The Girl from the Convent Ch. 02

"Give me my jug," she said, holding out her hands. The tears spilled down her cheeks again, feeling the shame and pain of what they had done to her.

"I think she's earned it," Julien gasped, still leaning against the gate, "Give it to her."

Gabriel handed the pewter jug to her, but as she took it, he grabbed hold of her arm, "One thing," he said, "You've performed admirably, but we need one more thing."

"What's that?" she asked defiantly.

"Your shift."

"My... what?"

"Your shift," Gabriel said, "Either take it off in one piece, and you'll get it back on your way back from the well, or I'll rip it off, and everyone will know what you've just done!"

By this time, Adeline was too tired and sore to protest. She set the jug on the ground and, still whimpering, peeled off her shift, handing it to Gabriel. Naked, the sweat on her pale flesh glistening in the moonlight, she made her way back to the well. Again, she bent over to draw the bucket out.

"Jules, you bastard... you made her bleed!" she heard Gabriel exclaim. Given the pain in her backside, she wasn't surprised that she was bleeding. She filled the jug and, balancing it on one bare shoulder, she walked back towards the guard post, trying to quiet her own sobbing so that she didn't spill it.

"Etienne was right about you," Julien said approvingly as he handed her back her shift. She pulled it hurriedly over her head, "You're not like the other girls."

"What?"

"He was right about you," Julien said, winking, "Now go back to bed."

Thoroughly confused, she scampered back towards her cell. Bernadette did not comment on how long it took her to get the water, but only pointed out that she had left bloodstains on the back of her shift.

"Time of the month," she said absently, and shut herself in her room.