A Laughing Matter

[Isla Hitchens]

July 15th

• Nanny had been ill for several days now, but aside from having to wake in the night to see to Persephone (she had considered a sleeping draught for the infant, but was not entirely certain Bob would be keen on it), Isla had not minded overmuch. Motherhood was far more hands on for her than it was for the rest of her family to begin with; what was a bit more attention for the child, until her carer was well?
  
  It seemed that"until Nanny is well", though, would never come--Isla read the brief letter over thrice at the breakfast table before relaying its contents to her husband. Deespite the gravity of the news, however, the witch struggled very hard to keep a straight face.
  
  "Good Lord!" Isla exclaimed. "It-it seems our nanny has d-d-died!"
  
  It was no stutter that made the words difficult but the overwhelming urge to giggle that the woman worked so hard to surpress. This was not the time for humour!

  

[Bob Hitchens]

The stutter had Bob as concerned as the news did. This plague ... so far he and his family were unaffected, but if Nanny had succumbed ...

"That's horrible news, Isla! Do you think that Persephone --" No, their daughter would be well!

  

[Isla Hitchens]

Persephone’s health had troubled Isla since the child’s arrival at the beginning of the year. Not robust by any means, the babe had struggled off and on with her health for the past several months—the very first mention of plague had placed Isla in something of a perpetual state of panic over her daughter’s well-being.

“I think we should be careful with her, of course,” Isla replied with more restraint than her previous comment—honestly, she did not always have the most appropriate reactions to bad news, but giggling at death was altogether unreasonable! “But I choose to hope that a girl who succumbs so easily to run-of-the-mill illnesses will have a fortuitous aversion to more outrageous ones.”

It was a hope entirely without basis, but a positive one nonetheless.

[Bob Hitchens]

"I am certain that is how it will turn out," Bob said soothingly. He would hate to lose his wife or their daughter, but Persephone was not the healthiest of infants. Those without magic seemed not to be succumbing, and perhaps Persephone was without that skill -- but Isla could obviously catch the plague. "And you are feeling well?"

  

[Isla Hitchens]

“Merely tired,” she reassured her husband with a smile, “but it is your daughter who might be blamed for that, not my ill-health; I had not thought a child could be so demanding until recently!”

With great restraint, Isla surprised another bout of giggles. Honestly! There was nothing funny about the situation!

[Bob Hitchens]

Isla's behavior was decidedly odd and, abandoning what he was doing, Bob went over to place the back of his hand on her forehead. "You do not feel warm, but perhaps you should spend the day in bed? Perhaps the loss of Nanny has frayed your nerves. I can find someone to watch Persephone at least for the day, and perhaps until we can find a proper replacement for Nanny."