It was late afternoon and Nellie had been working up a sweat chopping up the six bodied Sweeney had so graciously left her. Now as she finally left the bake house feeling a little worse for wear considering the amount of work she was left this morning, Nellie was looking forward to pouring herself a nice glass of gin. Wiping her brow with the back of her laced hand once she reached the top of the stairs she let out a long sigh before turning to close the trap doors.
Mrs Lovett had not slept, nor had she been able to think of anything following last nights events. Sweeney had kissed her. Not only that but had kissed her with intention of it going further, which she herself was going to allow. She was furious at herself for allowing all her hard work of letting go of the barber only to come and slap her in the face. She had given into her needs, given into her desperate desires to spend one night of pure heaven in the barber's arms. As soon as Edward had interrupted them everything came crashing back down to earth with a massive thud. Nellie realised just how awful this was for Edward, she cared for him deeply and then this is how she was repaying him. She felt disgusted with herself for ever allowing it to get this far.
She felt truly ashamed of her and her longing for the barber. Her eyes were finally open and she was determined to put things right. Sweeney couldn't love her, she knew that, it had been drummed into her months ago that he was a cold hearted individual. The fact she even for one moment thought that it could work was such a pathetic thought, such a silly idea that she felt ashamed she allowed her poor heart to even hope. Sweeney Todd was a selfish man only out for himself and she should have realised sooner that he must have been using her for his own disgusting needs as a man. She was trash to him deep down, or at least that's what she kept telling herself.
Walking into the pie shop she plastered on a smile spotting Toby icing some cakes he had made earlier this morning. It was Edward's birthday tomorrow and so she had left Toby in change of baking cakes and cookies while she dealt with the bakehouse. The party they were holding tomorrow was going to be quite a big one, at least enough to fill the shop. Mrs Lovett had invited everyone, everyone except the barber that is. Deep down she didn't want Sweeney there, he was an awful distraction and she certainly wanted all her focus to be on Edward all evening and not him.
"Miss Gale from the market gave me a loaf for half the price mum, told her we were avin' a small party tomorrow night an' she happily gave me this so I could make sandwiches" Toby exclaimed holding up the loaf like he had won a trophy. Laughing at this Mrs Lovett joined him at the counter.
"Well that was nice of her dear, she's fond of you she is"
"She's ever so kind mum, do ya think we should invite her too?" Toby asked looking up at his mum as she pondered on that thought for a while.
"Sure, why not" Miss Gale was quite the talk of the town. Everyone knew of her even if they hadn't met her. She was beautiful and generous and helped so many people in so many ways. She was once married but like Mrs Lovett she lost her husband at a young age and never re-married. Most of the single men around fleets street tried courting her but she never showed any intrested. Mrs Lovett just assumed that she was still grieving her late husband...oh what it must be like to be in love...
'I'll go ask her now mum, she should still be at the market" Toby chirped up while he grabbed his coat and swung it around his shoulders "See ya in a bit" with that he rushed off quickly making Nellie chuckle silently to herself before finally looking down at all the food on the counter. He certainly had done pretty well with organising all the nibbles. Nellie was glad he had taken an intrest in cooking. However every time he asked to go down to the bakehouse to have a look, it just killed her to say no to him. He only wants to learn more about what she does only Nellie knew that the recipe that she uses for her pies would always be secret. She would have to take it to her grave and not let anyone know the truth, even those she loved and cared for.
