Chapter 4:
Those Chilled Hands
"So, dear… Ye ran away?" Nellie raised an eyebrow as she sat herself down, facing Edward, who appeared calmer now, but still awfully nervous. Edward nodded his head gently in response, and could not help taking several glances at the gin. "Well," she smiled, noticing his curiosity, "Go ahead an' tuck in for now, dear. I'll be back in a tick.". As she rose to her feet to check on the pies, Edward gradually made a careful attempt to grab the glass of gin with his hands, to no avail. Mrs. Lovett had to stop and turn around, and when she witnessed Edward trying desperately to pick up his glass, walked back to the table and asked, "Do ye need 'elp wi' that, dear?" with a sweet smile.
Edward nodded one more 'yes', returning the smile, and withdrew his scissors, allowing her room to grab the glass. She raised it a bit, and he was about to part his lips somewhat and let her pour some of the glass into his mouth, but he hesitated, looked up at her with those saddened eyes of his and shyly asked, "… What is it?". Mrs. Lovett went back to holding the glass in her hand steady as she looked at him with a look of surprised amusement. "Ye've never 'ad gin before, 'ave ye, dear?" she grinned, finding it difficult to hide her amusement. Edward looked confused, and as he gave no answer, she added, "Well, it won't 'urt ye, dear. I's good- go a'ead, try it for ye'self!". At this, he figured he might as well, and he allowed her to pour a little bit into his mouth.
Immediately, his eyes opened wide, he pursed his lips, and he dashed for her kitchen sink, where he soon spat all of it out. Mrs. Lovett was a bit offended with this, but her heart told her that this poor soul needed to be shown kindness after she saw how he was being treated the previous day, so instead of reprimanding him and leaving, she chose to go place a consoling hand on his back. "There, there, dear… I's alright." she said softly as she patted him lightly on the back. She waited until the man was finished at the sink before she took him by the wrist again and kindly settled him back down at the table.
"Ah don' suppose ye like ta eat very often, do ye, dear?" she chimed, noticing the blades on his hands and trying to take his mind off of the apparently awful drink. "… No. Not really." Edward replied, a bit sullenly. The drink had reminded him of a night long ago, when someone had told him that the stuff was called 'lemonade' instead of gin. "Marm! Marm, ye've gotta come 'ere!" Tobias yelled out from the bake house. He had opened the door to the oven to check on the pies, and one had caught on fire, but Tobias had no idea how to put it out, so he called for help from his mother instead. "Lor'!" Mrs. Lovett started, fearing that Tobias had found the 'ingredients' for the pies. She shot to her feet, and had Tobias back out of the bake house within a moment's notice. She would take care of the fire herself; but Tobias was no longer allowed inside the bake house.
"Coo!" Tobias gasped with amazement when he laid eyes on Edward sitting at the table, "Ye'r th' man from yesterday… From the market place, right? Ye escaped? 'Ow did ye do it?". He bounced his way over to Edward enthusiastically as he spoke with a huge smile on his face. "I… Ran away…" Edward's eyes brightened up a bit. This child reminded him of young Kevin, the younger brother of the woman he once loved, a little boy who was once his good friend. "Well, o' course, ye ran away! But 'ow did ye get ta doin' it? An' why did ye come 'ere?... To this place, ah mean." Tobias gradually became more quiet towards the end of that sentence and his gaze soon fluttered between his feet and Edward's eyes.
"I… I opened a door," Edward stuttered timidly, "I guessed they would be gone… long enough for me to… escape.". "Ah thought ye'd never be able ta get away from those loonies this quickly, what wif that lock on ye'r door an' such!" Tobias chirped, happy that Edward was finally free. "What's ye'r name, sah?" he beamed over the table up at Edward. "Edward." came the timid answer, followed by some nervous snips. Tobias extended a welcoming hand, saying, "Ah'm Tobias. Pleasure ta meet ye, Edward! The woman in the bake 'ouse is mah marm, Mrs. Lovett. She owns this place… Well, the bottom 'alf of it, anyway.". Edward simply shot a nervous glance from Tobias' hand, back to his face, back to this hand. "Ah, don' worry 'bout that, sah! Ye can jes' give me ye'r wrist an' we'll call it even!" Tobias grinned, noticing Edward's apprehensiveness to shake hands.
