By late afternoon, the blizzard had severed the power lines running up the mountain ridge. The estate’s industrial generators kicked on with a low, rumbling hum, switching the palace into amber emergency illumination.

In the scullery, Nora stood over the industrial sink, her fingers burning from the scalding soapy water. Her back screamed in agony; hauling the potato sacks had brought on dull, rhythmic cramps that pulsed deep in her pelvis. She leaned against the stainless steel counter, panting softly, whispering to the baby inside her.

"Just a little longer, Lily," she breathed, wiping sweat from her forehead with a damp forearm. "Mommy’s almost done."

The kitchen door flew open with violent force. Mrs. Gable marched in, her face flushed with feigned horror, flanked by two senior parlor maids.

"Where is it?" Mrs. Gable screeched, her voice shrill enough to slice through the rumble of the storm. "Where did you hide it, you thieving gutter rat?"

Nora straightened up, confused and frightened. "What? Hide what?"

"Don't play the innocent virgin with me!" Mrs. Gable lunged forward, grabbing Nora by the collar of her uniform and yanking her away from the sink. "The 18th-century Venetian crystal chalice from the Master’s study! It was in the display cabinet this morning, and the junior maid saw you dusting in there after lunch!"

"I didn't touch the cabinet!" Nora cried, clutching her belly as she stumbled backward. "I only vacuumed the rug and wiped the baseboards! I never opened the glass!"

"Search her locker!" Mrs. Gable ordered the parlor maids. "Search her pockets right now!"

Before Nora could protest, one of the maids reached into the large front pockets of Nora’s oversized maid apron and pulled out a heavy velvet pouch. The maid unzipped it with exaggerated shock, tilting it toward the light.

Inside lay the crushed, shattered remnants of an ornate, gold-rimmed crystal goblet.

"You clumsy, greedy bitch," Mrs. Gable whispered, her eyes glittering with sadistic victory. "You stole it to pawn for your bastard’s diaper money, realized it was marked with the Moretti crest, and smashed it to hide the evidence!"

"No! That wasn't in my apron! Someone put that there!" Nora pleaded, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. "I swear on my unborn child’s life, I didn't take it!"

"Tell that to the Boss," Mrs. Gable hissed, clamping her claw-like hand onto Nora’s bruised wrist and dragging her out of the kitchen toward the grand reception hall. "Let's see if Mr. Moretti shows mercy to a thief who destroys his family's heritage!"