13
"I..um." Johanna's hands fidget nervously, grasping at her skirts before releasing them. "I suppose�" She stared at Mrs. Lovett, as if hoping the woman would somehow provide the answer.
Mrs. Lovett, still moving with uneasy stiffness, ignored the girl's attempt. The room was small, but well lit and sparely furnished, giving it a larger appearance than it's walls really offered.
"Would you like to.. change?" The blonde asked, her hands wringing together.
"Oh." The baker stared down at her clothes, as if just noticing. About to say yes, Mrs. Lovett took in Johanna's appearance before amending her answer. "It's alright dear, I'm quite used to it." Though the answer would no doubt ring oddly in the girl's ears, Mrs. Lovett thought it would be better than attempting to squeeze into the much smaller woman's garments.
"There weren't many in the house." Sweeney was talking to himself, but Toby kept his eyes glued to the barber, fearful the moment his mind strayed he would be asked a question. Not that his presence had really been acknowledged after the razor had been removed from his throat.
The not-so distant memory caused shivers to travel up the boy's spine, reinforcing the fact Mr. Todd did not care he had threatened the life of a child. Though the act was not unprompted, Toby couldn't help but wonder how the man felt nothing after his actions. Toby's lip was swollen, and his body trembled whenever Sweeney flicked his razor open and closed.
"They wont stay in an empty place, I think.." The barber continued, feet carrying him back and forth by his door. He would have preferred to pace by the window as he normally did, but with the threat the weak door possessed, it was better to stay closer to the action. "They've probably cleared out."
Toby swallowed, and slowly gathered the courage to ask a question. "Wots this ta do wif the chute, sir?" Despite the accusations and revolting truths Toby felt behind Mr. Todd's words, he couldn't think of his mum as an accomplice to murder. Mr. Todd took advantage of her love and made her do it, a voice whispered in his mind. For surely, if she had been doing it all of her own free will that would undo his base of reality.
Sweeney didn't look at the child, though he answered his question. "We're going to climb through down to the bake house." How far of a drop was it, even if one could lower themselves with the utmost care? How far was the ceiling from the cold, brick floor? "They'll be outside of this door still. We could sneak out to the street." If they still aren't in the pie shop.
Seven seconds wasn't a lot of time to lower oneself into a grimy tunnel and find footing; nor was 'if' a great basis for a plan.
Despite Mrs. Lovett's assurances that the tattered dress was fine, Johanna fetched a new one for her. When the woman confessed the real reason she wouldn't change was because she doubted it would fit her, the girl had blushed, and then sent for a dress. The Beadle had given them quite an annoyed look at the request, but hadn't complained.
"Where's it guna come from, I wonder?" The baker muttered, more to the rolling pin at her chest than the room's other occupant.
"Here." Johanna stepped out from behind a screen, forcing a smile onto her face, she hadn't heard the comment. "The bath is ready for you."
Mrs. Lovett wasn't all that sure she wanted to take her clothes off in the Judge's house. When all she did was stare at her, Johanna sighed and stepped forward to take Mrs. Lovett's hand. The older woman flinched at the contact, causing the girl to pull back in shock.
"I'm sorry," she gasped. "Are-?"
"It's nothing." The baker mumbled, taking a small step away from the screen and the tub behind it.
"Some of that blood is yours, isn't it?"
What could have been an ironic smile twisted onto her face. "Bein' pulled through a window might leave a mark."
A/N Meep.. filler chapter. Anyway, I have this annoying thing called work, and it's catching up to me. What does this mean to you? Updates are going to be every OTHER day for a while, but once I steal some more time, I'll get back to every day. Oodles of toodles my noodles. xD
