"Can I help you madam?" asked Jack hesitantly. Standing in front of him on the corner of a busy street was a very lost looking women, holding a large brown suitcase and a magnificent hat. She smiled at Jack gratefully "Oh, thank goodness. I need to get to St. Kilda, and I haven't the faintest idea which way to go. I'm heading for the Esplanade," she explain, and handed Jack her suitcase. "If you'd be so kind," she added, and climbed into the passenger's seat of the Inspector's car.
Jack, who had spent the day investigating a murder in the city, gave the woman a baffled look before placing her bag into the backseat and climbing in behind the wheel. He had merely thought of giving her directions, but it seemed that fate had thrown them together.
"I've just arrived from England," said the women as the car started with a whoosh.
"Staying here for good?" asked Jack, conversation-like.
The women shook her head. "No, I'm visiting a relative," she replied. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. A smartly dressed women, he thought to himself. She didn't look very young, although her personality seemed youthful enough. She caught him looking at her and gave him a smile that made almost made Jack fall out of his seat. Jack Robinson had seen that smile before. He looked away quickly, focusing on the road. "If you don't mind me asking madam, but what is your name?" asked Jack as politely as he could.
The women chuckled. "Not at all young man. My name is Fisher, Amelia Fisher. I've come from England to visit my daughter."
Jack nodded and cleared his throat. "Of course you have."
"That's perfect, Dot! Brilliant! You have such an eye for this sort of thing," commented Phryne brightly, twirling in her dress. Dot smiled. She stood back to allow her mistress to inspect her outfit. It was a deep shade of blue, with a shimmering silver hem and matching hairpiece to set it off. Unfortunately, Phryne had managed to tear the hem whilst dancing with a rather clumsy young man, and had sworn so loudly that she feared she would get herself thrown out of the dance hall.
Dot smiled. "You can't even see the tear," she remarked, proud of her own work.
"It's wonderful, thank you Dot. Now, I must get down the police station, Jack said something about a murder in the city, he went to investigate it today and should be back by now," said Phryne and went to get up.
"Surely you aren't going in that," exclaimed Dot.
Phryne did a quick spin, showing off her dress in the full-length mirror. "I could you know, I really could… but no, I think I'll wear something a little less… startling," sighed Phryne, and reluctantly took off her dress, re-dressing in a simple but not too simple suit of floral with a smart black hat.
"Remember to be back by five," said Dot as Miss Fisher stepped out into the murky weather. She rolled her eyes and nodded. "How could I forget. Mother hates people who aren't on time. Well, I'll be back by five then. Toodle pip," said Phryne and sashayed out to her car, heading for City South Police Station. Her mother had called out of the blue the previous week, asking to come and visit.
"Phryne, I haven't spoken to you in over a year, apart from that brief call at Christmas. I'm coming over," said the shrill voice, and Phryne hadn't even had time to sigh before her mother's ticket to Australia was booked.
She briefly contemplated going into hiding.
Phryne drove with the roof up, annoyed at the sudden change in weather. It had been such a nice day until just now. "Damn Melbourne weather," muttered Phryne. She pulled up outside the police station and made her way inside quickly, as the sky looked a bit too full for her liking.
"Afternoon Hugh, lovely weather," said Phryne sarcastically.
Hugh nodded and gave a laugh after a few seconds. He wasn't all that accustomed to sarcasm, and frankly did not see the point of it. "The Inspector isn't back yet miss," he called as Phryne went to enter the office.
"That's okay, I'll wait for him in here," said Phryne, and was about to turn the doorknob when Hugh piped up again.
"Wait! There's uh, someone already waiting in there," said Hugh quickly.
Phryne narrowed her eyes. "Who?"
"I think it might be his mother, Miss Fisher."
Phryne sighed. "Yes, well. It is nearly mother's day. I'll introduce myself shall I?" smiled Phryne sweetly, and entered before Hugh could say anything else.
