Not that her best dress was in particularly good condition. There certainly wasn't enough money in the Hotchkiss coffers for new clothing unless one had completely outgrown one's old garments. But still, Elizabeth had some pride, and if she couldn't dress her family in the first stare of fashion, at the very least she could make certain they were all neat and clean.

Now there was mud caked onto her velvet sash, and even worse, she'd actually stolen a book from Lady Danbury. And not just any book. She'd stolen what had to be the stupidest, most asinine book in the history of bookbinding. And all because she had to auction herself off to the highest bidder.

She swallowed as tears formed in her eyes. What if there were no bidders? Then where would she be?

Elizabeth stamped her feet on the front stoop to shake off the mud, then pushed her way through the front door of her small house. She tried to sneak through the hall and up the stairs to her room without anyone seeing her, but Susan was too fast.

"Good heavens! What happened to you?"

"I slipped," Elizabeth ground out, never taking her eyes off of the stairs.

"Again?"

That was enough to make her twist around and stab her sister with a murderous glare. “What do you mean, again?"

Susan coughed. "Nothing."

Elizabeth swung back around with every intention of marching to and up the stairs, but her hand connected with a side table. "Owwwww!" she howled.

"Ooh," Susan said, wincing in sympathy. "I'll bet that hurts."

Elizabeth just stared at her, eyes narrowing into angry slits.

"Terribly sorry," Susan said quickly, clearly recognizing her sister's bad mood.

"I am going to my room," Elizabeth said, enunciating every word as if careful diction would somehow remove her to her private chamber more quickly. "And then I am going to lie down and take a nap. And if anyone bothers me, I shall not answer to the consequences."