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"I cannot offer you a position." Saeryn said to Kara, hoisting her bag from the floor with a barely perceptible wince. "My lord, however, is quite in the position to do so. He has need of hard workers and has a liking for new faces and the new stories that come with them. His kindly manner will put you at ease right away, if my attempts have not."
Saeryn smiled at the girl, inviting her to join with her amusement. The girl looked to relax somewhat. A kind face was always the first thing a stranger looked for and Saeryn hoped that she had provided as close to the sort of welcome she had received from Bethberry as was possible.
She tipped her head toward Eodwine and the girl nodded. Together they walked to the eorl and Saeryn grinned pertly.
"Eodwine, I've found you another worker. If the day continues in this vein, you'll never have need for those to do your bidding. Shall I find her quarters and put her to work? I seem to remember floors in need of scrubbing and fireplaces in need of a good cleaning."
She winked at the girl who looked intimidated.
"Actually," she continued, "I could use her help, if you don't mind me stealing her away before you even have a chance to speak with her. Your hall has acquired new faces that are in want of places to stay and what with renovations, the kitchens are running slower than usual. We have guests to feed and things to do and you have bigger things to worry about than household matters."
Eodwine laughed now and Kara seemed more at ease, as Saeryn had said she would be. He spoke with a smile.
"Now Saeryn, do you mean to imply that I'm thinking myself too grand now to handle women's work?"
"Not at all. I'm just better at it than you are." She stuck out her tongue and Kara laughed to see the sort of reverence with which this girl treated the lord of the hall. "And come now, Eodwine, you know that you'll be too busy to handle all of the business of the hall as well as your duties as eorl and still tend to the needs of every guest in the place.
"There is only so much time in the day and your attentions can only stretch so far. You've already acquired a steward to care for some of those things, but will your steward also be ascertaining that each room has clean linens and that meals are seen to? Will he tend to market matters and see to it that the floors are kept clean? Will your steward or yourself have time to keep spiders webs from decorating the mantle and mediate household disputes that are not of enough consequence to be brought before you? Though you are capable, Eodwine, as I've seen, do you truly now have the time to manage the little matters of the house? I would gladly take the responsibility from you, if you don't mind it."
Eodwine contemplated her point for a bit as Kara stood wondering just what sort of place she had gotten herself into where the helpers told the master what they planned to do in his charge. Saeryn hoped that her offer had not been too audacious as she waited for an answer. Kara waited to see what the lord of the hall would make of her.
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