"Jack?" said a women, turning as the door opened.
Phryne smiled. "Mrs. Robinson? I'm Phryne Fisher, it's nice to meet you," said Phryne, and held out a gloved hand.
Mrs. Robinson took it warmly, standing up to give Phryne a thorough glance.
"My, you're quite stunning dear," commented Mrs. Robinson. "Jack never told me about any women he was seeing."
Phryne's eyes widened. "Oh no, I'm not, Jack's not my… we're just friends," said Phryne quickly, and sat down in the Inspector's seat.
Mrs. Robinson raised her eyebrows. She was a fairly old looking women, dressed in a becoming shade of green. She had Jack's eyes, Phryne noticed, and her smile was kind.
"Oh, well… there you go. But, if Jack were ever to find another women, I'd be very pleased if I heard you were her," said Mrs. Robinson, leaning back in her chair.
Phryne smiled awkwardly. "You have a very wonderful son," she replied tactfully.
"Thank you my dear," said the older women proudly. "He is a sweetheart."
It was at that moment that Jack entered the police station with Phryne's mother, explaining to her that Phryne Fisher was not home, and was in fact, due to meet him at the station at any moment.
"I heard that she had become some sort of lady detective," said Mrs. Fisher, looking around the station with an interested air. "But I didn't think she was being serious, to be honest."
Jack sighed. "Oh, she was serious all right."
He led Phryne's mother through to his office, passing Hugh on the way. "Ah, Collins, allow me to introduce Mrs. Amelia Fisher, also known as Miss Fisher's mother," said Jack, noticing Hugh's change of expression. Hugh cleared his throat and hid a small smile.
"Funny you should bring her here, sir, because I think you'll find that Miss Fisher and your own mother have become quite good friends while you've been gone."
Jack looked at the closed door and listened. He heard a soft laughter coming from within his office and frowned. "Oh, well uh, that's… nice. Come along Mrs. Fisher, I think Phryne- I mean, your daughter is here already," said Jack, and lead a very confused women into his office, pausing as he opened the door.
"Ah, Jack," smiled Phryne. "And, oh golly, hello mother," said a startled Phryne. She stood up rather quickly.
"Hello dear," replied Phryne's mother, surveying her daughter. "You haven't changed a bit, you know that don't you," she said without smiling.
Phryne raised her eyebrows. "I should hope not. I see you've met Jack."
Jack nodded. It had suddenly become very crowded in his small office. He bent down to give his mother a kiss on the cheek.
"Well, what a coincidence that we are all here," said Mrs. Fisher brightly, and looked over at Phryne, narrowing her eyes. "You never told me you were seeing a policeman, my girl," she said accusingly.
Phryne sighed and yet again found herself explaining that she was not seeing Jack, and that they were merely solving investigations together.
"Well, I think you would make a very attractive couple," commented Jack's mother, and winked at Phryne's mother, who grinned.
"Oh yes, very attractive," she smiled.
Phryne and Jack exchanged an awkward look. "Well, this has been most enlightening but we better get going," said Phryne quickly and went to leave the office, taking her mother by the arm. "Perhaps we can discuss the murder case another time inspector, when we aren't being cross examined by our mothers?" she asked, lowering her voice.
Jack nodded. "I think that would be best. I'll call later tonight," he said, holding the door open.
"Nonsense," piped up Mrs. Robinson eagerly. "Why don't we all go out for dinner? I'd love to get to know your friend a little better, Jack dear."
Phryne's mother nodded. "Oh, what a splendid suggestion!" she smiled.
Jack gave Phryne an apologetic look and nodded reluctantly. "Well, I suppose that would be okay," he shrugged, and Phryne nodded slowly.
"I don't see why not."
"Wonderful. How about the Windsor, tonight at eight?" suggested Jack's mother excitedly.
"It's a date!" grinned Mrs. Fisher, and was dragged out of the office by her daughter, who was rapidly realizing why she had left England in the first place.
