Esteemed Malevolence

XIII: Misgiving Part I

The person who had entered was extremely silent. There was no way that they had missed the scene before their eyes... then again, they could only see Eleanor from her side, and it was rather dimly lit in there, perhaps they couldn't tell she was covered in blood?

"What are you both doing here at this ungodly hour?!"

There was only one person with that smug, pompous tone of voice.

It was Beadle Bamford.

How could they possibly get out of this situation?

"I could ask you the same question, Beadle Bamford. Mrs Lovett and I closed our businesses half an hour ago." Sweeney snapped, already giving the sad excuse for a man a seething glare from his place at the booth - apparently he was oblivious to the fact his top-half was still very much on show. "Why on Earth are you here after business hours?"

That gin had gone to his head rather quickly. His annoyance was spilling out of him without a moment's consideration.

Sensing the hatred emanating from him, Mrs Lovett cleared her throat and stood in front of him - there was no way that she was going to allow him to get fired up and ready to kill again. She'd had quite enough of body disposal on this particular evening, and Beadle Bamford wasn't exactly someone you could just get rid of without caring about the consequences.

A man like him would always have associates to come and look for him.

"What Mr T menna say is 'at you gave us a right fright, ya did! 'Ow'd ya even get in 'ere?" she recovered, completely forgetting that she was covered in blood spatter... something far worse than the subtle flash of murderous intent present in Mr Todd's eyes. Yet she had acted quickly to shield him, so she was going to have to cope with her decision.

Beadle gasped melodramatically, hands tightening into fists around his mahogany sword-cane. It was clear now that he'd just set eyes on the filthy baker...

"M-Mrs Lovett!" he wheezed out, mucky eyes no longer hooded by his lids as alarm set in. "W-What the devil? You appear to look like you've bathed in bodily liquids! I demand an explanation, Mrs Lovett!"

Eleanor froze, mouth agape as her brown eyes shimmered, completely glazed over with thought. Mr Todd managed to poke his head around her to shoot Beadle a poisonous glare, yet he placed a hand onto her side of her abdomen, squeezing firmly.

His actions caused her to flinch and a hollow breath escaped her.

It was clear that he wanted her  to do the talking. Silently he'd told her that he couldn't kill another person - he certainly had it in him to flick open that razor once more, but it was obvious, in the brief clutch of her side, that he didn't want her joining him for the ride.

"W-Well..." she stuttered out, blinking away the beacons of excuses that had lit up her mind. His grip on her hadn't left - only tightened.

The man stood rigid as he gawped at them both, unbelieving what laid before his eyes. Naturally he'd presumed the worst - which in actual fact, was exactly what it was:

Murder.

"Lie. Quickly." Sweeney ordered in a fierce whisper, swiftly tucking his head behind the small of her back, resting it against her for the time being - yet another thing that pleasantly distracted her.

He was finally expectant of her. He knew how good at coming up with on-the-spot excuses she was...

"We was preparin' the meat f'tomorrow, sir." she replied rather easily, and he actually found a smirk touching his lips - how wonderfully calm she was, starting off with an element of truth would ensure that Beadle never suspected that she was being dishonest. "Do 'scuse our state'a dress, pig's blood does tend t'go all over the bleedin' place! Was downright pleased when I 'ad to finish off 'alf of our butcher's work for 'im!"