A fairly random one-shot. Read on, my friends.
Breaking the news.
Millie was talking to two of the maids when Christopher found her. He was evidently bursting with news.
"Millie!" he called.
"Yes, my love?" Millie asked, breaking off her conversation and looking round to her approaching husband.
"It's Gabriel! He…"
Millie laughed to see him so excited. "Maria, Iona, do you mind?" she asked.
"Of course not, Mrs Chant." The two maids said, giggling and walking off.
"Now, Christopher, what did you want to tell me?"
"Gabriel's retiring! I'm taking over! I'm going to be Chrestomanci by ext week!"
"That's great!" Millie said, meaning it. "But just wait a second; I have something to tell you…"
But Christopher had already vanished.
----
"Christopher, my love, I know you're busy, but…" Millie called, seeing him later that day as he was rushing around.
"Not now, Millie, I really must dash. Later?"
Millie sighed, and the maid she was with, Iona, giggled.
------
"Christopher, this is Euphemia and Mary." Millie said at dinner that night when Maria and Iona brought in two teenaged girls. "They're Iona and Maria's daughter. Could you spare some time to…"
"I am sorry, but I'll be terrible busy after lunch." Christopher replied, giving both children a vague stare and wondering exactly why his wife wanted him to look after two children.
Millie shook her head. "Alright, Christopher, but I really must tell you…"
But that's when a young man came in with papers for Christopher to sign.
"Later, Millie." Christopher replied, following the man out.
Iona and Maria came in to clean up and take their daughters back to their rooms. All four were trying not to laugh.
-----
That night, Millie came into her bedroom, fully ready to force her husband to listen. But, of course, he was fast asleep.
-----
"Mr Chant." Iona knocked on the door to Gabriel De Witt's study, where she knew Christopher would be, the very next day.
"Come in." Christopher's voice came vaguely through the door. "Ah, Ileshia!"
"Iona, sir." The maid corrected.
"Yes, of course." Christopher said hastily. "Can I ask you why you're here?"
"Lady Chant'll be wanting to see you, sir." Iona replied.
"Tell her I'm quite busy, could you? Thank you."
------
About ten minutes later, Millie herself was up at the study, with the two maids following at her heels rather unnecessarily, looking for gossip.
"Christopher Chant, you will listen to me right now." she said, throwing the door open. Christopher opened his mouth. "And don't you dare say you're busy, or so help me, I will throw this ring out of the window."
Now, as you know, for Christopher, his wife throwing her engagement ring away was rather a double barrelled threat.
"Alright, Millie." He said, obviously annoyed. "What is it?"
"What it is, Mr Chrestomanci." Millie said. "Is that you are going to be a father."
Christopher dropped the papers he was holding, face paling, vague expression disappearing.
"I guess he pays her more attention than we thought." Maria whispered to Iona and both burst into anther fit of giggles.
At least this time they had something to laugh about.