Edward tentatively offered up a wrist, but was interrupted when the door beside him flew open, loudly ringing the bell to the shop. "Never the Judge… Why is it never the Judge?..." a dark and frustrated voice soon followed. At this, Tobias became very frightened and seemed to shrink a little in his place, wincing at the sound of that voice. Edward turned to see what sort of creature was making all of this noise and frightening Tobias, and the man whom his gaze fell upon struck him with such a familiarity that he also winced a bit, but with shock more than fear. "That's Mr. Todd. Sweeney Todd. He owns the barber shop above this place." whispered Tobias frantically across the table. "I know." Edward replied concisely, half expecting the man to attack them if he heard.
"My, my, my…" Mrs. Lovett's friendly voice chattered, coming up the steps to the bake house, "There's always somethin' wrong goin' on down there…". Tobias met her half way and came back, half hiding behind Mrs. Lovett's dress, hoping that Mr. Todd would not take out whatever it was on either him or Mrs. Lovett. Mrs. Lovett noticed the disturbed look on Sweeney's face and asked, "What's the matter now, love?", with both hands on her hips. Edward shuddered with anticipation when Sweeney shifted on his feet before answering darkly, "When did the Judge say 'e'd be 'ere?". "Oh, don' worry about tha' bloody ol' Judge, love! Jes' ye wait- he'll come soon enough." she sighed as she returned to her duties in the kitchen.
"… Judge?" Edward quietly inquired, wondering who this person was and what they had done to make this man so angry. Sweeney slowly turned, and his eyes lit up somewhat when they rested their gaze on Edward's blades. "Well…" he started towards Edward, his voice sounding lighter, "Hello there, sir. I expect you escaped from those two con men from yesterday?". Tobias made a face as he helped Mrs. Lovett by washing some bowls in the sink. Nothing worse than seeing a man quickly flip from being blood thirsty to warm and friendly; especially if that man happened to be Sweeney. He also knew his new friend was in danger again, but this time, a danger much worse than anything those two men could have conjured up. "Yes…" Edward felt like he was sinking lower and lower into the plush cushions that Nellie had chosen for her shop.
Sweeney's false optimistic gaze was awfully intimidating, and even highly intense. His gaze seemed like it was trying to scorch Edward's pale, white skin. For a moment, Edward had to wonder if it really was. Someone else's stare used to cause him to experience similar feelings, but right now, that was the least of his worries. Grinning slightly, Sweeney added, "You should watch yourself, now. They're probably searching for you. Do you 'ave anywhere you could 'ide out?". "No…" Edward shivered, fearing the worst. However, he was somewhat relieved to hear Sweeney reply with, "Ah think Mrs. Lovett might 'ave a room down 'ere you could use…". He shot a brief glare at Mrs. Lovett, who was rolling out another slab of dough. "As a matter a' fact, Ah believe ye could stay for a while in the back parlor if ye like, dear." answered Mrs. Lovett, always eager to care for someone.
Edward smiled demurely, happy to have a place to be able to hide until those men were out of town. Little did he know, those men were still in town… only, they were in the meat grinder in the bake house. "So," Sweeney began again, "What is your name, sir?", the wicked smile still resting on his lips. "Edward." he replied, still withdrawn into his own shell. Sweeney could plainly see that this one would need some coaxing before being used. He would have to weasel his way into a false trust with this one first. "Edward… Handsome name. I am Sweeney Todd… Of Fleet Street, as you may 'ave already guessed." he offered up one of his hands over the table. Taking this as a sign of welcoming on contact for the first time, Edward timidly extended a hand of snipping, sparkling silver blades. Sweeney seemed to take Edward's wrist gladly, and made as if he were going to shake it before pausing to remark, "You 'ave lovely blades, Edward. I could use someone like you as an apprentice in my shop. What would you say if I was to offer you the position?". He took his hand back carefully and returned to burning through Edward with his sinister look.
Edward timidly withdrew his own hand, suddenly remembering the same cold hands from his dream, and was silent for a moment, his own gaze refusing to meet Sweeney's. Were those hands possibly the hands of this man before him? They had felt cold and lonesome to the touch on his wrists just now. "Thank you…" he tried to start weakly, "I would feel guilty… If I couldn't repay you… For your help.". Sweeney's grin widened as he replied, "Well then, Edward… You're to start 'elpin' me tomorrow morning, upstairs in my shop. 'Ow does that sound?". Edward finally seemed to have lost his ability to speak for the moment, and could only manage a small, innocent smile and a happy little nod in return.