Jannelle
The chamber pot slips from my raw, cracked hands and crashes to the stone floor, sending foul-smelling water splashing across my already filthy dress. I bite back a curse and drop to my knees, frantically trying to clean up the mess before Mrs. Crawford finds me.
"Clumsy girl!" The shrill voice makes me flinch. I look up to see Lady Bethany standing in the doorway, her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Can't even manage the simplest tasks properly."
"I'm sorry, my lady. It won't happen again." The words taste like ash in my mouth, but I've learned to swallow my pride over the past three days. Pride is a luxury I can no longer afford.
"See that it doesn't. The smell is already unbearable." She sweeps past me without another glance, her silk skirts rustling like snake scales.
