This is the start of the Phrack prompt: "Phryne and Jack are in a relationship but no one knows. Then they for some reason need to pretend to be in a relationship but not undercover. Sort of a Victor/Victoria type situation. Together, pretending to be single, pretending to be in a relationship. The more convoluted the better."
(Thanks SJM for pointing out the error in the summary, completely missed that. I had s3e1, but s3e3 is correct.)
Chapter 2
"Phryne! It's awful," Aunt Prudence exclaimed, "Philippa's gone and her room is a mess! And Diadem..."
"What about the other horses?" Phryne asked.
"I don't know… the veterinarian is coming. Is your Inspector?"
Phryne paused before answering, "Yes, he'll… be here shortly."
"Would he agree to stay?"
"Stay? Why?"
"What If someone broke in and took Philippa… or was already here?" Prudence clutched at her throat, "I'd feel safer with him here."
"I can ask him. I can stay, too. It might be better if we could both be here to investigate."
"Oh… that could be… unseemly," Prudence hesitated, "Lord Klempton is here."
"Horace?" Phryne hated interacting with Horace Jones-Bailey, Earl of Klempton, he was terribly well connected and he had an annoying habit of proposing.
Prudence mused, "Perhaps if we told my guests you are engaged to the Inspector… "
"Absolutely not."
Prudence eyed her niece archly, "It's the only way I can have you both stay here."
Phryne was skeptical, "I'm not sure Jack will..."
"Try to convince him… I would feel better if you were both here."
Phryne did see some sense in it. She also saw some opportunity to catch up on their previous… conversation. And an excuse to put off Lord Klempton.
"Inspector! I'm so glad you're here," Aunt Prudence greeted Phryne's unwitting 'fiancé'.
"Mrs. Stanley," Jack turned to Phryne, eyes twinkling, "Miss Fisher."
"Jack! We've just gotten engaged."
"Sorry?" Jack twinkling eyes dulled to deeply confused.
"We're engaged. You and I."
"We're… you… I… what?" Jack's confidence transformed into befuddlement.
Prudence leveraged herself awkwardly off the settee. "I'll have Mrs. Chamberlain set up some rooms."
Phryne sashayed up to Jack, placing her hands on his lapels.
"Engaged, Miss Fisher? I wanted to move our partnership forward, but this seems a bit fast, even for you."
"Aunt P asked us to stay here… but conditionally."
"Really?"
"Completely her idea," Phryne said, "I can understand if you don't… mmmm." His hands were in her hair and he was kissing her again. Her objections to this ridiculous plan started to melt from the heat of his lips.
He pulled back, "You didn't tell her about us?"
She shook her head, "I didn't," she looked down at her hands on his lapel, "You wanted to keep this private."
He brought her hands to his lips. "Where do you want to start?" he asked, planting knuckle kisses.
"I want to start with perfecting our cover story," she said, a playful glint in her eye, "But we should probably start with Lady Philippa's room."
"Good plan… darling."
Phryne shivered with a mixture fear and arousal, "Darling?"
"I-I'm sorry… I thought it would be better to use…"
"No… it's fine. A little unexpected…Darling."
He stroked his hand down her hair, "Let's go see about our crime scene."
"How romantic!" she responded truthfully, "I should warn you about your romantic rival."
"Ah…" confusion again, "an 'Old Friend'?"
"We were never friendly," she scrunched her nose, "Much to his chagrin. He has an unfortunate habit of proposing to me."
"Do you want me to be the 'jealous fiancé' or the 'oblivious-to-the-threat fiancé'?"
"Hmm. Let's start with the latter," Phryne said considering, "If necessary we can change to the former."
Lady Philippa's belongings were strewn about her room.
"Jack, look," Phryne spotted something near the foot of the bed, "fresh blood."
Jack crouched near her, "Not a lot."
"It looks as though something… or likely, someone… was dragged to the window." she continued.
"Where there's… more blood." he noted.
Phryne unlocked and opened the window.
"Is that a ladder?" Jack asked, squinting at the ground, "Evidently, Lady Philippa left the room via the window," he rumbled.
