Her Return

Her Return pt18

⚠️Warning! Contains scenes of violence

Johanna could feel the anxiety from her father's rapid change in demeanour, the anger, the rage the unspoken panic in his eyes was all having an effect on her. She felt tears brimming sat across from him now in the carriage on their unexpected quick leave from Brighton. There was something very wrong, very wrong indeed for the way her father had hurried the driver to get to Fleet Street, threatening the man that if he didn't hurry he would slit his throat within a heartbeat.

It was a side to her father that terrified her, not only that but it made her head spin with so many unanswered questions. What was the rush? What had happened with in the space of ten minutes after leaving her parents alone for such panic to erupt. It was now getting late into the evening and here they both were sat in a fast moving carriage not speaking, both filled with nerves and anxiety for different reasons. The atmosphere being silent yet deafening at the same time as the anxiety rose.

Her father had barely said a word to her, just stared out the window twisting one of his razors in his hand tauntingly. She gulped as she could see the way his eyes burned and how he was clearly stewing in anger and what seemed a hint of fear also. If she were truthful it frightened her to ask what was going on not knowing how he may react to her. She had never seen him so angry, so driven by rage that even to look in his direction set her on edge.

Looking down to her lap she felt the tears slowly seep down her face. She didn't know what brought on such emotion but she assumed it was because something bad was happening back home, something she had no idea about and for that she couldn't help but get emotional. Who wouldn't be worried in such an upsetting turn of events.

As Sweeneys hard gaze shifted from the window to his daughter he noticed her reach up to wipe a few tears from her eyes. It was then he realised he was scaring her. He didn't mean to, but his whole focus was on Mrs Lovett as of now and if she were ok or even alive for all he knew. His anger and even hatred for Lucy now had caused him to lash out and for that he felt guilty for upsetting Johanna in the mix of it all. She was oblivious to what cruel intentions her mother had planned for her auntie Nellie.

"I'm sorry" he finally addressed her from across the bumpy carriage.

As she glanced up at him her eyes glassy with tears she sniffled nodding slowly. "Can you tell me now what this is all about?" She asked softly searching for answers in his stone face. Yet as he lowered his head she saw a great deal of grief wash over him that broke her heart, it seems there was something awful indeed.

Instinctively she reached forward and took his hand in hers relieved when he squeezed her hand back with reassurance.

Clearing his throat he finally spoke "Eleanore's in danger, a lot of danger" he explained lifting his gaze to meet hers his eyes softer this time in order not to show her how angry he truly was, she didn't deserve the brunt of it after all.

Johanna felt her stomach flip hearing him say those words yet she remained level headed for her father sake as clearly he was distressed. But her mind was racing with questions, questions she knew she couldn't blurt out to him for he was clearly in a fragile state of mind. However the one question that bothered her was how he knew this?

Looking towards his daughter again and as if reading her mind he continued "your mother has set out to hurt her....I fear we maybe too late" seeing for the first time her father's eyes glass over had Johanna's lip quivering realising how bad this really was. Not only had she had to get her head wrapped around the fact her mother had some involvement in whatever has or is going to happen but there was a chance that Nellie may be dead? Her heart broke at the very thought of losing her, Nellie was everything to them all. She couldn't be gone...