At first, Celia refused to acknowledge the spectacle before her. She had heard gossip about the housekeeper’s unique culinary methods, but she hadn’t believed it until now.
A huge black cauldron bubbled noisily on the stove, accompanying the stream of shrieks and vicious slaps emanating from the pantry. Directly above the black cauldron a young woman hung by her wrists and ankles, suspended by leather cuffs and chains. The chains ran up to a block and tackle and then to iron wheels that rode on a circular rail fastened to the ceiling. Her suspended buttocks hung a couple of feet above the rim of the cauldron. She was naked and glistening with the steamy moisture rising from the cauldron. Celia had no idea who she was. The laced leather helmet with a number painted on its side had transfo
