Should the Worst Happen

[Morwenna Skeeter]

Morwenna Skeeter liked Trey Gamp a great deal. As men went he was reasonable and fair these days and she liked a man that spoke his mind rather than hiding behind artifice - he was clever and hardworking and they had always had an easy rapport - easier than she suspected his relationship with the much older Maxwell was! Maxwell could have been the Head of Department by now - she of course was lucky to be allowed through the front door most days - but her brother-in-law had never been an overly ambitious man.

Well, not until recently.

The Ministerial elections were preying on everybody's mind at the moment. Every morning she heard tell of a new potential candidate and was forced to listen to others discuss the merits of Huxley - dull to her - or Lestrange - appalling to her. And Maxwell was amongst them, a thought that astounded her. Her brother-in-law's victory would surely mean she was secure in her position but others...

She knocked on Mr Gamp's door and when she was summoned opened the door with a small smile.

"Good morning Sir, do you have a moment?"

  

[Trey Gamp]

Trey was honestly not one for gossip, but of course he could not help but listen to it every once in a while, and lately it seemed like all the gossip was about the election that was about to come. While Trey probably could and should have become a candidate, then honestly he was perfectly happy where he was. The thought of becoming the minister did not go well with his wish of spending as much time as possible with Hesper. His princess was growing up so fast, and while he still had to work, then the time he had to work would be severly increased if he did become minister. He was safe and happy here in the creature's department - and as long as he was head of the department, then he could take care of his family - which was all that was needed.

However, as much as he would like to only work and just spend time with his daughter, then he knew that he should also be able to listen to any concerns on the matter of work from others. Hearing the knock on the door, he called for the person to enter and looked up, smiling politely to Morwenna as she entered, while quickly standing to his feet. "Good morning, Mrs. Skeeter. Of course, you are not one to disturb unless it is important. Please have a seat." he said and gestured for he to take a seat.

  

[Morwenna Skeeter]

Morwenna smiled as she entered the office properly and closed the door behind her. She liked the overall head of their department a great deal, even if she couldn’t help but feel Maxwell would make for a more logical choice. Still, she had given up trying to advise her belligerent brother-in-law about anything and it wasn’t as though the alternative before her was despicable. Trey Gamp was a fine man – she only hoped he could do something to alleviate her current worries!

“Thank you sir,” she said with a small smile as she crossed the room and took the seat that was offered. It was then, and only then, that she began to wonder about the best way to broach her thought. She could make it sound like a hypothetical question of course – she had learnt during her time at the Ministry that men seldom responded well to women that challenged the norm directly, even men as sensible as Mr Gamp, but that didn’t seem like it would yield results. She could pretend she had come here for something entirely innocuous of course and leave the room with as much dignity as she could muster, pretending none of this had ever happened.

Of course, neither of these options were likely. Morwenna had never been the sort to not simply take the direct route.

“I was concerned about my position after the upcoming election.” She held her head up. “I wondered what would happen if Mr Lestrange or someone like him were to win and decide all the women in the Ministry not working as secretaries were surplus to requirement.”

(OOC: I know that OOC she can’t be sacked for being a woman but I think it’s a reasonable concern for her to have IC.)

  

[Trey Gamp]

Trey himself was not one who usually felt bad about women working, as long as they were of a reasonable age, had done their part of being a wife and a mother. And Morwenna fitted both. Besides, she was a good worker - reason number one why she was the head of the beasts division. "You are very welcome." he said with a polite smile. Personally he was quite safe in his situation no matter what happened, but he had also worked for it, and there was not exactly anything anyone could have against him.

When she spoke her concern, he looked at her with no wonder in his eyes. It was not like it made much of a surprise. "I see - Well, if I have any say in it, then you will continue working as the head of the beasts division." he said calmly. "Mrs. Skeeter, you are of an age where your children can have children, you are a widow and as such you have no income, which makes your work here as reasonable as any men who wishes to look after a family." he said calmly.

"You are a good worker, and if they try to find a reason you should not be working, then I will work very hard to find even more reasons for you to stay." he said. She would have him in the back - there was no doubt about that.