Cynthia Dion:
The scalding soup made my skin feel terrible, causing me to jerk my body backward and tumble out of the chair in a series of screams.
"Ahh! Ahhh!" I screamed in agony, feeling my skin c***k over my face. The pain was indescribable.
My labored breathing signaled that my face had been burned. "H---elp!" I muttered as I struggled to stand and searched for a way to escape, anywhere to relieve the pain.
It throbbed!
It burned intensely!
"Charlotte! Bring out the dessert," Mr. Holt summoned the young mate, seemingly unconcerned that I was crying uncontrollably right in front of him. After he had finished his meal and asked for the maid to bring the dessert, it became clear to me that he couldn't care less.
"You too!" He muttered, "Stop crying; it's driving me crazy," he gru
