AN: This is kind of an alternative to series three. I started writing it last year and it's taken until now to be finished, beta'd and proof read by me. In this story Phryne and Jack got together some time after Christmas in July.
I'd like to give a huge thank you to the friends that helped me along the way. Sam, Megan, Anne and Gina. Thank you so much lovelies, you're the best.
Francis Hammond had been a happy man. He had a steadily growing glass business, a sweet and loving wife, and four children with another on the way. His work was enjoyable, his business partner a good friend, and with the new deal they were hoping to make in the morrow with a man from Sydney, everything would be looking up up up.
Unfortunately, Francis Hammond was currently looking down down down, his face pressed into the slightly dusty floorboards of his office floor. A foot stepped carefully around him, clad in a smart black shoe and avoiding the pool of blood by Hammond's side. The figure crouched and reached for Francis's wrist, holding it for a moment before lowering it back to the floor and standing.
By the time the footsteps retreated from the room, Francis Hammond was dead.
/ MONDAY - Sunrise /
Phryne Fisher woke with a small stir as the mattress dipped, her bed partner having sat up and pushed himself to his feet. She frowned, glancing at him under heavy lashes and watched as he pulled on pyjamas and a robe.
"Jack?" she asked. "What time is it?"
He turned in surprise to see her awake and smiled. "Far too early for you to consider getting up," he answered her.
"Then why are you?"
"I have work," he reached for her, brushing locks of her short black hair from her cheek. "Go back to sleep Phryne. I will see you for dinner tonight."
She nodded and her eyes fell easily shut once more, her mind drifting back to sleep. Jack smiled to himself, watching her as he tied his robe shut and found the slippers Phryne had bought him. He slipped from her room and made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Mr Butler already stood, placing the kettle on the stove while a pot of porridge bubbled.
"Good morning Inspector," the older man greeted him and Jack sat down, still somewhat unaccustomed to having Phryne's staff tend to him in the mornings.
"Good morning, Mr Butler."
It was very pleasant though to be able to read the paper as the kettle came to boil and his tea and breakfast were prepared for him. He ate relatively quickly, thanking Mr Butler then bidding Miss Williams a good morning as he passed her on the stairs.
Washing and shaving in Phryne's fine bathroom Jack then returned to her boudoir. She slept now diagonally across the bed, her face buried in his pillow rather than her own. Chuckling slightly Jack dressed in silence, sitting on the bed to pull on a pair of socks and his shoes before he turned to her once more and debated waking her for a parting kiss.
"I can feel you watching me," she mumbled.
Jack rolled his eyes, "I have to leave now."
"Oh," she rolled onto her back and stretched, her body contorting into angles Jack could barely fathom, before she relaxed and pushed herself up to sit. The bed sheets fell from her naked chest and she draped herself across Jack's back, her arms winding under his and around his stomach as she pressed her face to his shoulder. "You're coming to dinner again tonight?"
"Yes," he told her, lifting one of her hands to his lips and kissing her fingertips, "And what are your plans for the day?"
Phryne smiled, "I'll find something to keep me entertained, I'm sure. Now kiss me properly and be on your way Inspector, it wouldn't do for you to be late."
Jack laughed, but turned in her arms so he could kiss her fully. "Goodbye Phryne."
"Bye Jack."
He stood to leave and Phryne flopped back into the pillows with a grin, watching him go.
She didn't fall asleep again after he left, but lay in bed contented with her thoughts until Dot knocked gently on the door an hour later. The girl came in with a smile and drew the curtains open, wishing her a good morning.
"I'll take breakfast in the parlour I think today, Dot." Phryne told her.
"I'll let Mr Butler know Miss," Dorothy told her as she laid out Phryne's clothes for the day.
Phryne smiled, then pushed back the sheets and stood naked and unabashed. She took herself through washing and dressing then made her way downstairs and to the parlour where her breakfast and the paper were waiting for her.
Dot joined her for tea, doing her needlework silently by the window as Phryne perused the newspaper for things of interest.
"Well then Dot," Phryne said suddenly, folding the newspaper and casting it to one side, "What is on the agenda today?"
Dot looked up, "Nothing Miss, your luncheon with Mrs Wilkerson was cancelled when the Inspector arrested her son last week."
"So it was," Phryne frowned. "Well what say we have lunch out today, and then perhaps drop into that department store I've seen you eyeing off."
Dorothy blushed. "Sounds lovely, Miss."