"See you tonight Jack!" called Phryne over her shoulder. "And lord help us all."
Jack shut the door and leaned against it, closing his eyes. When he opened them, he found his mother looking at him with the most peculiar expression on her face.
"What?" he asked.
"Oh Jack, I like her a lot better than Rosie," grinned his mother. "She's a live wire!"
Jack didn't reply, but took a seat at his desk.
"Come on dear, you can't be around someone like that and not think about… I don't know, asked her to marry you maybe? You seem close enough."
Jack shuffled some papers on his desk. "Did you get here alright?" he asked.
Mrs. Robinson sighed. "Yes." She replied, and retired defeated.
After seeing all there was to see about her daughter's house, meeting and thoroughly approving of Dot and Mr. Butler, ("Perhaps they'll knock some sense into you my dear"), she took a seat in the palour, a cup of tea in her hand and one of Mr. Butler's very special biscuits in the other.
"Well Phryne, you certainly have some life here. Have I met everyone?" she asked.
Phryne smiled and bit into her biscuit. Due to Phryne's reluctance to contacting her mother, she had neglected to mention that fact that she had adopted Jane, and was growing increasingly aware that she probably should have told her mother by now. Jane, as it happened, was at a school play rehearsal for the night, and had yet to be acquainted with Mrs. Fisher.
"Uh, nearly," said Phryne through a mouthful of biscuit.
"Nearly?" repeated her mother, raising her eyebrows. "Don't talk with your mouthful, Phryne, it's terribly unlady-like."
Phryne swallowed and took gulp of her tea. "You haven't met Jane yet, she's at a school event for the night," said Phryne, not looking her mother in the eye.
"What are you going on about? And who is Jane?" asked her mother sternly.
Phryne took another biscuit. "She's my… daughter," began Phryne, "well not my real daughter of course," Phryne went on as her mother gasped. "I adopted her."
Phryne's mother blinked. "You adopted a girl and didn't tell me about it?"
"It sort of just happened out of the blue," explained Phryne quickly. "You'll like her, really, she's smart and I think she's going to go a long way."
Mrs. Fisher pursed her lips. "We'll see about that," she said quietly. "Jane."
Phryne realized the connection of names between Jane and her late sister, and cleared her throat quickly. They sat in silence for a moment whilst Mrs. Fisher finished her biscuit.
"And about this Inspector friend of yours," said Mrs. Fisher suddenly.
"What about him?"
"Phryne darling, your father and I do wish you'd consider marriage, and Jack is such a sweet boy, he spoke very highly of you in the car… don't you ever wonder about becoming his wife?"
Phryne slumped back in her chair. "No," she replied.
"Do you think he has ever considered it?" pressed on Mrs. Fisher.
"I don't know, mother, I really don't" she said, and stood up. "I think I'll go and get dressed now."
Mrs. Fisher watched her daughter go and shook her head. "You always were difficult."
"Phryne, really, REALLY YOU MUST SLOW DOWN!" cried Mrs. Fisher, clutching onto her handbag tightly as Phryne maneuvered the car with great and efficient speed all the way to the Windsor hotel. "How you've managed to avoid hitting someone," grumbled Mrs. Fisher.
"I'm an excellent driver," said Phryne simply. She stepped out of the car gracefully, waving at Jack who had just arrived with his mother.
"I'm sure your Inspector friend wouldn't approve of such driving," commented Phryne's mother teasingly.
Phryne rolled her eyes and sighed. "Please stop talking about Jack as if he is something of a love interest, it's most tiresome," she said, and hurried to join Jack.
"Inspector, Mrs. Robinson, how lovely to see you," Phryne greeted them warmly.
Jack sucked in a breath as he took in Phryne's dress. It was the same one Dot had mended that day, and fitted Phryne like a new glove. Her eyes were twinkling and her smile was inviting.
