AN: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE SWEENEY TODD: DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET FRANCHISE!
Me: The two children are supposed to be the supposed boy and girl Mrs. Lovett hired to help around the shop.
Chapter Five: James and Madeleine,
Mrs. Lovett allowed herself a smile as she stood pressed against the wall, Mr. Todd still smiling wickedly after just unfolding his master plan with her, not moving a single inch away in the process, not that Mrs. Lovett minded. The plan sounded simple enough, rather than disposing of the corpses in St. Dunstan's Church crypt below the city, He would run down to the the basement, using a trap door hidden there, and walk through the tunnels to the bodies. Once there, he would do the dirty work of skinning and gutting the dead men. He would then package the meat, organs, and skin in small boxes, burying the bones elsewhere. He would then carry the boxes up stairs and leave them in Mrs. Lovett's shop to be put through the meat grinder. Of course after that, Mrs. Lovett would bake the most delicious of pies that she ever did, her famous meat pies.
Why was she agreeing to do the most punishable of deeds? There are only two reasons that she ever thought of. Reason number one, as long as she wasn't killing the men she was baking, there were no issues with baking them at all because it was simply making good use of dead animals around her. Reason number two, she couldn't very well say no. When you have just discovered that your handsome, young tenant is a serial murderer with revenge upon society to fulfill, then that is the time to either run, or become an accomplice. Running was something that always ended badly for Mrs. Lovett, in the end, whatever she was running from always caught up, and wasn't always merciful. Becoming an accomplice, would mean more business, which would mean more money, money that she desperately needed. It would also mean becoming one step closer to the dark barber, that, even after finding this new fact, still made her heart flutter and pound faster than any rabbit may hope to run.
"Mrs. Lovett," Mr. Todd said, stepping away from her, much to her distaste. "You should be getting down to your shop, and here, for your shoulders." He said, handing her a clean shirt of his. She frowned for a second, then remembered that he had had his bloody hands pressed on her shoulders for a half-hour. She caught the shirt and wet the sleeve at the sink before washing away the stains of blood on her dress sleeve and shoulder. Thanking Mr. Todd, she dropped the shirt in his laundry bin and exited down the stairs and into her pie shop.
At first, Mrs. Lovett had not noticed the two figures crouching in a corner of her shop as they were both very small. When she did notice, they had startled her enough to drop the plates she was carrying, sending them smashing to the floor.
"Damn my luck..." She said, bending down to pick up the shards of porcelain. The two figures came over and picked the pieces from the floor for her. Looking up, she noticed they were two children, not even thirteen years old, but obviously related for they both had the same dirty brown hair, green eyes, and filthy clothing on. Standing and dusting off her hands, she took the broken pieces from their hands and placed them on her counter.
"Now," She said, an air of curiosity in her voice. "What can I do for you?" The two children shied away from her, looking down. "Come now, I won't hurt you. Promise on me life I do." Mrs. Lovett said, reaching out a hand to the petrified children, who obviously had no good past experience with adults. "Come now loves, we can get you all nice and cozy warm in me parlor,"
Grudgingly, the two children took her hands and she led them through the shop and to her parlor, seating them on her couch. She then proceeded to light a fire in the hearth.
"There now, nice and warm by the fire," She said, crossing over to them. "Now loves, tell me what you were doin' in me shop?" Encouragement, not anger, in her voice. One of the children swallowed and started to speak shakily.
"Well, you-you see, my sister, and I, we-we're orphans, and we got no place else to-to go, we thought your shop, was clo-closed, so we came in to sleep. Please don't be ma-mad at us Missus." The young child said, obviously a male child. Mrs. Lovett nodded before silently cursing her like of children.
"Well, I could always use some 'elp in me shop," She said slowly, bringing surprise to the children's faces. "What are your names?"
"My name's James, and my sister's name is Madeleine. You'll 'ave to excuse her Missus, she can't talk." James explained.
"Oh, I see... Well come with me dearies, I've got an extra room in the back of me house. It's small, but the two of you should fit." Mrs. Lovett stood and took their hands, about to lead them through the house when she caught a glimpse of Mr. Todd standing on the stairs, staring at her. "Come on dearies," She said, quickly pulling them out and down the halls, past her bedroom, and to a small back room. "Now, I'll be right back, wait here duckies." She said, closing the door behind her. She turned to find that Mr. Todd had stealthily followed her.
"Mrs. Lovett..." He said slowly. Looking around to make sure no one was outside her window, she grabbed his hand and led him to her bedroom. Once settled with the curtains drawn did he speak again.
"Mrs. Lovett, I had no idea that you had... children." He said the last word with distaste.
"Look, I need help 'round me shop and they're orphaned! Luck smiles like this only once in a while Mr. Todd! Besides, the most they'll be doin' is making pies from the already grinded meat!"
"Fine, you may keep them, but if they get in my way-"
"They won't, I promise on me life!" She said, cutting him off before producing a mischievous smile. "So, what's the real reason you came down 'ere Mr. Todd?"