COMPLETED Nellie Lovett (The Virgin Widow of Fleet Street) #Wattys2016 Sweenett

The Demon's Child

Chapter XX

Darkness filled the room, the only light she could see was the light coming from the moon outside. Her vision is still spinning.

"Elle?" A barritone yet gentle voice was calling her. Nellie moved her head, trying to locate where the voice was coming from. She felt so light headed, she felt as if she was floating in that dark room.

A warm hand lifted her hand and she held onto him.

"It's ok Elle. You'll be ok." He said as he kissed her palm.

She tried hard to open her eyes but she was still so sleepy and tired, all she has seen was the white streak on his dark hair as he kissed her hand.

"Go back to sleep Elle." She tried hard to open her eyes again. A pair of grey eyes she knew very well as a little girl were set on hers, he was looking at her so gently.

"Be...n?" She whispered so softly before her eyes automatically closed and she fell asleep again.

Sweeney touched Nellie's face. She still looked so much in pain in her sleep. Her lips are parted a little, showing her buck teeth and a slight frown is fixed on her forehead.

"Sleep for now Elle... Everything will be alright." He gently touched his lips on her forehead hoping she'll recover from the wound there very soon.

Morning came, Sweeney woke up early to prepare breakfast. Nellie was still sleeping when he went back to her room to check her wound and change its dressing. She has developed a red and purple bruise on her forehead now. He just hope the pain will subside as soon as possible.

He sat down beside her just in time Toby went in with a tray in his hands.
"Thank you, Toby." He said simply as the young boy put the tray of Nellie's breakfast on the sidetable along with a few stems of roses.

Toby cleared his throat after he arranged the roses in the vase and made Sweeney look at him.

"I just want to apologize Mr. T... About yesterday." He said shyly.
Sweeney reached for Toby's head and rubbed his hair with his palms as he smiled at him.

"I owe you a lot, boy. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known what happened to her." He looked at Nellie. If it weren't for Toby, he would have went away and he'll never know that Nellie is carrying their child.
"Thank you, for taking care of Nellie." Sweeney smiled at Toby.
"I think I should be the one thanking you Mr. Todd. If it weren't for your good judgement, mum would have been in a real danger..."
"You and I, we want only the best for her, Toby. Don't mention it." He tapped his head again and smiled. That was when Nellie started twisting in pain as she held her head.

"Mum!!!"
"Elle!" They chorused. Sweeney grabbed her wrist and tried to calm her, Nellie has a slight fever and it frightened him right away, knowing her condition right now.

"Nellie...hush...don't move, love." He held her shoulders and pinned her on the bed.
"Hand me the medicine, Toby." He immediately diluted the powder to a glass of water.
"Nellie..." Finally she opened her eyes, her hands reached for her head again.
"What exactly do you feel, Elle?" He asked and she just stared at him.
"Take this." He handed her the concoction and assisted her to sit while Toby put pillows against the headboard of her bed. Sweeney gently pushed her back to the pillow, making sure she was comfortable.
"For the headache and dizziness." He added as he raised the glass again, she just stared at him but automatically, took the glass and drink the concoction.
"Finish it Elle, that would help." She hated the drink, it had a very minty, tangy and at the same time bitter taste but she hated the pain and dizziness more so she just decided to finish it as he said.