I Don't Wanna Be In Love
A/N: I STILL do not own Sweeney Todd or anything to do with it, unfortunately :(
Chapter 2: Dreading the Wedding
Mrs. Harper woke Johanna early on the morning of the wedding. Turpin had decided to hold the wedding and reception at the manor. Johanna nibbled at her toast, nerves fluttering in her stomach.
"Miss Johanna, you must eat more than that," The maid told her. "We can't have you fainting from hunger at the wedding." The woman peered at Johanna through the vanity mirror as she ran a brush through the girl's long, golden locks.
Johanna nodded and took a larger bite of toast. Immediately, she felt it make her stomach turn. She put it down and pushed the plate away. "I'm sorry; I'm just too nervous to eat."
Mrs. Harper laughed. "Nervous? About what? You must be the luckiest girl in all of London."
Johanna rolled her eyes; it was no secret that the maid had and infatuation for Judge Turpin. "I'd gladly trade places with you if I could," Johanna said.
Mrs. Harper shook her head as she began to twist Johanna's hair into an intricate design. "How could you say such a thing, miss?"
"How?! Perhaps it is because he is like a father to me, and I am being forced to marry him. I dread to think of what will happen after we wed. He thinks I don't see the way he stares," she hissed.
Mrs. Harper smiled and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You're just nervous about tonight…" she said, letting her voice trail off suggestively.
Johanna stared at the older woman as a blush rose to her cheeks. "Of course I am, but that's not the only thing." She argued.
"You'll be fine, dear. I have seen those books in his study as I clean, miss…book all about things a man and woman can do together. I am sure he will be able to pleasure you like no other," she gushed.
Johanna shot a horrible glare at the maid as the older woman admired the work she had done on Johanna's hair. "Get out!" She yelled, causing the woman to jump and gawk at her in confusion. "You are out of line…Get out! Do not return until you absolutely must." She yelled.
Mrs. Harper's eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "Of course, Miss Johanna," she said, leaving the room.
Of course Johanna was nervous. She was about to marry the man she had considered her father for the past fifteen years. Unable to control her emotions, Johanna covered her face with her hands and sobbed. She layed face down on her bed and cried until her shoulders shook. After she stopped crying, Johanna composed herself and sat on the window seat. She stared longingly out the window at the one thing she craved but would never have; freedom.
A knock on the door an hour later broke her from her reverie. "Miss Johanna?" Mrs. Harper called hesitantly from the door. "We must get you dressed and ready."
Johanna sighed. "Come in, then," she said, her voice tired and still hoarse from crying.
Mrs. Harper let herself in, closing the door behind her. "Lets get your face done up before we get you into your dress," she said.
Johanna nodded, her face showing no emotion. She stood from her seat at the window and sat before the vanity. Mrs. Harper added only minor hints of make-up to Johanna's naturally beautiful face. The maid took a step back to assess her work. "Very pretty, Miss Johanna. Very pretty."
Mrs. Harper took Johanna's hand and pulled her up. She led Johanna to the center of the room and went to retrieve the dress, corset and underskirts. The older woman unlaced the corset Johanna had been wearing, and they replaced it with the white corset, trimmed with lace. Mrs. Harper laced it up extre tightly and none too gently. Johanna swallowed the bile rising in her throat as she pulled on the pure white underskirt and looked at herself in the mirror. She willed away the tears threatening to fall.
Mrs. Harper helped Johanna step into the white gown with flowers sequenced into the skirt. She pulled up the low-cut top and Mrs. Harper carefully buttoned all 25 buttons running down Johanna's spine. Johanna stared at herself in the mirror, absentmindedly.
Johanna was, once again, brought back to reality by a knock on the door. Mrs. Harper spoke as she walked to the door. "Lord Turpin, it is bad luck to see the bride-" she stopped when she opened the door. "Oh, Beadle Bamford, sir. I apologize," she said.
The short, greasy man walked into Johanna's room carrying two small boxes. "It is quite alright, madam, I assure you." He said. "If you would excuse us..."
"You are too kind, sir," Mrs. Harper said, leaving the room.
Bamford walked over to Johanna, and she noticed his eyes rake over her body. She grimaced and cleared her throat, grabbing his attention. "Why, Johanna, you look absolutely…stunning," he complimented her.
Johanna inwardly scowled, but masked her face. "Thank you, sir," she said.
Bamford placed one of the boxes on her vanity and opened the other, revealing a pair of superbly cut diamond earrings. "Milord had asked that I give these to you, in hopes that you will wear them to the ceremony," he said.
Johanna plastered a fake smile onto her face as she sat back down at the vanity and put the earrings on. She watched through the mirror as the Beadle pulled a matching diamond necklace from the second box. Had it been from anyone else, it would have taken her breath away. Instead, it made her nauseous. The Beadle stared at Johanna in the mirror as he placed it around her neck. Johanna could fake her smile no longer and a frown fell onto her face.
This move was, apparently, obvious to Bamford. He moved to the front of Johanna and kneeled before her chair, taking her hand. "I can clearly see how miserable you are, my dear Johanna," he said.
"Oh, no, sir. I am-" she began, but he cut her off.
"Don't lie. I believe James sees it as well. He, however, chooses to overlook it." He was silent for a moment, and Johanna noticed that he looked as though he was pondering something. He shook his head slightly and placed a hand on Johanna' cheek to her dismay. "I can give you what you long for," he said, his voice lowered to barely a whisper. "Come away with me, Johanna. We shall sail to America…you will be free. We will be able to wed and start our own family."
'You greedy bastard,' she thought. 'If I went with you, I would be just as trapped as I would be if I stayed here.' When she spoke, she disguised her voice to prevent herself from revealing her repulsion in both men. "As…tempting as that sounds, sir…I, uh, feel as though there could be something between James and I," she lied, resisting the urge to gag.
The Beadle narrowed his eyes, seeing through her lie. "If you say so, Mrs. Turpin." he said, trying to change her mind.
Johanna visibly shuddered at the name, but composed herself, tired of listening to him. "I do say so, sir, and I would appreciate-" she began.
Mrs. Harper rapped on the door again. "Miss Johanna, Beadle Bamford, sir…its time to begin," she said through the door.
Johanna swallowed nervously as the Beadle offered her his arm. "Well then," he said, sounding slightly defeated. "Let's get you married."
A/N: Poor Johanna...Things will get better for her, but unfortunately they will get much worse first :( I'm torturing her, I know.
Review, PLEASE!!
Postings wll be probably once a week or every other week for now as I am VERY busy with end of school year things...Summer is a mere 29 school days away and posting should pick up GREATLY durng that time.
Up Next: Johanna gets married, much to her dismay
Then: A wedding night from hell...OH NO!
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