"Garrick would be far more eager to clean the dishes," she points out with a smile, looking right back at Ross with a steady gaze. As far as she's concerned, her dog can do no wrong -- and he had no crawlers on him, no matter what Ross said -- and that includes being a kitchen maid if it were to come down to that. Mostly she's teasing, of course, but Garrick has been her friend and her protector longer than anyone and she fears deeply for the day he may no longer be around to watch over them all. Dogs die, she knows that, they don't live nearly as long as their humans, but she will never be prepared for it, no matter what she may know to be true.

"And at least he's never dropped Julia on her face like Prudie did," she continues. "If we consider it, Garrick is proving to not only be a better kitchen maid, but a far superior child minder as well."

Ross is teasing her regarding having lasted as his kitchen maid, she knows that, but she supposes there's a bit of truth to it as well. He'd not loved her from the start, he wouldn't have kept her out of some simple need to be around her and although she knows he'd wanted to protect her -- he'd proved as much when her father had come looking for her -- she doubts she would have been so welcome had she not already proven to be an asset to his house.

Her irritation at his secrets dissipates suddenly and she reaches across the table to touch his arm, the one he has wrapped around their son. "I'm that lucky you kidnapped me, Ross Poldark. Garrick and I both are."