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

Judge Riddle's Judgement

Chapter XII

"I feel really bad that I have to leave Mr. Todd." Said Mrs. Park in a very apologetic tone.
"You have been a really great help to Nellie, Mrs. Park. Thank you very much." Said he.
"The kids and I will be back in a month, Nellie is doing quite ok now. In time, she'll come around back to her normal self. You just have to be patient, Mr. Todd." The old woman looked at him with a very understanding eyes, then she nodded.
"I'll be comfortable to leave Nellie in your care Mr. Todd, I know you wouldn't wish her any harm."
Sweeney looked away with guilty eyes. The old woman just nodded again. "She's afraid now, but she'll be fine. I know Nellie since she was a little girl. She trusted you enough..." Her hand on his arms before she continued. "You just have to be patient to regain that trust again. I shall go now, Mr. Todd."
Sweeney just gave the old woman a respectful smile. She and her family will be in the countryside for a relative's funeral.
It has only been a couple of weeks since Nellie started getting fine. The old woman has always been his very assistant on taking care of her, it was her who can be beside Nellie physically as he can't go near her...still afraid of the consequences himself being around her would bring. She's still very much afraid and mad at him. The only good thing about that stormy night they shared was that Nellie finally can speak now, although according to Mrs. Park, she's still in unfathomable trauma because of the incident with Beadle. He cannot get himself to confess that Nellie is afraid of him not because of Beadle, but because of himself and his own actions.

He knows he had to do something about this. He can't let Nellie go around living alone, he can't allow himself to let her be alone even just for a day.

Without much thinking, Sweeney headed to the court. He knows what to do, and he knows who could pretty well help him.

"I can understand your concern Mr. Todd, what I cannot bring myself to understand is how can a mere 11 year old orphan be the answer to your problem? You can attend to Mrs. Lovett yourself."
Sweeney just looked at the clever judge Riddle, trying to find the perfect words to explain to him why it has to be Toby.
"Well, don't get me wrong Mr. Todd, it isn't that I can't let you adopt the kid. It isn't impossible of course, given that Mrs. Lovett has been like a mother to him already." He continued and touched his growing beard. The man looked just the same age as he is, but physically, he looked more mature because of his cunning way of speaking.
"What is the problem then, if I may ask?" Sweeney asked in a cold voice which made the judge smile. He looked at him for a long while.
"That is the same question I have in mind Mr. Todd. What is the problem?"
He stared back at the judge, he can see that he's playing mind games with him now. Did he know anything? He asked himself.
"Of course..."said the judge as if answering his question in mind which startled him.
"I know that Mrs. Lovett is in trauma of course. Victims of harassment usually experience that." He stood up and paced.
"But if you want her wellness, Mr. Todd, help should come from you. Not from a kid. A sickness can only be cured once one has come to know what caused it. In this case, Toby isn't that cause..."
"Thank you for your consideration, judge Riddle." Sweeney stood up and left, he can't hear anything from this know-it-all man anymore. If he can't get Toby out for Nellie, there is no reason for him to stay any longer.

The sun is about to set and Sweeney is still pacing in his barber shop. Earlier that afternoon, Mrs. Park and her family left London and now, he's pretty sure Nellie is sobbing in her room again. He cursed himself, he has to find a way to stop thinking about her or concerning himself regarding her, but he can't and he knows he shouldn't. Nellie's wellness is in his hands now.

His thoughts were interrupted by three loud knocks on his door. He went to open it only to be surprised, it was judge Riddle.
"Good day Mr. Todd."
He looked at him before he opened the door wider so he can come in but he just stood still outside his door.
"Well I didn't come here for a shave you see, I need to talk to you...And Mrs. Lovett."he added which made Sweeney frown a little. What does this judge need from him and Nellie?
"I just came to you first, cause I wouldn't want to bother her going up here just to call you for this meeting."
Said the judge again.

"And what is this meeting about, if I may ask, sir?"

"Tobias Raggs... Now, if you may?"
Sweeney just stood still, thinking about Nellie before he led the way to her house.

It took awhile before Nellie opened the door. He stood behind judge Riddle.
"Good day, Mrs. Lovett. I'm not sure if you've heard of me. I'm the new judge here, Timothy Riddle." The judge reached out his hand to Nellie which the latter awkwardly obliged to accept.
"How may I help you sir?" Her voice was just loud enough for the two men to hear.
"Well, I came to ask you a few questions about...well, about the incident with Beadle Bamford. I am here with Mr. Todd." The judge moved his head a little to look at Sweeney behind him, but his eyes never left Mrs. Lovett's eyes. He just motioned his head in Sweeney Todd's direction so she can follow it with her gaze.
"Mrs. Lovett?" Said the judge. He clearly saw how her expression changed when she looked at Sweeney Todd's direction.
Sweeney can see the judge looking at her shaking hand he was still holding.
"Mr. Todd was the very witness in that incident, it is just standard that he may be here. And I also have a few other concerns I will have to discuss with both of you... If you may?" The judge said softly, looking at Nellie's pale face with amusement and concern at the same time.

He can't possibly got it, can he? Sweeney asked himself. He cannot particularly understand how unease he was feeling with the judge being in the same place as him and Nellie, but it felt as if the man knows or would know something he wouldn't want to share with anyone else for whatever that may be, might be the very way to re-open his road back to prison. Knowing judge Riddle to be of calculative and cunning mind, Sweeney fears that he'll know what truly happened between him and Eleonor Lovett.

Would he?