Thorns And Roses

Chapter Five

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The following morning, Mrs Lovett's Meat Pie Emporium was alive with customers.  They seemed to appear out of nowhere and flocked to her shop like a group of squawking birds. Eleanore and Toby could barely keep up with all the many orders and customers so they tried their best to keep everyone happy while waiting.

It soon came to the baker's attention however, that a grand few of her customers seemed to have a little something else on their mind other than food. It all started when an elderly neighbour that she had known since she was a little girl came into her shop at around nine o'clock and asked for a fruit pie and a cup of tea. The order seemed relatively normal and Eleanore had obliged cheerfully as she often did. But as she put the plate and cup down, Mrs Fricker leaned forward and said: "So, I 'ear ye've been fightin' some crime, Eleanore."

The comment had her startled. "Now where on earth did ya 'ear somethin' like that Mrs Fricker?"

"Me friend Margret works at the 'ospital - she an' her work friends overheard that an MP got attacked two nights ago - an woz saved by a Baker wif red 'air.  Ye've been a right little fighta ever since ya were about as tall as me 'ip." She said, flashing her a toothy smile and patting her hip.

Eleanore swallowed, unsure of how to respond. "Well, it woz just a duty I suppose...the poor man needed some 'elp."

"Mm, good fer you Eleanore!" She exclaimed heatedly "You oughta teach these men that think they can rob us Londoners whose boss! Good fer you my girl! Show em 'ow we treat people that disrespect our neighbours!"

Eleanore watched as she stabbed the fork aggressively into her food and start eating when she politely excused herself. Mrs Fricker was an awfully nosy woman, harmless but nosy. Always had been for as long as she could remember. But after a while, Eleanore brushed it off. This was nothing to worry about, it would likely only reach the far end of London where the hospital was and stay there. At least, that was what she hoped. The answer became clear as the morning drew on. Men and women alike came into her shop, ordered and then began interrogating her about the events of the night Arthur was attacked. 

It started with 'So wots this I 'ear bout you fighting off some robbers Mrs Lovett?', and 'Is it true that chu was attacked by a gang o'thugs an' saved an MP?' 'Ya don' look like much of a fighter, miss. Yer awful small - 'ow did ya manage that then?' and of course, the most common one 'So are the rumours true?' Eleanore could hardly keep up with it all.

And so the day went on until finally at around noon every pie and cake, every pastry had been sold and people were only coming for drinks and gossip. Which she could only give as best she could. Some of the customers were very nice, and admittedly she was beginning to feel rather proud of the way she had affected the community. The men were dazzled that a woman could inflict so much harm on two criminals with a rolling pin and remain relatively unscathed. After the men had gotten over the shock of it, they began to praise her. The women similarly drowned her in compliments but vocalised their sympathy and worry for her bruised arms and back once she had told them of the altercation. Many giggled and Eleanore found herself laughing with them that a tiny woman like her could make a fully grown criminal run off like a headless chicken. 

Maybe these rumours weren't so bad. They would only last for a week or so after all. And business had never boomed more.

The money flooded in and many were generous enough to leave a tip and compliment her baking skills before they left. Eleanore found it roused a sting of guilt in her stomach knowing that she was feeding these people human beings. If God was real she knew she would have a lot to answer for when it came to her judgement. But then again, so did Sweeney.