She follows him in the kitchen

Needing the job and feeling pity for the lonely old man she just nods, motioning for him to close up so they can talk about the work and then walking towards the side door he pointed to, walking towards it and then following him to the kitchen.

Once there Usher took out two chairs and set them around the table, letting Lisa sit while he went to get something to drink.

“Can you give me some water?” she asked as she saw him pour some alcoholic brew into the cup he brought, but he just shook his head and denied “This is the only drink in the house” he took a long gulp directly from the bottle “Of this, I have as much as you want. As for water, I have just enough for a bath”

Talking about bath, Lisa remembered how both she and the old man at her side lacked contact with one in a long, long while, and grunted in displeasure before gulping down her drink. It wasn't quite half-bad, she could see how he took a liking to it, though not to the point where he swapped water for it.

Usher was evidently pleased with her satisfaction for the drink, so after taking another gulp himself he began to talk “Now, about the work... nothing hard, really. Just clean the house, the clothes, the store. Cook and do whatever the ladies need to do in a respectable home. As for the store, it's fine to keep an eye on it once in a while, mostly when I ask you to”

Rather than a shop assistant this felt more like a maid, but she wasn't too displeased with it as it was much better than all other possibilities, so she answered “Good. Then about the pay...” only to be promptly interrupted “Now, now li'l lady, let me finish. Those are your duties for this work, but not the only things we need to talk about”

Lisa expression became suspicious at his words, while he just poured her some more liquor and continued “You need a job or you'll be kicked out of town, and while I need an helping hand, i'm not in an hurry such as yours”

His sly smile appears again along with Lisa's disgust for the man. She didn't like where this was going, and while the pity she felt for him was still there and she needed the job, she surely wouldn't cross certain lines... or would she? Maybe it was the ****, but this rather than a stinky old man he now felt more like a lonely soul wishing for company, someone she could give a bit of leeway to.

“Talk” she just said, drowning another cup of the tasty liquor, and he did just that “I want you to live here”

“What” Lisa exclaimed, half-surprised and half-disgruntled toward him “I already paid for a room for the days i'll remain here elsewhere”

His expression didn't change “I don't care, and neither should you. Alma, that old incestuous cow will overprice pretty much everything and nitpick about anything. If you're worried about the money you've already spent, i'll just give it back to you instead”

Getting a refund for the money didn't sound bad, but living here...

Before she could reply he continued, not before another sip of liquor “You can sleep, eat and bathe here for free, but instead you won't get any fixed pay, only commissions depending on your... performance. Anyway you're working to remain in town and not for money, no?”

Lisa wanted to retort, but living here would keep her from spending money for a room, so just the money from the commissions he talked about should be enough to get by.

Somewhat tipsy, she was just about to agree when she stopped, remembering to ask “Those commissions, what are they about?”