Thorns And Roses

Chapter Twenty Six

A/N: Well, another year and another lockdown. Seems like things won't be getting better any time soon, but we just have to try and make the most of it I guess 😒. I hope everyone reading stays safe and your Christmas was merry. Thanks for supporting my story still, it means a great deal x

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"That's enough!" George screamed and with his help and strength, Richard and Turpin were finally separated and dragged away from each other by two separate groups of people. Richard continued to struggle in the hold of two men while Turpin seemed to have given up. The Judge stood on shaky legs with the beadle behind him, jeering at the still struggling and fighting Richard.

Sweeney moved to push away one of the crowd members so he could get at Richard, his razor in hand. One of the men he pushed aside turned to him and did a double-take when he saw the razor.

"What's that for?" He asked fearfully.

Sweeney growled and begrudgingly put it away. By now the group of men had pulled Richard far away from Turpin and that blasted police officer had his hands on the man's shoulders, talking to him so close the pair were nose to nose.

"Sweeney." A hand came upon his shoulder. Sweeney snarled then whizzed around, raising his fist to strike whoever had dared put their hands on him.

Eleanore reeled back, afraid at the deranged look in his eyes and the way he drew his arm back to hit her. As soon as he realised it was her, however, the violent glint vanished in his eyes and he lowered his arm in guilt. "Nellie...I..."

Eleanore continued to watch him, half in fear and a half in disgust. She pushed past him to run towards George who was struggling to break Richard out of his rage.

"Richard!" She cried, trying to meet his eyes. It was like he was entranced by a spell, she'd never seen such vengeful, murderous eyes. They were cold and soulless, but this was a kind man who's soul she had seen first hand.

"Richard!" She yelled again, cupping his face with her hands and pulling him to face her in a desperate attempt to make him snap out of it.

Finally, she got a response. Richard blinked in recognition, the animalistic glaze over in his eyes vanished and the spell was lifted. The young father swallowed as the weight of the situation barrelled down on him, his expression morphed into sorrow and he looked between Eleanore and George shamefully.

"Calm down," George said firmly, his hands still on Richards's shoulders. "Let me handle this and don't say a word."

The baker raised her eyebrows at George's tone. She'd never heard him be so stern and authoritative before, she supposed it had a lot to do with his job as a police officer. A few feet away Sweeney stood stock still where he was. He looked around at the chaos. The men and women in the party had filled out onto the street and we're all staring in Turpin and Richards direction, a shocked silence between them.

With a guttural growl, he carefully tucked the razor away into his pocket and lowered his eyes to the ground. All the preparation, all the waiting for this one moment. The build-up and the planning - all for nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Richard squinted hard in George's grasp and both the baker and the police officer were pleased to see that he was calm again. Eleanore's head whipped around when she heard Turpin thump to the gravelled floor, it appeared that he too had tried to throw himself at Richard even after being separated. His shirt was torn like he'd been pulled violently back by someone and as a result, fell on his knees to the cobbles.

The crowd that had gathered to form a circle around the two men watched as the once honourable judge Turpin, bloody, bruised and crusted with dirt and vomit rose on trembling legs to glower dangerously at Richard. His chest heaved deeply and his mouth twisted into a vicious snarl.