The apothecary's ledger

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

At the second knock, Ruth's hand paused above the parcel she was carrying to the stockroom.

Ten minutes earlier, while the shop was deserted, she had opened Mr Vale's private ledger and begun copying names from it. The first knock had startled her, but the caller proved to be only a delivery boy, whom she directed to the yard. Once he had gone, she slid the copied sheet beneath the heavy weighing scales and placed the ledger in the bottom drawer. She then picked up the newly delivered parcel and examined its loosened string.

Now the second caller knocked again. Through the glass door, Ruth recognised her master.

Give two actions Ruth takes to prevent her master from seeing evidence of her copying.