MMillicent nodded as Chrysanthe introduced herself, standing rather properly with her hands behind her back. Her face took on a confused expression as Chrysanthe asked what it was like to grow up on campus. She didn’t know what it was like to live anywhere else, of course. She was too young. The question seemed very silly to her. She was about to speak up when Baz answered for both of them.
“I imagine it’s roughly the same as any other city,” he said, “though it does get much quieter around the holidays, with so many people and students who don’t live here heading home to their families.”
“There aren’t as many people to play with in the winter,” Millie said, nodding.
Baz chuckled, leaning down to unlace his boots and set them by the door. “You can take off your shoes and hang your coat up if you want, Chrys,” he said absently, before turning to his sister again. “Who else is home?”
Millie’s brow furrowed. “Only me and Daddy,” she said, “Georgie went off with her friends, and Mummy had errands to run. Oh, and, I guess Bess is in the kitchen.”
Baz nodded. Bess Thatcher was the family’s fastidious human housekeeper. She had been employed by the family as long as Baz could remember, and did most of the cooking and cleaning. He and Georgie had made life hard for her as children, Georgie especially, but she had always been a kindly woman.
“Dad’ll be in his study, then,” Baz said, “Millie, can you go tell Bess there’ll be two more for lunch?”
Millie nodded and headed off further into the house, which was largely quite quiet, as was expected when there were only three people in it before Baz and Chrysanthe had arrived. Baz set his bag on a shelf by the door and took off his coat, hanging it on a nearby hook. Once he was finished, he turned to Chrysanthe again.
“While we’re waiting for lunch, would you like to meet my father?” he asked.