was that him?"
He nodded in response.
Mrs. Lovett smacked her lips and buried her hand in her pockets.
"This is exciting, ain't it, Mr. T? The customers'll be delighted!"
As he ignored her and continued to clean, she chatted on, taking dangerous steps towards him. Sweeney stooped down. Mrs. Lovett ran a hand over his back.
"It's like the good, old days, ain't it?" she said, "This was all I wanted, you know. Good business. A husband, a son." She hesitated. "A daughter. We're already a respectable business. We can be a good family, too."
Sweeney clenched his jar and rose. "In case, you've forgotten, Mrs. Lovett, I'm not your husband."
He shrugged her off. Mrs. Lovett lingered in the room. He scowled.
"I know you want it, too, Mr. T. I know you want a normal family again. And we've got that here."
"I'm faithful to Lucy."
"Say goodbye, to 'er. She's gone, Mr. T."
He threw her a dark look.
"And whose fault is that?"
Mrs. Lovett drew back, biting her lip. Sweeney turned away. She had no business trespassing into their family affairs. Or feigning concern for Johanna. Sweeney wasn't stupid. He saw the way Mrs. Lovett looked at his daughter. In no way were those glances motherly. It didn't seem all that long ago when he thought he was getting Johanna back. When Anthony burst into the shop. And Mrs. Lovett said something about Johanna needing a mother, meaning she would play mother to her.
"Mr. Todd-"
"Get out."
Mrs. Lovett leaned forward. "Mr.-"
"Out!"
With a longing glance, she left to prepare the meat, just as she had before.
"Have you experienced any unusual symptoms, Mrs. Hope?"
"Aside from the typical headache and spout of dizziness I have not." Johanna fumbled with her reticule clasp. "Is there anything I should be worried about, Mrs. Thomas?"
Mrs. Thomas peered at her. Her eyelid twitched and she asked to feel her belly. Johanna leaned back, feeling somewhat like a scolded schoolgirl. Mrs. Thomas felt for something. Johanna didn't understand what she was muttering on about. Mrs. Thomas back away to write something down.
"Your body's getting ready to deliver your baby, Mrs. Hope. You've got about twenty-two weeks left." She dipped her quill in ink and ruffled the feather. "You do seem to be stressed."
Johanna released a pained sigh, jaggedly straightening her posture.
"My husband is at sea," she said, "I worry about his safety when he's away."
Mrs. Thomas narrowed her eyes. "You are showing symptoms of distress. Mrs. Hope, as your midwife, it is a matter of importance to me to know what is causing you any anguish. Mental or physical."
"Nothing!" Johanna exclaimed, much too fast, "Nothing is wrong."
"Mrs. Hope, has anything happened to you recently?'
Johanna intertwined her fingers together and looked at her lap.
"I ask of you, Mrs. Thomas, please do not pry into my personal affairs."
The door opened. A child poked her head through the crack in the door. Mrs. Thomas swept her off the floor with a deep sigh.
"Mummy's seeing someone, Myrtice. You mustn't burst in on Mummy right now."
Myrtice fussed. Mrs. Thomas put her down.
"No, Myrtice. Go find your Pa."
Myrtice wrinkled her brows, refusing to do such a thing. Mrs. Thomas sighed. She put her hands on her hips.
"Myrtice," she warned.
"No!"
"Yes. Go find Pa. He'll get a treat for ya."
Myrtice's eyes widened. She nodded and ran out the door. Mrs. Thomas turned back to Johanna, shaking her head.
"My apologies, Mrs. Hope. I try not to bribe them, but sometimes it's the only thing that works." She sat. "You were telling me?"
Johanna glanced at the clock. She'd been here for twenty minutes. A minute longer and Mr. Todd would notice she was gone. She gathered her shawl and stood. Mrs. Thomas stopped her before she could go any further.
"I best be on my way-"
"Mrs. Hope, is Mr. Hope hurting you?"
"Anthony?" Johanna was taken aback. "Of course not! Anthony couldn't harm a living thing. Or a dead thing for that matter. He wouldn't hurt me. Especially now when I'm carrying his baby. He already loves it. And he loved me. Of course, he isn't."
"Then what's going on? I can't let you go until you tell me."
Johanna tried to sneak past her. Mrs. Thomas stood her ground. She wasn't going to let her through. Johanna glanced back at the ticking clock. She bit her lip and looked back at Mrs. Thomas. She had to say something.
"Fine!" she snapped, "A man held me at knifepoint last week. All in a days' work. Are you happy?"
Mrs. Thomas seemed to shrink. "Mrs. Hope-"
"No, I do not want to talk about it. I need to be on my way."
"Mrs. Hope, I think I better examine you again," Mrs. Thomas said in a low tone.
Johanna pulled her shawl tighter around her. "I think not, Mrs. Thomas." She looked at the clock. Her breath hitched in her throat. "I really need to be on my way!"
"Mrs. Hope-"
"Thank you for the offer and good day."
