New Love Springs

Chapter 8 - The Discovery

Early the next morning, all three of them had got up early to start packing. For what, she didn’t actually know, but Nellie was in the bedroom, busy bundling all her dresses out of her drawers and into a tatty brown suitcase. Nellie was in such deep thought (about various things really, including what she would have breakfast, what she should start packing up next and how long they had until they left for their destination, and where  they  were actually going)

Deep thinking such as this is often interrupted, but even so Nellie was surprised to feel an icy cold hand sliver up her back and undo one of the buttons holding her dress together. Turning around, she realised that, sure enough, it was Sweeney.

‘Come to say hello again, have we love?’ Nellie laughed, with only a slight touch of awkwardness this time. It was becoming less and less embarrassing for her every time this happened, the bond between them was obviously strengthening.

In her usual way, Nellie began to dwell on this, not even realising what they were doing together.

Meanwhile, young Toby was packing away dishes in the kitchen whilst trying to scrub a worktop that probably hadn’t been cleaned for about 20 years. ‘Why do I always get left with the mucky jobs?’ He muttered to himself. He had been down there for 2 hours and had been hearing constant low talking, singing and humming from upstairs including lines like ‘Think how snug it would be underneath our flannel..’ he couldn’t help wondering what they were talking about but he didn’t think Mrs Lovett was in on the secret…was she?

Sweeney had confided in Toby about a week ago. He had said how discontent he was with where they lived because it gave him horrible memories about the past that he could no longer cope with.To top it off, he hated being reminded of the horrible things he had done there and what he had forced Nellie to do because he knew he could control her…it didn’t bear thinking about. He had treated her like some kind of doll, who every time she was dropped could never react because she was only fabric. He had never thought of this, but now it sickened him so he had to confide in Toby, who was the only other person who had such a strong feeling and love for Nellie.

Toby had said that it would be a great idea to move by the sea. Sweeney hadn’t actually realised, but according to Toby it was something she had been talking about it for a while and she dreamed for them to get married there. It disgusted him that that had passed right over his head so easily. All he had cared about was his own selfish revenge plan, and, although he didn’t feel guilty for killing the judge,the grief of losing Lucy hadn’t gone straight away. Time and new love had been the healer. He still wasn't sure these healers had been completeley effective. 

So, Sweeney felt he owed it to her at the very least, for her to get her dream and for him to be away from the barber shop that harboured so many bad memories and the smell of stale blood.

They were moving that day, so they had their work cut out packing. Toby only had three more drawers to do in the kitchen, then he would move onto the bathroom. He opened a drawer and gasped at the contents.

Inside, were a box of razors, a ring box and a diary.

He had the immediate thought ‘open them!’. He was so intrigued as he knew it had to be Sweeney’s. If it had been Nellie’s, he would have been less interested.What did she have to hide?

Sweeney was different though… there was something about him that made Toby very curious.What it was he didn’t really know, but he knew he had to look at the contents of the drawer otherwise he could never live with himself.

He decided to pick up the small, purple ring box, as he knew that was the cause of his beloved Mum’s happiness. He felt like a trespasser because he knew if he got caught he would be in deep trouble and Sweeney's surpise for Nellie would have been ruined. But still, he felt the urge to go on. He felt the velvet-like cover of the box and smiled. He knew the ring inside would be beautiful, so why did he carry on and open the box?

The silk inside was beautiful, a bronze colour, but one horrible feature ruined it all, and Toby hated having to see this.It made his inside curl up, and he felt sick. He hadn’t realised… No. He was jumping to conclusions now. He needed to find out more. Maybe the razors and the diary would help with this.

Amongst the silk was the most beautiful diamond engagement ring he had ever laid eyes upon. It would look just perfect on Nellie’s finger and it made him gasp when he saw it, it was that remarkable. However, what shocked him the most wasn’t the ring, which Sweeney had probably spent a lot of his savings on (where was all this money coming from?) but the stale blood. It was splattered all over the silk, and creeping its way onto the ring. So many questions were entering poor Toby’s mind, but he knew he had to take action.He took the ring out of the box, and after carefully placing the ring on the grimy long top for there was nowhere else it could go, he proceeded to dab at the silk with the meagre amount of water trickling from the rusty old tap until the bloodstain was almost gone.

After washing the beautiful ring box as best he could, he carefully set aside the razor that was encrusted in stale blood, and began to read the battered diary.

The first line sent a wave of pleasure and shock through him. It read

‘ I am in love with Eleanor Lovett and the killing is over.’