At the foot of the stairs Martha is now faced with the very same dilema she had just hoped to avoid. Wide eyed, pale, meek, she tries to avoid rubbing at her leg by grabbing the hem of her coat as she curtseys...looking up towards Deputy Heinz. Her unease enhanced as she now must face the stairs too.
"Good evening, sir. In your Hunt...I...I...er...that is to say, sir: can I be of any assistance?" she asks, meek...aiming for confidence in her tone.