AN: I wrote this really quickly and haven't proof read it or beta'd it or anything, and its almost 4am so I'm just going to post and hope its okay.
It was a two man job to get the Inspector up the stairs and to one of the spare bedrooms. Phryne followed Mr Butler and her father anxiously as they did so, and opened the door for them, pushing back the duvet and helping them arrange him on the bed.
"Well, if that's all Phryne I might follow suit and nod off myself." Her father smiled, "Goodnight."
He beamed at her, and Phryne nodded, not tearing her gaze from Jack. There was something wrong, he was upset, and clearly he had the wrong idea about her house guest. They needed to talk about it, she needed to explain.
"Thank you, father." She murmured absently, "Goodnight."
The cheerful man left, and Phryne sighed.
She moved forward to wear Jack lay on the bed, and began untying the laces of his shoes. She removed them one by one, followed by his socks, then paused. It would be a shame for him to crush his suit by sleeping in it.
"Shall I find the Inspector some pyjamas, Miss?" Mr Butler asked her.
Phryne looked up at that. The older man showed no hint of amusement on his face, just a kind smile, waiting for an answer to his simple and honest suggestion.
"Yes, thank you Mr Butler."
He nodded and left. Phryne turned back to Jack. He looked remarkably handsome, so beautiful. She wished things had gone right, that her father had never come here, to her. That he'd stayed at the Windsor. Perhaps then she'd be tucking Jack into bed in a whole different way.
Sighing again, Phryne gave in and began to prepare Jack for a more peaceful rest.
She sat on the edge of the bed as she worked, pulling awkwardly at the sleeves of Jack's jacket, pulling on his shoulders in turn, lifting him up enough to slip the garment off. She repeated the process for his waistcoat, then unclasped his suspenders and set them all aside.
Next she removed his tie -a choking hazard of course- and undid the top few buttons of his shirt, and the two on each cuff at his wrists.
But Mr Butler was bringing pyjamas, Jack surely wouldn't want her staff to undress him, perhaps she should... It was a good crisp shirt in any way, and he would get it in such a state if she left him like this. Weighing her options Phryne peered out the open doorway into the hall, then gave in. Carefully and slowly, as if he might stir and wake at any moment, she began to undo the rest of his buttons.
She reached the bottom of the shirt, and tugged it free from his trousers, then slowly worked the item over each shoulder. But the shirt was tighter than the jacket or waist coat, and Phryne had to pull him up into a slumping sitting position by his hands, propping him up in the only way she could; against her own body.
His head lolled over her shoulder, and she tried not to touch him too much as she pulled the shirt down each of his arms.
Casting it carelessly aside Phryne now faced how to get him back to lie against the pillows.
Hesitantly her hands came to rest on his bare, naked back. She swallowed. Carefully she pushed herself forward, nudging him back into her arms. But his dead weight was too much for her grasp and he slipped through her fingers, hitting the mattress with a bouncing thump.
Phryne winced to herself.
"Here we are Miss." Mr Butler said, returning to the room with a folded pair of blue pyjamas over one arm.
"Thank you Mr Butler." Phryne smiled, and she stood from the bed, "I've done what I can to help."
"I can take it from here, Miss." Mr Butler smiled.
Phryne nodded, ducking quickly from the room and closing the door.
She took herself to her own room, stripping from the dress Jack hadn't even had the chance to properly appreciate. Changing into pyjamas of her own, Phryne wiped her face clean and removed her jewellery. It was late, far later than she'd intended, and she hoped to sleep away the unease that had formed in her chest since her father's arrival.
Pulling on a robe however, she padded barefoot back down the hall in time to see Mr Butler stepping from Jack's guest room. He wished her a goodnight and left down the stairs, and quietly Phryne watching him go.
When she heard glasses being collected from the parlour she moved, slipping into Jack's room.
It was dark, but moonlight floated in through the window. Jack lay still fast asleep, the duvet pulled over his pyjama clad body.
Quickly Phryne stepped across the room and sat down once again on the edge of the bed.
"I'm sorry, Jack." she whispered, reaching a hand to run through his hair and caress his sore head. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting, I didn't intend to give the impression that I would-"
Sighing sadly, Phryne traced her fingers down the side of his face, over his cheek and along his jaw.
"I will make this better." she said softly, "In the morning."
And with that she bent over him and pressed her lips softly to his forehead.
She stood and walked carefully through the dark back to the door. As she opened it, she turned back and whispered quietly. "Sweet dreams, Inspector."