"Hello," said Mrs. Robinson, and hung back as Phryne and Jack made their way into the hotel, arm in arm, oblivious to the image they were inadvertently creating.
"Good evening, Mrs. Fisher," said Mrs. Robinson.
"Please, call me Amelia," said Amelia Fisher, waving a dismissive hand.
"Oh, thank you. You can call me Martha," replied Martha Robinson with a smile.
"What do you think of our children then, Amelia?" asked Martha.
"They're quite a pair! Your son is divine, a lovely man, but I'm afraid my daughter doesn't quite meet the requirements of a lady," sighed Amelia Fisher heavily. "I mean, for one thing, I turn up here, and she tells me that she now has a daughter, and I had no idea at all!" she cried.
"A daughter?"
"Adopted, naturally, but strange all the same. Anyway, I shall meet this 'Jane' girl tomorrow. In the mean time, it seems that destiny has sent us here tonight, Martha," whispered Amelia.
"Destiny?" repeated Martha Robinson, slightly startled.
"Our children," began Amelia, "are meant to be together, don't you see it?" said Amelia, as the two mothers began to walk towards the Windsor's front doors.
"Of course!" replied Martha quickly. "Are you suggesting that we… perhaps, give their relationship a little shove along?"
"Precisely."
Martha grinned. "They may think us old women, but a mother knows best!"
Amelia laughed.
It was a trying dinner. Amelia Fisher and Martha Robinson had, as they later described as harmless fun that revolved around a serious issue.
Jack had, what he later described to his Constable as "A difficult night."
"How so, sir?" asked Hugh Collins the next morning.
"Well, the whole point of the dinner was for Miss Fisher and I to discuss the city murder, but we hardly got to talking about it at all. I couldn't help but get the feeling that our mothers were trying to… set us up… as it were."
"Set you and Miss Fisher up together?" frowned Hugh.
Jack nodded. "In fact, they were."
Phryne had never been so angry in her whole life. Gritting her teeth together, she found herself staring at her plate for half the night, not daring to look Jack in the eye as the two mothers ventured off into the topic of marriage, and society's disapproval of unwed mothers.
"How do you and Jane get along, Inspector?" asked Amelia Fisher of Jack as the main courses were served up. Jack smiled upon his steak hungrily before answering.
"I- uh, Jane? Well I suppose I get on well with her, nice girl," said Jack, cutting into his steak. "Miss Fisher rescued her from a dodgy boarding house and a hypnotist… I didn't approve of her at first, you see I thought she'd stolen some jewels from this lady who we found hanging from the water tank, but I was wrong," said Jack.
"Hanging from a water tank?" repeated Amelia.
"It was one of our first cases, Phryne and I together," said Jack.
"Interesting," nodded Martha.
"Not Really. Now, Miss Fisher, the city victim. I suspect he had been drinking the night before-" begun Jack, before he was yet again cut off by his mother.
"Doesn't Phryne look pretty tonight, Jack?" asked his mother.
Phryne blushed, something she rarely did, and began on her fish.
Jack looked up briefly. "Yes, a very nice- I mean lovely dress," stammered Jack.
Phryne smiled appreciatively "Any firm suspects, Inspector?" she asked.
Jack went to reply just as Phryne's mother let out a delighted squeal.
"Oh this salmon is divine! You can never go wrong with salmon," she said putting a piece into her mouth and closing her eyes. "Perfect."
"I seem to remember coming to Jack's for lunch once," began Jack's mother, "and Rosie had attempted to cook salmon. It was burnt to a cinder! We ended up having boiled vegetables and soup instead."
Amelia let out a hearty laugh. "Oh dear me! A woman should always know how to cook, especially if she has a husband to care for."
"Do you cook, Miss Fisher?" asked Jack's mother of Phryne.
"Not really something I pride myself in," Phryne replied. Her mother sighed.
