"If ye don't mind..." she glanced toward Edward and then back at Betsy, "I'd like ta finish. I'll find me way home when we are done." She had seen the way he looked at the books and knew what to do. She just hoped they trusted her. She moved to Betsy and lowered her voice a bit, "Mayhap I can even coax him ta eat his vittles..."

Betsy frowns but when Edward shrugs his shoulders indicating that he didn't mind, the maid inclines her head. "I'll talk to Mister Lane." She says taking off, about twenty minutes later Mister Lane arrives. "I understand that you are looking to be employed here Miss Ruth?" He says as he approaches the woman who was still helping Edward shelve. "She seems to be a hard worker, I think she'd be an asset." Edward offers up as he continues to work.

While they waited for Mister Lane, she went back to shelving books and making small talk with Edward. She said things like, "I always wished I could be a librarian, but on the account of me English not bein' so good, I fear people would think me daft." Or, "Ye have so many books, sir." When Mr. Lane showed up, she was in the middle of shelving a book when he started talking to her. She smiled a little when Edward talked her up and then she nodded, replying, "I would love ta werk here iffin ye'll have me and ye don't mind me bairn. I don't wish ta impose on me ma and pa with me husband gone and I feel I can help here." She picked up another book and put it on the shelf. "I'd be very grateful fer the... op... opportunity?"

"It is not my decision."

Albert informs her with a slight grimace.

"Master Ambrose is carefully controlling just who is hired onto the house staff. Still..."

Albert eyes the rapidly emptying bookshelves.

"I think there is a strong chance that he will hire you on. He plans to return by the end of the week, I will talk to him then and arrange an interview. I'll also see that you are paid for your work today at the very least."

She nodded her thanks to him, "I'll leave me address with ye." Another book found the shelves. "Ye don't have ta pay me fer today either, I... I owe my thanks." A day of hard work was nothing compared to having her life possibly saved by a pair of maids and a grieving widower.

"Very well, I'll see that a meal is sent up with the masters so you can eat as well," Albert says as he looks over to Edward who is still working steadily. "Give your address to Betsy and she will bring it to me. We will contact you as soon as Master Ambrose returns."

She nodded and smiled, "I will do that." She glanced over to Edward at the mention of food and wondered just how she was going to coax him to eat even just a little bit. "Thank ye," she said in regards to the food, her stomach growling after a full day of work. Lord, she was going to sleep well that night if the baby didn't keep her awake. The whole time they were talking, she didn't miss a beat with shelving the books, not wanting to lose momentum.

Edward hadn't even paused when Alber entered the room, which really did raise the question of how Ruth was going to help get him to eat. Still, between her and the new chef perhaps they'd get a full meal into him.

"You are most welcome Miss Ruth."

Albert says as he gives her a smile before he departs. A little under a half-hour would pass before two meals were brought up for them. Her's was from the servant's kitchen and it was a plain but hearty-looking shepherd's pie. Edward's dish looking quite a bit more complicated, a proper beef wellington served with a side of Yorkshire pudding, mash, mixed greens, and gravy. It smelled quite a bit better than the pie for certain not that Edward even seemed to notice it.

Her stomach growled at the smell of the Wellington that he seemed to just... ignore. Her brows furrowed a touch as she peered at the food. Then the idea struck her and she, while continuing to shelve books, gave him a sidelong glance and said, "I know there is somethin' on yer mind that makes ye not want to, but ye should eat. I, for one, am famished... but I won't eat me plate of vittles iffin' ye insist on not eatin'... it'd be right rude of me ta eat in front of ye." She gave an exaggerated sigh and turned her head toward him to see his reaction. She meant every word she said, too.

Edward blinks at the words and it takes him a moment to register what she said. "Oh!" He says blinking in surprise as he looks over at the newly arrived food. "Sorry, I didn't even realize it had arrived. Yes, lets, let's take a break and eat." He mutters to himself as he picks up the closest plate and utensil and starts to absently munch on the food. As it transpired, he grabbed the stew without even really noticing it. So she could likely get away with eating his plate if she was so inclined.