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            ….Cinderella’s father died.

            Her father’s will was missing, and everything now belonged to her step-mother.  There wasn’t even the trust fund to be found that was to be hers as her dowry, when she found her true love.

The Lady Tucknor  spent money on her two daughters to bring them up to the standards of their station.  She started letting the gardeners go, and then some of the household staff.  Cinderella was disheartened to see things looking so run-down.

            Within weeks of her father’s passing  Cinderella’s step mother called Cinderella into the study .

            “Cinderella my dear, I have come to realize that you are a burden on this household, and you have about only one option,” her step-mother’s features had that hateful look that Cinderella dreaded.  “In order to be able to keep you here, and not put you in the street, I have decided to be charitable and let you take the place of the staff.  Your duties will be to keep this place clean and presentable both inside and out, also there is the laundry.  Oh, and one more thing.  I let the cook go today, and we will need you to take care of that too, as inadequate as you are.”

            Cinderella found herself so busy that she never had time for herself. And when she asked for supplies to make clothes for herself, she got hand-me-down maid’s clothes from the neighboring manor, and half the those dresses, didn’t fit or where more like rags.  Cinderella did the best she could to alter them and make them last.

            Cinderella continued to sing and bring light into the house with her cheerful personality, and this angered her step family.  The Lady Tucknor added additional chores when she heard her singing, and the step-sisters teased her and told her how homely she looked.  “Why no man would ever look twice at you.  You’ll just be an old maid.”

Cinderella’s days turned into bring them breakfast in bed, help them dress, clean house, and tend the gardens, cook the meals, and everything that was needed to keep the household going.  The worst of it was they made her do all the jobs with verbal threats of  ‘or else’.  And she was afraid of living on the street, for they kept telling her she was worthless, and she had begun to believe it.

            Cinderella’s Step-Mother was as hard as nails.  She was cruel and heartless, filling day and night with chores and requests.  Poor Cinderella had to find ways of doing more then one chore at a time to get things done.

            One day….

            ….Cinderella got angry and left for good…. Page 6

            ….an invitation came for the Royal Ball…..Page 7