Hello everyone! I wanted to have this up a couple of days ago (trying to get an update up every week or so), but that didn't happen. Hope you can forgive me!
This chapter touches on part of Nellie's past, and will be explained a little more in further chapters.
By the way, I do have a couple of quotes in here from Haining's book. These will be footnoted at the end of this chapter.
Happy reading, and please review! It keeps me motivated to continue writing.

Chapter 3

"She was tall and slender with a mass of dark curling hair and the golden peachlike complexion of the true brunette. Her lips were vividly crimson, her long heavily lashed eyes of a dark green hazel, flecked near the pupils with little specks of gold. She carried herself with the half insolent air of one who was fully aware of the value of her own beauty, and her voice when she spoke matched her appearance and possessed a surprisingly cultured accent." (1)

"Isabel, would you please take care of the gentlemen who just sat down? Right there, over in the corner." I waved my hand, gesturing to the man who was eyeing me with hungry eyes. And not just for pies. A shiver ran down my spine and I looked away, walking over to the horseshoe counter to pour a glass of gin for the customer. Other's had already started sitting around the counter, exchanging small tall between each other and nibbling on pies. But they didn't pay too much notice to me. Sure, some would converse and be friendly, but it was those whom stared at me with a lust in their eyes were the ones I had to look out for. It was true that I was used to the looks given to me by many who walked in here, and sometimes I did return their flirtatious greetings, but I knew without a fact that I belonged to no other man than Sweeney Todd.

It was quite flattering that so many thought I was attractive; my looks or just bubbling personality (when I was in a good mood) did seem to cheer others up that were around me. Whichever it was, I was aware of the beauty that I held, and used it to my advantage in my pie selling business.

But why was I spending my time here today? Because we had had some room to expand, and I figured it was time to hire more apprentices. Two in fact; Isabel and Tobias. Their last names had not been given, but weren't necessary. All I took interest in was their ability to work and that they were trustworthy enough to run my shop, but I could already tell the boy would do way better under Todd's rule than mine. He was a curious fellow, and had no patience for the simple things like baking and serving. He was smart, and needed more than this to keep his mind at ease.

Isabel walked over to me, eager to keep her new master happy. "He requested-"

"Yes Love," I interrupted, placing the filled cup into her hands. "They always do." I was sure that this man had asked for more than just a glass of gin, but wasn't in the mood to deal with his advances. Even this early in the morning most of my single men customers were staggering in here, partly drunk, yet hung over from the night before, requesting more to drink their brains away once again. This was why I had gotten used to asking for show of money first if I did not recognize them. A 'lady' such as me had to be careful when running her own business.

But I was anything but a lady, and I knew this well.

My life really made it's drastic change when I hit my teenage years. Sure, just like everyone else, I had a childhood which revolved around discovering who I was and where I wanted to go in life. But most of it is of little importance.

I was born here in London, and grew up around my doting mother. She did care for me, but mainly occupied her time with keeping us safe from my father's violent blows. There had been love between them (supposedly anyway) at one point, but it was way before I even remember. Most of my memories when I was young that I do have are full of learning all of the things woman are supposed to learn. But it bored me to tears.

Eventually, my mother reached out to me, sharing one of her darkest secrets. She showed me that there were other things out there besides just the normal woman lifestyle. And this dark secret she held was what led me down the path of spells, herbs, and potions...That which has kept Todd and I safe all this time. But she didn't just wield the power of any type of magick-it was very powerful and something that to this day I sometimes still wish I had never learned.. For it was a lot of what warped my inner self, twisting my very being into a dark thing. I quickly realized that I was able to understand it all, and that it was something I was to never share with anyone besides those whom I trusted. Most people never believed or understood the ways in which I grew up in; a thing that was hidden from even my father.

We had a very nice home, and it was filled with plenty of valuable items. My mother had a taste for the finer things in life, and that would be something I would always carry with me. She stayed home most of the time; cooking, cleaning. My days consisted of what she wished me to take with me when I moved on with life. There was very little schooling, for it was mainly around what my parents taught me. Though father was my least favored of the two. But he was all I really knew.

I had no siblings; for mother was unable to have any more children after me. And because of this, it led to a lot of fights between my parents. What man did not want a son for a child? It was never said plainly in society, but it was seen as a disgrace. Because I was an only child, I had much time to myself. And when these opportunities arose, I spent much of it trying to find things to entertain myself..and hanging out with the local neighborhood boy.

