It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
Despite what people thought of Leah Steelgrave, there was one thing they could never doubt and that was her sensibility. From what Charlie had told him about Anæsthesia, the girl needed a good dose of it and with Leah as her employer, she would get it.
He turned to Leah and said in a warm tone, "Perhaps, we should continue our discussion after you've taken care of Miss Orr? I'll make myself available for the rest of the day so we can sort things out, so please feel free to come back at any time."
Leah smiled, "Perhaps we'll have some tea and discuss her employment in the dining room. A bit more quiet than the Lickskillet." She paused and laid a gloved hand on his arm, "Thank you Matthew, I appreciate this."
She turned, "So young lady, how about a cup of tea, perhaps snack, or a light lunch?" She offered. "We have some things to discuss about what you can do going forward with the hospital project. And, what you might like to do. That would be more to the point, I think." Her smile was warm and genuine. This was an opportunity for both her and for Anæsthesia.
"Ladies should be seen and not heard"
Leah smiled, "Perhaps we'll have some tea and discuss her employment in the dining room. A bit more quiet than the Lickskillet." She paused and laid a gloved hand on his arm, "Thank you Matthew, I appreciate this."
Anæsthesia didn't really like the term 'her employment' - it could, of course, be taken as meaning 'her role' but there were connotations of being employed in a menial position for monetary remuneration which, as a woman of some means herself now, was quite repugnant to her. Still, this was no time to pick holes around semantics.
She turned, "So young lady, how about a cup of tea, perhaps snack, or a light lunch?" She offered. "We have some things to discuss about what you can do going forward with the hospital project. And, what you might like to do. That would be more to the point, I think." Her smile was warm and genuine. This was an opportunity for both her and for Anæsthesia.
That was more like it, and she realised that she herself had been somewhat boorish in bursting in on their private meeting like this.
"That would be wonderful!" she acquiesced "I shall retire to the Hotel dining room whist you and Mr. Wentworth finish your meeting: I am afraid I rather disturbed your tête-à-tête, I do hope that you will both forgive the impulsive actions of a young woman in rather trying circumstances." she apologised, before turning and graciously exiting the office.
"I'll be just a moment Anæsthesia." Leah called after the young lady. She turned to Matthew. "I can meet with you later if that's alright. I think perhaps getting Anæsthesia settled with the idea of being a part of the project going forward is most important, don't you? I mean the poor girl needs something to distract her as much as possible."