"If Lady Philippa was dragged out of the window and down the ladder," Phryne mused turning to him, "Who closed and locked the window?"
Phryne's nearness caused Jack's heart to thrum. "Excellent question, Miss Fisher."
She closed the small distance between them, closing her eyes and speaking against his lips, "I have several other questions, Inspector. Would you like me to ask them?"
"Here?" he returned, nuzzling her nose.
"We are engaged, darling," hands snaking into his jacket.
"At a crime scene?" hands finding her hips.
"Hmm.. how many crime scenes have I imagined contaminating with you?"
"Tell me more about your… imaginings," he pulled her hips against him. It seemed he meant to deepen their previous conversation, "later."
"Spoilsport," she nuzzled him back.
"Phryne? Phryne!" a booming voice broke up their amorous discussion.
Reflexively, Jack pulled away from Phryne. She held him fast. "Horace," she forced a smile.
Lord Klempton was unusually handsome. He was tall, muscularly built, jet-black hair, gleaming white teeth, and thick eyebrows over crystal blue eyes. He was impeccably dressed in a grey pinstripe suit. He looked like an American film star. In fact, Jack had trouble understanding how he and Phryne weren't "old friends."
"Pru told me you were engaged," Horace beamed, "Let me shake the hand of the man who finally broke this little filly."
And there it was.
That explained it.
Jack turned back to Phryne. Her nostrils were flaring, jaw clenching. He released Phryne, extending his hand to the oaf. "Jack Robinson. Pleasure to meet you, Lord Klempton."
"Please, Jack… Horace," he grinned, attempting to crush Jack's hand. The grin flickered when realizing Jack was matching his grip, "How'd you do it, mate?"
"Ah… we've worked together for some time," Jack answered honestly, "We've just… decided to make our partnership official."
The larger man affected a smile, darting eyes between the two detectives, "No, really?"
Enough, thought Phryne, "What are you doing in here, Horace?"
Horace puffed up, "I heard voices. Pru told us Phil was missing… thought I'd investigate. See if the kidnappers might return to the scene of the crime."
"Who said anything about kidnapping?" Phryne asked.
"Uh… well, Pru said she was missing. I figured with the threats…"
Jack narrowed his eyes, "What threats?"
"I thought Pru knew? Phil tried to sell Diadem. Said someone was threatening her to get out of the ponies."
"Were you tempted?" Phryne asked.
"That old nag? Not for that price," he scoffed, "worth more dead."
"Thank you. That was remarkably helpful," Phryne was genuinely surprised.
He nodded acknowledgement and turned to leave, "Well pulled, mate," he said to Jack, "Feel free to share."
"That ass," Phryne hissed as he left.
"You know I don't…" Jack started before Phryne placed a finger on his lips, her eyes softened.
"I know," tracing the bow of his lips, "I liked what you said… making our partnership official."
"It's true," he said soft and low, "Even if the engagement isn't."
"It is," she pressed her lips against his tentatively.
He let out a deep hum, "I could get used to this."
Phryne pulled back, "Jack? What do you want us to be?"
Jack furrowed his brow, "I-I don't know. I decided to pursue…I didn't expect to catch."
"I think," she said with uncharacteristic caution, "we should take things slowly."
"Are you sure?"
"Jack," cupping his face, "You are… my best friend. I want this partnership to grow. But… I can't lose you. Not again. I couldn't bear it."
Jack studied the floor. Phryne planted a kiss on his forehead.
"Until you know what you really want," Phryne continued, "And until I know what I really want…"
"We should proceed slowly," completed Jack, "this is very unlike you."
She smiled, "I'm not indifferent to your presence in my life. I'd like it to be more. Too often, connections end quickly. I don't want that for us."
"Phryne, I… " he hesitated, "have very strong feelings for you. I want to be with you."
"And I with you," Phryne said, "neither of us have the best history regarding relationships,"
He nodded, "What do you suggest? I'm not sure I can stop kissing you now that I've started."
She leaned in, capturing his lower lip—eliciting a groan, "I don't want to stop. I just want us to savor," she sucked at his lip, "every," her tongue darted out, tracing his top lip, "moment."
"I like the sound of that… what's next?"
"With us, or the case?"