"Please don't talk with food in your mouth dear! That's the second time today. Honestly, sometimes I feel as if she's twelve all over again," whispered Amelia to Martha., who laughed in reply.
Phryne closed her eyes before giving Jack a sorrowful look. It was a long night.
But it was as they were driving home that Phryne found herself digging her fingernails into the steering wheel.
"It is terribly uncouth of you to go around the way you do, solving murder cases, flirting with policemen, adopting strange young girls. Do you realize how ridiculous you are being? Phryne? Are you listening to me?"
Phryne rolled her eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. "Mother, please, that's enough."
"No, you must listen to me. I want you married. Your father is still furious that you left England for good! He's extremely disappointed in you, and people have been asking questions!"
"So, let them ask," replied Phryne coolly.
"And how exactly am I supposed to answer them? Do I tell them that my daughter is has become a wild, reckless women who won't even listen to her own mother? Is that what I am to tell them?" asked Amelia Fisher angrily.
"You may tell them what you like. And actually, I am listening to you," sighed Phryne, pulling the car up outside her house. All she wanted was to get inside and indulge whole-heartedly in a stiff drink.
"So you never got around to the murder case then?" asked Hugh of Jack the following morning. Jack sighed and shook his head
"I might pop around to Miss Fisher's now, actually," he said, and took up his hat. "Be back soon," he called over his shoulder, and went out to the car.
"Wait sir, sorry sir, I had a call from the Chief Inspector in charge of the case, and it's been solved sir… a drunken accident," said Hugh, reading from his notebook.
Jack paused. "Oh, well, I guess that's over then. But… I still think I ought to go and see Miss Fisher, it was rather an awful night," he said, and left the station in a hurry.
The weather, to his relief, had cleared up remarkably. Unfortunately he couldn't say the same for the tension in the Fisher household, as an anxious Mr. Butler greeted him at the door.
"Inspector!" he said, trying to sound normal. "It's a bit, uh, wild here at the moment."
Jack nodded. He could see that. Dot was coming down the stairs holding Jane by the hand, tugging her along as there was raised voices from above.
Jack blinked. "Is everything alright?" he asked, as Dot acknowledged his presence with a half-hearted smile.
"It seems that now is not the best time for introductions," sighed Jane, and went into the palour. "I wanted to say hello to Miss Phryne's mother, but they haven't stopped yelling at each other all morning."
Jack stood in the front hall awkwardly, facing Dot. "What are they fighting about?"
Dot put her hands on her hips and looked up the stairs. "You."
Jack shuffled uncomfortably. "Me? Me- why me?" he stammered, his face creasing into a confused frown. Dot snorted and shook her head. "Miss Phryne's mother has the two of you half way up the isle. But you know our Miss Fisher… she'll fight marriage to the hilt, to the hilt I'm telling you. And that mother of hers…"
Jack nodded. He knew well enough. Thinking it was best to go, he turned, just as there was a loud bang of a door slamming, and Phryne came soaring down the stairs, hastily dressed in a robe and pink nightgown. Her feet were bare, and he hardly had time to open his mouth before she flew past him, out the door and into the street where her car was conveniently parked.
Dot, Mr. Butler and Jack exchanged a worried glance before another, much calmer, pair of footsteps graced their ears, and Phryne's mother strode down the stairs, looking disheveled but pleased.
"Jack! What a fine morning it is," said Mrs. Fisher, and smiled as Dot approached her at the bottom of the stairs. "Is everything okay?" asked Dot hesitantly.
Amelia Fisher raised her eyebrows at Dot. "Why, should something be wrong?" she asked, and suddenly her eyes widened as Jane appeared in the doorway of the palour.
"And you must be Jane! At last," she said, and reached out to greet her.
Jane smiled uncomfortably, and accepted the vicious hug reluctantly.
Jack watched on for a moment, before turning to Dot. "I'd better go after her," he said in a low voice, and Dot nodded. "Thank you."
