It was the first time Rus had ever seen Old Gordon so conflicted, and his curiosity was piqued. With a calm voice, he said, "No need to be nervous. Just speak freely—what is it?"
"Well, my lord," Old Gordon adjusted his monocle. "I have a granddaughter—Fiona. I recently summoned her back to Eagle Fort and was hoping you would allow her to stay and assist me with various administrative tasks."
"Of course," Rus replied without hesitation. "She'll serve as your assistant for now, with an annual salary of five gold coins. Does that sound reasonable?"
"My lord, I will never forget your generosity," Old Gordon said, visibly moved.
As the steward, he had the authority to hire his own assistant—but the pay for that position would usually come from his own stipend.
By offering an official salary of five gold coins per year, Rus was formally appointing Fiona as a member of Eagle Fort's staff.
