This takes place in 1660 Holland where we find Greit, a shy girl of 16 and worked at the Vermeer household. She is easily spotted by the cap she wears on her head everywhere she goes. Greit was offered a job which they couldn't turn down because of their family's finical crisis. She earned only 8 shillings a week but it was enough to support her family. She is allowed to meet her family every sunday and collect her pay. Franse her brother after getting his job at a tile factory is rarely heard of and cannot send any money to his family because he can only support himself. Greit's sister spies on what Greit is doing almost everywhere. Her father went blind over a year ago in a kindling accident.
In the Vermeer household there are the Vermeer's; Maria Thins, Catherina, Vermeer, Cornlia, Lisbeth, Maertge, baby Johannes and Aleydis. there is also another maid called Tankene that works as a maid with Greit. She hates Cornelia who bothers her breaks numerous things and gets her into trouble. Greit thinks Maria Thins knows everything she's thinking everywhere, every time. She befriend Aleydis who sometimes accompanies her to the market.
Greit sleeps in the cellar and at the foot of her bed there is a painting which she highly dislikes. She values her tile that was given to her by her father as a going away gift before she went to the Vermeer's. Her father made it long ago before he lost his eyesight. Her sister, Agnes was lost to the bubonic plague when Greit was working here. Franse ran away from his work to a distant land because of his working conditions.
There are jobs that have to be done in the house to clean, to cook, to wash and to shop. She has to go to the fish market and the meat hall every week. The dishes have to be washed every day. Laundry is done every two days. She has to clean the attic where Vermeer paints and the hardest part is that she's suppose to do it without displacing anything.
