Madame Stepmother, the old miser, threw a dinner party—hoping that someone might take a liking to her pale daughters.
But everything went awry: the young Marquis Boulea got drunk and challenged Baron Eggers to a duel—or rather, a brawl. That’s when things got out of hand, right there in the kitchen. The marquis hit the baron so hard that he fell straight into the roaring fireplace.
Madame Stepmother quickly swooned—anything to avoid being held responsible. So, it was up to the cook and me to save the baron. I bandaged His Lordship while the cook held the pantry door shut to keep the Marquis Boulea locked inside so he wouldn’t come out and kill us all. Before long, the marquis’s mother’s servants arrived and hauled the rascal home—to get a good thrashing.
They stomped around, tracked mud in from the street, and guess who had to clean it up? Cinderella.
Not that I’m complaining. When Baron Eggers hit the fireplace grate, a small gem fell from the medal on his chest—a tiny thing, about the size of a buckwheat grain. I’ve been admiring it ever since, wondering how to sell it for the best price. After all, there’s a ball at the royal palace soon, and I need a dress and money for a taxi.
