Harriet's face was deathly pale even as she heard words that didn't allow her to continue eating. Her lips parted slightly, the food on her tongue suddenly tasteless, heavy, and unbearable. Her spoon hovered in midair, then slowly dropped back to the side of her plate with a small clink that only she seemed to hear. The sharp heat of humiliation rushed into her cheeks, turning them an unnatural red as she lowered her head down, not daring to raise it up.
Her fingers dug into the cloth on her lap beneath the table, trembling slightly from the rage she could not express. Every nerve in her body was stiff as stone. Her jaw clenched tight, eyes blazing with silent fury while hidden behind thick lashes. Her breathing was shallow but fast, nostrils flaring slightly as her chest rose and fell in quick successions.
