Chapter 2: 2. A Better Life

Through iron will, Alice kept from checking her pocket through the rest of her long day of chores.

No employer of sense wanted to lose [General Laborer], which by law could be paid at lower rates than more specialized skills. Even the [Gardeners] and [House Maids] had the class skills to earn a higher wage.

It wasn’t much, but in the stratified world of class hierarchies it meant everything.

By design, Alice's duties were general and varied. A little of this, a little of that so she would have a harder time specializing. That meant less of a chance she would ever earn a higher class. Sometimes she'd wash the outside windows or pull weeds in the garden. She’d chop firewood or haul furniture out of the unused rooms for storage.

She tried to take all the time she could in the kennels, but when Roy caught her working too often, she'd be sent to the washing rooms for a few weeks. That diluted her experience.

With a sigh, she activated her class sheet.

 

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