She swept past Mrs. Thomas and slammed the door behind her. Of course, now there was the issue of getting out the door. Usually Mrs. Thomas showed her out. Thankfully, a maid appeared and escorted her to the door.
She took long, swift steps back to Fleet Street. Mr. Todd was outside the shop. Perhaps he was looking for her. They made eye contact. Johanna began towards the side entrance out of habit. She couldn't avoid Mr. Todd by using that door, but in her mind, it prolonged his questions. He caught up with her and grabbed her arm. She flinched at the touch.
"Where were you?"
Why lie now?
She took a breath. "The midwife."
"The midwife?" Mr. Todd adjusted himself to see her face. "What's wrong?"
Nothing, apparently.
"No reason. I just . . ." Worried. Concerned. Unworthy. ". . . I just needed to talk with her."
Mr. Todd didn't look convinced.
"I'm fine, sir, I promise." She took a shaky breath. She shouldn't bit that back. Mr. Todd already didn't seem convinced. "Does Mrs. Lovett need me? I can find her in the bakehouse-"
"No," he said too quickly. Johanna stared at him. Mr. Todd moved his hand around to her shoulders. The touch almost strung at first, but she eased into it. "Let's go upstairs. Anthony wrote to you."
"He did?"
Giddiness crawled over her. But was soon replaced with a cower. Johanna needed to tell him or live the rest of her life keeping such an awful secret from her husband. Her husband, she reminded herself, he was not a friend or acquaintance, he was her husband. She had to tell him at some point.
Johanna turned to the barbershop once upstairs. Each stepped drummed with dread. Mr. Todd led her away from the shop.
"Isn't the letter in there?" she asked.
"You'll find it in your room."
His grip on her tightened. The pressure felt nice. Johanna spotted the letter on her desk. Mr. Todd's brows were furrowed. She didn't mind. Even if the company was Mr. Todd, she was grateful for any when Anthony informed her he didn't love her anymore.
Johanna, my love,
I need to apologize to you. I shouldn't have walked out on you the way I did. I shouldn't have avoided you. I understand if you wish to remain in the household of Mr. Todd. However, I insist I provide for you and our child. I suppose it makes sense if you stay with him, as I am away often. According to some of the crew, we'll be out more often as well. I promise to be there in the tme leading up to the birth. I have the date Mrs. Thomas gave you engraved in my mind: November 13. What a nice date. I think it suits this well.
Forever Yours,
Anthony; your husband
(I only say that because I enjoy writing it very, very much)
He didn't hate her.
Yet.
Some of the tension left Johanna's shoulders. She read the letter again. Again. Again. Anthony made no mention of despising her. Johanna could imagine him writing it. With the sea caught in his face and wind flowing through his hair as he bent over; squinting in the dim light he was provided.
Johanna pulled up to the desk and began drafting her reply.
Anthony
My Dear Husband
Anthony, Darling
My Love
Darling
My Darling Anthony,
I am scared.
There was a man at Mrs. Lovett's pie shop who
Anthony, there is a dark secret I must inform you of. I dearly hope you do not hate for this. A man-
Johanna crumbled her paper and pushed it to the side with the rest Perhaps this was better left said then written. Johanna could imagine Anthony's wide eyes as he read a letter like that. One of his sailors would tease him and rip the letter from his grasp. They would read then pass it around. An already modified Anthony would turn paler as his fellow sailors would learn his wife was nearly taken. She didn't fight back.
Johanna couldn't do that to him.
Mr. Todd returned later. She hadn't realized how much time passed. He set a candle on the desk. She looked at him.
Neither of them wanted to bring up the man. Yet her thoughts were getting to her again. Why did he want Johanna? What use was she to him?
"Mr. Todd," Johanna said, "You know the man?"
She could swear she saw him freeze.
"What man?"
Johanna paused. She assumed Mr. Todd would know exactly who she was talking about. Apparently not. She tightened her lips.
"The man who tried to . . ." Kidnap? Abduct? "The man who tried to take me? Just last week?"
And now she talked about it as if it was something that happened every Tuesday.
Mr. Todd nodded.
"Well, what do you suppose he wanted with me?"
His jaw clenched. Mr. Todd straightened himself. The silence was too long. Suppose she should take it as a hint. The man wanted to do awful things to her. But it didn't seem right to her. Of course, there were many men like that. But Johanna couldn't imagine that man wanting anything impure with her.
"He won't come back," Mr. Todd finally said.
Johanna prepared herself to argue. She wanted to argue. That wasn't the answer she was looking for. And Mr. Todd knew that.
"I'll return shortly," Mr. Todd said.
She watched him leave. Johanna leaned back, patting her belly again.
She would find out. Someway or another.
Warnings: Mentions of attempted kidnapping, murder (nothing graphic, but it's there), referenced/implied cannibalism
Sorry about this chapter not being as polished. I plan on touching it up a little in the future. I'm not going to be able to update for a little while, so I'm just trying to get these next few chapters up in the coming days. Thank you so much to everyone who has been supporting this story!
