Thorns And Roses

Chapter Three

Waking up to a pair of arms around her was something of a fantasy for Eleanore Lovett. Yet this morning it was a reality. Only they weren't the pair of arms she would have liked if she had a choice. All the same the feeling made her heart swell.

Gently removing Toby's arm around her waist she quietly slipped out of bed and threw on her robe. Toby stirred for a moment but didn't wake. She covered him back over with the duvet to his chin and pressed a soft kiss to his head, unable to stop the smile that graced her lips.

She quietly shut the bedroom door behind her and made her way into the parlour. Giving a rather unflattering yawn she jumped three feet in the air at the sight of a stranger on her couch.

No, not a stranger.

Last nights events came flooding back all at once and she groaned at the fresh pain in her back and touched the corner of her lip with her tongue. She could still feel the small cut from the man's ring when he struck her.

Padding over to the mirror on the wall she gasped at the small bruise in the corner of her mouth. Taking off her robe she unbuttoned the many buttons of the nightgown by her neck. Holding the front against her bosom to prevent it from falling off, she slipped it down to expose the skin of her back and gasped.

Where her skin was once milky white and blemish-less, there was now a splatter of blue and black bruising from the middle of her back to her tailbone. Eleanor winced as she gently pressed the bad of her finger against one and examined them closely.

She hadn't even felt any bruises last night. Yes it was painful when she was slammed into the counter, but it went away fairly quickly. Perhaps it was all the adrenaline.

Movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. When she turned to look she was shocked to see the barber standing in the doorway to her parlour, staring at her, gawking like an idiot.

"Mista T!" She gasped, clutching the loose nightgown tighter against her body. Her cheeks flushed at the thought of him staring at her exposed back for God knows how long. "What are ya doin'?"

"Mrs Lovett." Sweeney seemed to have gathered himself, for his tone was back to being cold and cruel as usual. "It is eleven o'clock. I'm hungry, yet my landlady refused to bring me anything to eat the other night while she messed around with some thugs and made a fool of herself. Now it is the morning, and yet again my landlady decided to sleep in and let me starve!"

Eleanore blinked, hurt by his words. Messed about? She'd helped a man, saved his life. And he called it messing about?! Those crooks had hurt her!

Despite knowing he was insulting her and despite feeling hurt, all she could do was care for the man she'd loved for over twenty years and swallowed her tears.

"M'sorry Mista T, been an awful upsettin' night yesterday. I'll go fix ya up sumin' now..." She cursed at her weakness.

Sweeney merely grunted in response and made off into the shop to sit at one of the tables like a husband awaiting his dinner back from work. If only 'e were me 'usband, she thought distantly. Sighing Eleanore followed him and stepped over the many broken plates and glasses that still littered the floor from the other night.

She bent down into one of the cupboards behind her counter and retrieved a fresh loaf from a tin. She placed it on a plate with a knife and cut him a thick slice. Once she'd cut a few more she took a small jar of unopened jam from the kitchen and placed it on a tray in front of Sweeney.

"There ya go love." She turned to grab two glasses and a bottle of gin before joining him a the table and pouring herself and Sweeney a glass.

Sweeney hadn't touched the food. He merely stared at it and levelled a glare at Mrs lovett "Bread and jam?"