Irene spent the rest of the day in the storefront cleaning up the kitchen area, making it useable again. She dusted, scrubbed and scraped all the filth away to reveal a rather nice kitchen, even cleaning up the old booths too. The new Londoner raced to the market before it closed to pick up some things to cook for dinner that night. Swiftly she cooked a small pheasant with vegetables, bread and an apple pie. She felt accomplished with herself that she made such a nice meal for Mr. Todd on her first day of work.
She served him right there in the storefront under bright candlelight. Mr. Todd gave a look of approval at the sight of his plate and began to eat voraciously. Irene sat across from him and observed as the man devoured her cooking with great pleasure.
He wiped his mouth and pushed the plate away, giving a smug smile. "Best meal I've had in months. Well done, my dear."
"I made apple pie too." She said eating the last bits on her own small plate.
"Bring it here. Wine too." He demanded slouching back.
Irene brought him a generous slice of pie with a bottle of wine. She set it down before him and went back to cut herself one. He sat there and made sounds of pleasure as he ate the pie and drank from the wine bottle. What an appetite this man had.
"Would you like more, sir?" She asked eating a small bite of pie.
"No thank you dear but it was all very delicious. What plans do you have for the outside?" He gulped more wine.
"I'll start with cleaning up any garbage outside, repaint the fencing, take down the boards on the windows here and put up curtains." She told him picking up his dishes.
"Perfect, get rid of the old tables outside too. Get what you can for them and buy something new." He stood up.
"I'll start on it all tomorrow morning after I cook you breakfast." Irene cleaned the dishes and put them on a rack to dry.
"Marvelous. This will be a proper establishment again with your help my dear. I feel like a new man!" He roared.
She was a little put off by his hostility but she admired this man in an odd way. "I'm glad I please you Mr. Todd."
"You're more than satisfactory my dear. I admit that I've had bad luck in my life but I want to turn things around." He walked up to Irene and got very close to her. "My pet…" His eyes met hers and he just stared.
"Mr. Todd?" Irene became uneasy.
He touched her long blonde hair. "You're a pretty thing."
She wanted so badly to back away from him but she found herself trapped in his sleep deprived eyes. His face was pale and showed some age, his body looked strong but he was a bit short for a man, she was fascinated all the same.
"You're a uniquely handsome man if you don't mind me being so bold." Her voice shook.
A grin came over his face. "You're a good woman."
"Thank you sir." She looked down away from him but he guided her head back up with his fingers under her chin.
"Do not fear me." He said solemnly.
"I do not fear you sir." She managed a smile.
"Good." He smiled back.
"Anything else I can do for you tonight?" She proceeded to put out the candles.
"No, you've done enough." Mr. Todd turned away. "Goodnight my dear, sweet dreams."
"Goodnight Mr. Todd." She replied as he walked out.
Millions of thoughts clouded her mind. Was he truly the demon barber of Fleet Street? This man seemed so hostile but reserved at the same time, like a powder keg. Irene did tell the truth when she told him that she did not fear him, he was only a man after all and it was obvious that he had not had the care of a woman in a long time. Perhaps she could help him, maybe even love him. Everything was so confusing now, Irene finished up with the kitchen and went to her room and wrote down the plans for the exterior of the building at her desk. Soon the moon was bright and the sky was black, she looked out her window into the sky and thought about what tomorrow will bring.
"Oh Mr. Todd…" She put out her lamp.