AN: This is a sequel to my fic Star-Crossed. You should really read that first.
Also, this story comes to you in a collection of short snapshots, one for each episode of series 1.
The fic title comes from the song There's A Long Long Trail a Winding, which Phryne, Cec and the doctor sing in series three. I felt that as a popular war time song, and considering the lyrics, if fit quite well.
PROLOGUE
At twenty-eight years old, Phryne had seen and done a lot more than she ever would have imagined. She'd travelled the continent, made friends, lovers, perhaps a minor enemy or two. She'd learnt Turkish and Russian, and even dabbled in a bit of Chinese. Overall she'd spent a good portion of her time dancing and drinking and enjoying life in any way that she could, though it meant she had numerous fights with her father.
Eventually their arguments, his drinking and gambling, the endless attempts to marry her to the richest most titled man available, became too much and she left England hoping to leave her family as far behind her as she could.
She arrived in Melbourne to the welcome of her old friend, one Doctor Elizabeth Macmillan, but her celebration of leaving her family to dust was quickly cut short by the sharp reminder of her aunt's residence in the city.
The last time she had seen Prudence Stanley had been the departure of Lord and Lady Fisher from Australia. Phryne had been dressed in the best of Melbourne's fine wear for young ladies and hugged terribly close to her abrupt aunt's bosom before she boarded ship. Uncomfortable in her new and all too pristine clothes, angry at leaving her home and despondent at abandoning the place that held the memories of her lost sister, Phryne had slumped her face to her hand, leaning un-ladylike over the railing of the ship as her mother proudly waved to her sister and they left for England.
Hoping the years since the war had modernised her aunt somewhat, Phryne arrived by invitation to the Lydia Andrews house and was immediately saved from a no doubt tedious luncheon event by the apparent murder of poor Lydia's husband.
And it was there that it all started.