The Last Bow

nd a stern mouth that never seemed to smile. Her mere presence was enough to silence the whisp

od before her. As she walked past each one, her calculating gaze took in everything: the way they held themselves, the way their hands twitc

neath the skin. These rulers were made especially for discipline-thin, flexibl

ler sent a chill through her, but she kept her face impassive. Sh

ld hand her unfinished chores to Charlotte and her two younger sisters, forcing them to work through the night. When Mistr

ing that refused to fade. It had taken weeks for the wound to heal, and even after,

Lydia's voice snapped

Look

stretched between them, and though her pulse raced, she did not waver.

dgeting, no fear. And to their credit, though their hands trembled slig

stopped in fro

She stood with her back straight and her chin raised high, as tho

ght the flicker of amusement in Mis

ly what was ab

and her two younger sisters were sent to the laundry hou

yal maid, Marianne Hal

d, Isabella bristled. "I object!" sh

the yard. Everyon

rched an eyebrow

Should we not be treated equally? At the very least, the work should be fairly distributed!

emained st

out warnin

slammed against

tching the spot where she'd been

er. "Do you still believe yourself to be the

ser. "This is the Bureau of Penal Affairs. Here, even the daughter of a king must bow

truth-the Chancellor's family had fallen from favo

sabella pressed her lips into a

, satisfied, t

ment the overseer was gone, she turned on Lillian and Lucy, he

ed, looking at one

d. "But... Mistr

as just injured. I cannot scrub floors in this condition." She lifted her arm as if to show the light red mark

d. Lillian hesitated, looking as if

odded, satisfied. She turned, motio

n she ran in

?" Charlotte said lightly

"Why must you meddle in thin

s, are we not? We should help each other. If cleaning the latri

ed. "You would..

, I'll find someone else to take their place. That way, you and M

rlotte had never been so accommodating befo

kly spoke up, "We appreciate your kindness,

hat, the arrang

to the latrines, while Isabella and her

t, Lillian turned to Charlotte with concern. "Yo

ard before them. The latrines were piled high, the a

thes is easier than this," she said calmly. "Just wait.

cy exchanged n

there was something in her expr

e was

ouse, Isabella would soon realize