Joe Lovett was his name, and he was what made that drastic change (besides mother's interesting secret). He helped me realize that there was more than just the simple things my mother taught; there was art, poetry, and love. He also was quite the chef, and worked as a baker at a local restaurant. Within just a few short years we were due to be married, and set forth the foundation of our business in Holborn.

Things went very well for us in those years. Our business was successful, and we had a decent amount of money. But something was starting to nag at the back of my mind... Joe kept me safe and secure. He was strong, and loved me dearly. But was it truly love? I was starting to feel as if my feelings weren't returned to him. I cared for him deeply, and our life together was actually fun most of the time. I enjoyed working with him, and learning how to cook and bake well.

And then it suddenly stopped.

He became violent, just like my father. I wouldn't say it was too much to complain about, for I was actually drawn to this type of man. But he wasn't himself anymore...the man I had married had become a dark shell in which he acted out on me; cursing, throwing things, and hitting me repeatedly. It started to become a daily routine and I was used to getting out of his path.

I can't say that it was me who caused his death, nor will I ever admit if I did it. All I can say is that when he struck me down, I wished so deeply that he would just die already. Maybe it was me. Or maybe it was just an illness inside of him and that's what caused him to change so much in the first place. I don't think I'll ever really know for sure. But what I do know is that from here, another sequence of my life began.

"Mrs. Lovett was his mistress and his partner in crime, but no one ever saw them together. for they met by means of mysterious underground passageways, entirely unknown to the outside world. By a passage known only to himself and paramour, Sweeney Todd could make his way towards the pie shop, and manipulating a secret spring, he caused the wall to open like a door so he could enter the bakehouse." (2)

The day was continuing on rather fast for a change. I was quite happy to have the business, and it would be enough to continue to keep the new apprentices that I had hired busy. Within a few days, I would be able to disappear once more into my comfortable setting at Todd's. Until then, I was stuck here, awaiting when I would be able to return to the man I loved.

Supplies were running low in the shop, and I decided to make my way down to the bakehouse to bring some more pies up. There were plenty made from the night before, but I preferred not to bring them all up at once. Things had to remain organized and labeled by date. Although there was hardly a day when I didn't sell out anymore.

My bakehouse was actually the cellar of my home. And it would have been very cool down here, had the furnace not been running. It supplied the heat for all of my ovens, allowing me to cook the trays of pies, which were made in batches of a hundred. I was quite happy that my business was doing so well, but sometimes it was a little too much work. Still, people flocked to my cooking. I guess I had Joe to thank for that, but even towards the end with the condition he was in I doubt he would have been using the ingredients I was in his baking.

I smirked, and stepped down onto the rough red tiles. The room had a slight dank smell about it, and there were pieces of flint and ragged stones hammed into the earthen walls to reinforce them. Extra strength was provided by the beams of timer in the ceiling, propped up by the wooden pillars which were set into the floor. Overall, the room was very well built, and I felt safe knowing that nothing would collapse on top of me.

I headed over to one of the shelves situated above an oven, pulling a tray of pies off of it. I had stored them here after finishing the batch this morning. I quickly placed them all into the oven, warming them up before I would take them back to the customers.

A soft creaking noise echoed behind me, and I turned to see the hidden door opening. Sweeney had thought of the idea after discovering that he had an entry to the sewers and various underground tunnels in his shop. The tunnels weren't that hard to fix to his advantage, and once he put his plan into place, he made the effort to buy my home from my previous tenant. Sweeney was smart and knew very well that it would not have been safe to make extensive underground alterations if I was a tenant of a stranger, so he had purchased it.

Sweeney entered the room, a large package in his hands. My heart jumped upon seeing him, and I couldn't help but let a smile spread across my face. I was happy to see him, for I had been at this shop for a few days and hadn't heard much from him. Although I knew he was safe (for it would have been quick news to spread if either of us had been found out) I still appreciated having his company around, even if he was in a sour mood at times.

I watched as he stepped closer, and then handed me what was in his hands. I looked down, realizing it was more meat, and then set it down on the wooden 'counter' next to the oven. I should store it, but not too long from now I would be having Isabel make the pies, and right now I was more interested in the man standing next to me. He watched me with dark eyes, and it was here that I realized he was in a bit of a bad mood.

