Occupational Hazard

[pinkroses]

Mia followed Lewis silently into the dining room and as Dagger and Ridley entered she lowered her eyes, not liking being here while he sampled her food. She glaanced at Ridley with a small smile as he approached her, the copied him, taking a seat at one of the ones Lewis had pulled out, sitting still while her \'husband\' fidgeted beside her.

She kept her eyes down, her hands still in her lap, but when he complimented her cooking she looked up with a small smile. It grew a little as he said how much she would be paid, she couldn\'t believe it, that was an amazing amount. She glanced at Ridley, but when she saw the annoyed look on his face her smile faltered; and Dagger\'s comment about being married sent her eyes back to her lap.

The red head looked up again, giving a small nod at his instructions. "Thank you, Sir, that\'s really very generous of you," she said quietly, "I\'ll do my best," she added, giving him another small smile. She was so happy, he was really giving her an amazing opportunity and she looked forward to the day when he felt he could trust her like he could his other servants.

"I should go clean up in the kitchen," she said, glancing at Dagger again, not sure if he wanted her to start today, but she didn\'t want to leave a mess for anyone else to clean up. She didn\'t want to just stand up and leave in case Dagger had anything else to say.

[Trillian]

"You\'re very welcome," Dagger replied, looking directly Mia\'s way and ignoring Ridley at her side.  "I\'m sure you will," he said as she promised her best.  "You can start first thing tomorrow morning," he declared while setting down his napkin and then rising from the table, extending his hand in order to be offered hers, so that he could lift it in a gentlemanly manner and nod acknowledgement to her - a motion reserved for ladies of station rather than the serving class.  Ridley glared before he was offered a hand to be shaken, and immediately presented a disarming smile before Lewis showed them to the side door, congratulating her on her new employment, making comment that she would be shown around upon arrival and that he looked forward to working with her before the door was shut with both Ridley and Mia on its step.

"Well," Ridley exclaimed, surprised at the rush of moving them both out of the house but still extremely pleased with Mia\'s success.  He swept her up in his arms, pulling her close, and hugged her tightly before kissing her temple.  "You did a wonderful job," he commended into her hair.

[pinkroses]

As he stood up Mia hesitated for a moment before doing the same. When he held out his hand she blinked at for a moment with confusion, then she carefully slipped her own into his, her cheeks colouring as she smiled nervously. She\'d never been treated like this before and it felt very strange, but nice as well. She was still feeling stunned that all of this was happening so fast. She was going to be working in Dagger\'s kitchen; no, not just working there, running it. This had to be one of the most amazing points in her short life.

She didn\'t stop smiling as Lewis lead them to the door and let them out. Mia managed to slip in a small word of thanks before he shut the door behind them. Her dark eyes turned quickly up to Ridley\'s, sparking with delight and amazement and she let out a small laugh of joy as he hugged her tightly and she buried her face into his shoulder.

"Thank you so much," she said quietly, her arms hugging around his neck as she smiled so widely her cheeks were starting to ache. "I could never have done any of this without you."