"How's the ale Mr Todd? I can make it stronger if you want" Sweeney shook his head

"It's fine. Besides it's not like I have anywhere to be going even if I do get drunk" Allie looked surprised

"Don't you have a home sir? We have an upstairs here if you want, no one seems to want it so far"

"Why's that?"

"People think it's haunted and with what happened up there I wouldn't be surprised really. My mother told me the whole story, it's a town myth really you see, but it's exciting to think about" Sweeney tried to pretend it interested him

"Tell me" Allie lit up and came over to him

"There was this barber and his wife

I heard she's beautiful

He was an artist with a knife

But something went wrong in his life

Tragic and beautiful" She carried on to explain "There was this judge you see. Wanted her like mad. every day he'd send her a flower, but did she come down from her tower? Sat alone and sulked by the hour. Poor thing." 

"What happened then?" Allie shuddered

"I might need that ale" Sweeney pushed it towards her

"Go ahead" She swigged it gratefully.

"I remember it so clearly... The beadle called on her all polite, poor soul, poor thing. the judge he told her was all contrite, he blamed himself for her dreadful plight, she must go straight to his house tonight poor thing" She smiled bitterly "Poor fool. of course when she goes there poor dear poor thing, they're having this ball all in masks. there's no one she knows there poor dear poor thing she wanders tormented and drinks. the judge has repented she thinks. oh where is judge Turpin she asks" Allie took another swig of ale before continuing "He was there all right, just not so contrite. She wasn't no match for such craft you see, and all of them thought it so droll, they saw that she had to be daft you see, so everyone stood there and laughed those creeps!" Calming down she added "And a foolish girl thought since years had passed she might just look for a lark. Playing detective all alone in the dark. She... heard a sound. maybe just a rat. a rat in a way, a rat of a man. who tried... to have his way. that could've been that, but she resisted. cried and turned and twisted. only went up for a lark in the dark that day. her and her stupid little way. playing detective for a lark... she only got... her mark. now i'm terrified of the dark. sorry sir. i shouldn't depress you. with an old judges idea. of a lark." Sweeney didn't miss the tears running down her face

"How old were you?"

"Fourteen sir" She was looking down with wet eyes.

"Address me as Sweeney" He left three extra coins by the drink "Off you go. Go buy something" She looked up in awe

"Thank you Sweeney" She ran up the stairs in disbelief "Mum!"