"What's wrong, Love?" I asked softly, looking up at him with interest. He was taller than me, but not by too much, for we were both of decent height. Still, it was enough for me to feel intimidated at times. But I wasn't at the moment.

He didn't answer, and continued looking down at me for a few minutes, his gaze boring into mine. I could tell a lot was on his mind, but that he wasn't in the mood to say any of it. I wondered if it had to do with his long lost wife or me, the woman who was staring up at him with so much love and adoration she could barely contain it.

I had missed him dearly these last few days, and wanted nothing more than to kiss him, hold him, and comfort him till all of the pain went away. I was also beginning to be full of a desire that had been becoming worse and worse each day, craving a body that it had not felt for quite a while.

That was my mistake.

When I unexpectedly got on my tip toes and brushed my lips against his, he instantly reacted with rage. He pushed me back, hitting me hard across the face. I fell to the ground, slightly dazed for a moment or two. The place where his hand had struck stung, and I knew without a doubt that what I had done was very dumb indeed. He had not been in the mood for it, those calm necessary moments that were needed in order for me to make the first move had not been there, and instead I overstepped my limits. I knew how well he liked me to know that he was in control.

And that's exactly what he did.

I was being pulled up from the ground, and then pushed with a large amount of strength against the wall. My back hurt from the sudden force, and he pinned my hands up above my head, staring me straight into the eyes. His fingernails dug into my skin, and I yelped a little at all of the pain being inflicted upon me. His gaze was one of fury, and I recoiled, trying to get away from the madness which was directed towards me. A low growl escaped his throat, and I knew he was placing me back where I belonged. I was his, and that was something that I needed to remember. He was the one who had power over me. His eyes said all of this, and he must have known that I realized this, for he loosened his grip slightly on my hands.

But I didn't dare try to move them.

Lips once more pressed against mine, but it was he whom was enforcing it now. I returned the kiss, relaxing my body even though I was still considerably uncomfortable. His teeth grazed my lips, and then bit, digging into my skin. I tensed, feeling incredibly vulnerable to this strong and dangerous man.

And then, the kiss ended. He pulled back, looking me straight into the eyes with one eyebrow raised as if to say, you understand?I nodded slowly, and he completely released his grip on my arms, running his hand down my arms to shoulders before he pulled back.

I watched him leave the way he came; back into the abyss of the tunnels, and then slowly stood back up from the wall. I grabbed the mitts, and pulled the tray of pies back out of the oven. Quickly, I made my way over to the large moveable platform, placing the tray carefully onto it. I only hoped I hadn't been gone too long and that we hadn't run out of pies just yet.

So much was on my mind, and I questioned how safe I truly was living here with a man whom killed for a living. The platform traveled slowly up as I helped raised it with the pulleys, allowing for a much easier way of transporting the pies from floor to floor.

No, there would never be any other place that I could live, and I knew that for a fact. For no matter how much he would hurt me physically or emotionally, I knew without a doubt that I loved Sweeney Todd and there was nothing I could do about it. My heart ached for his attention and his recognition of me, and I realized that although times could be tough between him and I, he was a way better landlord than any of the previous men I had known.

Mr. Todd walked quickly through the underground tunnels, silently making his way back to his home. He was very annoyed with Nellie, yet also knew that it was something in her nature to be a very loving, touchy kind of person. Still.. how dare she step out of bounds, and push herself upon her when he hadn't even given the slightest hint that he had wanted her to?

Most of the time she knew where she belonged, and that she should never ever cross him. But then there were moments like these when she didn't use her mind and only followed the heat of the moment. It frustrated him beyond belief, for Lucy never did anything like that. But he also remembered her not being that much of a sexual kind of woman. She was proper and delicate, and even within the moments when him and his wife had been entwined, she would have never allowed him to do the things he did to Nellie. And the odd thing was...Nellie enjoyed most of what he brought upon her. It amused him, and he enjoyed inflicting that pain.

Still, he had to continue to show Ms. Lovett that he was in charge, and if that meant planting fear in her very heart every once in a while, then so be it.

1. Haining, Sweeney Todd, page 76
2. Haining, Sweeney Todd, page 77