Jack took his leave a quickly as he could, and half walked, half ran out onto the street. The great red car had pulled away from the curb already, and Jack swore silently before getting into his own small car. Where could she have gotten to?
As Jack Robinson drove carefully down the street, muttering about the inconsiderate traits of mothers, he noticed to his great relief, a hastily parked Hispano Suiza by the edge of the road that lead onto the beach. Sighing, he pulled over and stepped out, the sound of rushing waves greeting his ears.
The path down to the beach of somewhat graveled, and he wished he had brought Phryne a pair of shoes at least.
As his shoes touched the welcoming sand, he strained his eyes and looked around. It was too early in the morning and too cold for the beach to be populated, and it wasn't hard to spot Phryne, sitting in a ball in the middle of the sand. He looked at her with a sympathetic expression and made his way over, coming up behind her small figure.
"Lovely day," he commented, and she turned quickly.
"Oh, it's you."
"Could you be less enthusiastic?" asked Jack, and sat down beside her, surprised when she leaned on him comfortingly, and he found himself putting a strong arm around her as the wind rushed past them.
"I must apologize for my mother," said Jack. "She had no right to behave the way she did last night."
Phryne sighed. "The only reason your lovely mother acted like that was because my mother put ideas in her head, so I think I should be the one apologizing."
Jack laughed. "You know what? I don't think either of us should apologize, what do you think?" asked Jack.
Phryne wriggled her toes in the sand and smiled. "I like that. Oh I've just had the most awful morning. My mother does not understand me at all," she sighed.
Jack nodded. "They can get like that, can't they? It's almost like being thirteen all over again," he laughed, remembering how is mother would scold him for crashing his bike, or yell at him for not coming back in time for dinner.
"Phryne?"
"Mhmm?"
"I just want you to know," said Jack hesitantly. "Even- even if I'm not your husband, I'll always be here for you, as your friend, and as your favourite policeman."
He felt Phryne soften in his embrace, and she turned a smiling face up at him. Before he could protest, not that he would have if the chance had arisen, she pressed her soft lips up against his, just for a moment, then drew away again with a happy sigh.
"Thank you Jack. But I don't know where you got this idea from that you are my favourite policeman… I'm terribly fond of Hugh you know."
Jack snorted. "Well, Collins is a good young lad, a little naïve perhaps. But I'll settle for being your second favourite."
He felt her sigh and shake her head. "You don't have to, Jack. You'll always be number one in my books, always."
Jack kissed the top of her head and smiled into the rumbling waves of the sea.
"Do you think you should go back now?" Jack asked her after a while.
Phryne groaned and pulled out his embrace, stretching her back. "I suppose so. Though I dread to think what's going to happen when I get home," she said, standing up and brushing the sand off her. "And we've yet to investigate the city murder," she reminded him.
"It's been solved," replied Jack.
Phryne looked at him. "So you were at my house this morning because…"
Jack blushed and Phryne grinned at him, slipping her arm through his as they made their way back to the cars.
"Well, I better get back to the station," said Jack, pointing to his own car.
"Of course," said Phryne quickly. "Unless you want to come back for a cup of tea."
Jack opened his mouth to reply, but shut it and shook his head instead. "Wish I could, but I can't leave Collins alone for too long," he said after a while.
Phryne smiled. "Well, perhaps another time then."
"Excellent," replied Jack.
With a parting smile, Phryne turned and headed back for her own car, feeling a whole lot better, and ready to face her mother, whatever she had to say. As she hurried, bare foot towards her car, Miss Fisher wasn't even surprised when there was a tug on her sleeve, and she turned back finding herself in the policemen's arms again, wondering why she ever had to be anywhere else.
"Sorry, I just had to," began Jack, before forgetting the rest and letting Phryne carry him away on a cloud of passion. Her skin tingled under his touch, and it was then that both Phryne and Jack decided that maybe their mothers did know best after all.