She was longing to feel the freshness of cold water on her aching head and heavy eyes, and her hot face, and she groped her way out to the scullery.
It was lighted by a candle only, but even so Jessie could see the untidy muddle of everything.

The sink by the tap was crowded with pots and pans and dirty dishes, and so was the table and the dirty floor.

Where was she to wash, and where was the dipper?
She looked around her hopelessly.

She was so heavy with sleep she could hardly see, so aching in every limb she could scarcely stand; and the sight of the miserable place, and the close smell of it, made her feel positively sick and ill.
She did not dare, though, trouble her stepmother any further, she had to act for herself; so she looked about her, first of all for the dipper, and presently saw it standing, full of potato peelings, on the floor under the sink.

She seized it thankfully, and emptying its contents on to a dirty plate, went to the tap and gave it a good wash out.