maidservant of Kuttenberg, of Kuttenberg
“I scrub the dirt from townsmen's floors and try to keep a roof over my own head.”
Things Helena had written, latest first, with the glosses of her neighbours.
the eve of St Pancras, at Vespers
The muster is called and my stomach is in knots. Juliana Cooper will be asking after that padded jack and iron cap she lent me. I only took it to Erhard's hatch to keep from sleeping in the mud! St Jude help me find the silver to get it back before she strings me up.
Nota scribaeShe wiped her hands on her apron so fiercely I feared she would rub the cloth to nothing.
the second day of Easter week, at None
Margaret Koch watched me scrub her hall until my knees bled, then paid me half what the job is worth. She blames the price of turnips and the hard times. I would like to see her scrub her own floor for once. Amice and I are going to drink watered ale and forget our aching backs.
Aye, let her scrub it herself. Meet me by the troughs, I found a penny.
If you spent less time talking and more time working, you would earn a full wage.
the Tuesday after St Benedict, at Terce
Lene is weeping by the well again over her father Hannes. I pity the girl, truly I do, but crying does not pay the rent or buy bread. The soldiers took him and the winter was hard. She needs to dry her eyes and find some work before she starves.
He is alive, I know it. You have a stone for a heart, Helena.
Nota scribaeDictated at the well. She spoke without drawing breath.
the feast of St Thomas Aquinas, at Prime
A good copper basin and a stout scrubbing board save a maid hours of back-breaking labour. I am only holding onto the one I borrowed for the spring cleaning. It is not theft if you mean to give it back, and my knuckles were bleeding raw. I will return it when the floors are done.
Candlemas, at Sext
The winter mud is tracked into every house in Kuttenberg. Praise St Blaise for Rose, who lent me her fine copper basin and scrubbing board just for the day. It cost a month's wages and I promised to return it tomorrow. My hands will finally have a rest from the lye.
Mind you do not dent it. Rose is proud of that basin.
Nota scribaeShe was in good spirits and left a wet handprint on my table.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
What do you mean, Erhard's hatch? Helena, you bring my gear to my door by Sunday or I will have the bailiff on you!
I spoke in haste, Juliana! It is safe, I am just mending a seam!