Wrapping his arm around his wife's waist protectively, James glanced over in Sweeney's direction every few seconds, causing Nellie to snap at him every few minuets or so. "Really, James, I know yer jealous, but its really startin' to get annoyin'!" she hissed as she aquirmed in her husband's tight hold on her.

"I am no' Jealous!" he snapped, she rolled her eyes lazily. "Would ya keep yer bloody voice down, we're 'ere!" she whispered loudly. The Market was extra crowded today, but Wednesdays were always a busy day for the shop keeps and work men of London. "'Es 'ere every Wednesday," she whispered to Sweeney on her left.

"Eye-talian. All the rage, 'e is." she muttered. They waited among the crowd in front of a large stage set up in the middle of the Town square. James shot Sweeney the occasional glare while the barber only rolled his eyes and ignored him. It will do no good kicking his arse in public, he thought to himself as he ground his teeth in annoyance.

Soon, the loud beating of a drum hushed the crowd. A small, young looking girl with a raggedy baby blue dress with a bowling hat emerged from the tall, red curtains and out center stage, banging said drum. Setting aside the instrument, she began to sing in a very high-pitched voice:

Ladies and Gentlemen!
May I have your attention please?
Do you wake every morning in shame and despair
To discover your pillow is covered with hair...
What ought not to be there?

Well, ladies and gentlemen,
From now on you can waken at ease!
You need never again have a worry or care,
I will show you a miracle marvelous rare!
Gentlemen, you are about to see something what rose from the dead-!
...On the top of my head!

She proceeded to bow and throw off her hat, revealing a long waterfall of wavy, raven black locks. The crowed laughed and applauded, the trio in front the only ones frowning and looking at each other for a moment, as if saying, Ha Ha, very funny. Where'd she get her jokes? A Poet?
She continued to sing:

Twas Pirelli's Miracle Elixir
That's what did the trick, sir,
True, sir, true.
Was it quick, sir? Did it in a tick, sir!
Just like an elixir ought to do!

The girl began passing out bottles of warm, bright yellow liquid, occasionally throwing it at some random bloke as she went on singing.

How about a bottle, mister?
Only costs a penny, guaranteed!

She uncorked a bottle and dabbed it some bald man. The man rubbed at his blank scalp and smelled his hand, grimacing as he smelt something foul. The girl just grabbed his hand and continued to rub his head.

Does Pirelli's stimulate the growth, sir?
You can have my oath, sir, 'tis unique.
Rub a minute - stimulatin', in'it?
Soon you'll have to thin it once a week!

Sweeney saw this opportunity to ruin the little urchin and grinned.

Pardon me, ma'am, whats that awful stench?
Must be standing near an open trench!

James looked at him strangely, raising an eyebrow. Nellie, however, smirked and played along, much to her husband's dismay.

Are we standing near an open trench?
Pardon me, sir, whats that awful stench?

Trying to ignore their attempts to ruin them, the girl sneered and continued singing.

Buy Pirelli's
Miracle Elixir:
Anything wot's slick, sir,
Soon sprouts curls.
Try Pirelli's!
When they see how thick, sir,
You can have your pick, sir,
Of the girls!

The bottle was being passed around as everyone inspected the bottle. When it landed in the barber's hands he smirked wickedly and with a final look from his landlady, they both began to sing loudly:

What is this?

What is this?

Smells like piss.

Smells like- phew!

Looks like piss.

Wouldn't touch that if I was you, dear!

This is piss, piss with ink.

By now, James was sneering at Sweeney as he and Nellie gigled and chuckled quietly under their breath. As the crowd began to whisper in suspicion, The young girl on stage merely went on.

Let Pirelli's
Miracle Elixir
Active your roots, sir-

Keep it off your boots,sir-
Eats right through

Yes get Pirelli's!
Use a bottle of it!
Ladies seem to love it-

Flies do too!

The people around burst out in laughter, Nellie grinning smartly as Sweeney grinned back. Before James had the chance to yell out in frustration, a man in fancy tights and other frilly things threw back the red curtains on stage and stood tall.

"Who here-a dares to-a call-a my-a exlircir piss?" he demanded as he bashed his cane on the wooden stage. There was short pause, then, " I do." the crowd's eyes turned their attention to Sweeney.

"I am Mr. Sweeney Todd, of Fleet Street," he spoke darkly as he slowly walked up to the front of the stage. "And I say you are a froad, your product concocted of nothing more then piss and ink." Pirelli sneered but said nothing.

"Furthermore, signor, I have serviced no kings. Yet I wager I can shave any bloke with ten times the dexterity." Sweeney challenged.

Nellie giggled happily to herself once more as she clung to her tenant's arm. "You were amazin', love!" she congratulated once again, bouncing with giddiness, completely oblivious to her husband's venomous glare at the barber. The trio walked in tensioned silence back to the shop after his victory over Pirelli.

Sweeney grunted in response, making James to growl lowly. He glanced at the man with a raised eye brow. "Something a miss, Mr. Stewart?" He asked him, a slight smirk on his face as he knew very well how his wife fancied him before he was shipped away. And here after.

James jerked his head to face forward, his hand flying to Nellie's waist as he pulled her off Sweeney and tightly to his side.

"Not a thing, Todd." He replied through clenched teeth. Nellie sighed in irritation and broke from his tight hold on her and simply stood in between the two. A moment later, her face saddened and she sighed quietly.

"Suppose its just me gentle 'eart," she muttered gloomily. "But I do 'ate to see a lass treated like tha'."

James glanced at her, frowned, and patted her on the shoulder. "'M sure the girls fine" he assured her. Nellie shook her head. "Did ya see how 'e jus' smakced 'er! No one should eva be tha' cruel to such a youn' lass." she said fiercely through clenched teeth.

"He seems to know to beat her whist keeping the girl alive." Sweeney muttered quietly. The trio walked the rest of the way in silence.