"Excellent. Now, what's the time? Only eight o'clock? My, it is early. We may have to move our shopping to before lunch."
"Shall I get ready Miss?"
Phryne put down the coffee cup she was sipping from and shook her head, "Not just yet. Let's relax until a more manageable hour. I might find my book."
She stood, but the moment she did her plans were cut short. A knock at the door caught her interest and she stood still, nodding to Mr Butler as he stepped out from seemingly nowhere to answer it.
Out of Phryne's range of sight he opened the door with a polite smile. The man on its other side blinked at him curiously, a nervous smile of his own pulling at his lips.
"Is this Phryne Fisher's residence?" Phryne heard him ask. His voice played with her memory, and she turned it over in her head, feeling something long hidden stirring from rest and piquing her curiosity.
"Yes, Mr…"
"Jack," the stranger said, "Just Jack, please." He continued, "Is she available? I'm afraid I haven't called ahead."
Mr Butler stepped aside to allow this strange man into the front entrance. He took his coat and lead him to the parlour door to announce the unexpected caller to his mistress.
"A visitor to see you, Miss Fisher."
"Thank you, Mr Butler." Phryne replied politely.
She was curious to see this visitor. The unknown man, Jack, whoever he was.
Mr Butler stepped aside, allowing the man to step past him and into the room. Immediately Phryne felt her whole body stop with shock. His eyes met hers and they simply stared at each other, both wordless as the blue looked into blue.
He was taller than her, his hair slicked back with oil. He stood straight, dressed in a well tailored suit but was barely concealing his nerves, twisting the brim of his hat between his fingers, only just stopping himself from rocking on the balls of his feet.
"Phryne," he said her name on a breath, and hesitantly he stepped forward. "My word."
She let him move closer, still frozen in her Louis heeled shoes, and he leant cautiously in to kiss her cheek. When he pulled back and stood straight once more, she let out a breath she hadn't been aware of holding. He just smiled at her, his face full of pure wonder as he drank in the sight.
From the window Dot peered away from her needlepoint, watching Miss Phryne as she stared silently at the man. Quickly she looked down again, finding her place in the embroidery and trying to focus hard on her stitches, and not the two people in the middle of the room.
Slowly Phryne opened her mouth, but there were no words to come to mind. All she could think to say came out strained and barely louder than a whisper.
"Orpheus?"
The corner of his mouth twitched in a hint of a smile, and he spoke once more, his voice now pulling memories firmly from doors she'd buried in the recesses of her mind.
"It has been a lifetime since anyone has called me that. I go by Jack, please," and ignoring her stunned silence he reached his hand to her cheek, tilting her face from side to side. "Oh, look at you, Phryne. You have grown so much."
"It's been sixteen years," she whispered stiffly, and he lowered his head slightly, closing his eyes.
"Yes," he sighed heavily and his hand fell from her face as he stepped back again, indicating the chair. "May I?"
"Orpheus," she said, ignoring his request. "What are you doing here?"
"In Melbourne? I had business, I made the trip from Sydney, arrived Saturday morning."
"No, what are you doing here?"
He straightened, "Well, like I say. I came to Melbourne on business, and I thought of you, Phryne. I've heard stories this last year, even in Sydney. I wanted… I wanted to see you."
Phryne frowned, "After all this time, Orpheus?"
"Yes."
She watched him carefully, taking care before speaking again.
"Mr Butler!"
"Yes, Miss," the man replied, appearing from the door in the corner with a kind smile.
"Another coffee please, and tea for our guest," as she finished her sentence she caught sight of the tray in her butler's arms, laden with tea and coffee. "Thank you, Mr B."
He smiled and silently lay the tray on the table, refilling her coffee before disappearing once more, task complete.
"Sit," Phryne said, taking her place in an armchair and watching as Orpheus sat on the matching chaise opposite. "Dot, why don't you join us?"
The girl looked up from her needlework in surprise, but placed it to one side and stood, collecting her teacup as she moved from her place by the window to the armchair mirroring Phryne's.
"Orpheus, meet my companion and friend, Miss Dorothy Williams," she began. "Dot this is Orpheus."
He smiled kindly at Dot and took her hand to shake, Phryne's simplistic and vague introduction not unmissed. "I prefer Jack. Jack Fisher," he said with an amused twinkle in his eye. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Williams."
Dot's eyes widened and she looked between the man and her Miss Fisher with confusion hidden poorly on her kind face.
Phryne rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Orpheus," she said, stressing the name, "is my brother."