Chapter 3: Beech

Both, the Inspector and Jane looked up, when Miss Fisher wandered back into the kitchen, grabbing the cup with her now cold tea, without sitting down.

"Jack was just telling me about the man who broke in, just to get a love poem back," her daughter informed her. Miss Fisher smiled. So, he was 'Jack' already. It was astounding, how quickly those two grew together, once their fondness for each other was officially allowed.

"Well, love does strange things to people," she said, locking her eyes with Jack. He smiled, melting away her concern that he might still be bothered about the whole story that had him spiralling into deep self-loathing. But, as she was proudly aware of, her love had indeed done strange things to him. It had soothed the deep wounds of his past, and by the warmth in his eyes, he was currently thinking exactly the same. He cleared his throat loudly and changed the subject.

"How is Mrs. Stanley?"

"Excited currently." Miss Fisher took another sip, trying to find the right words to break the news.

"I'm afraid she has it gotten into her head to come to Daylesford."

The Inspector seemed speechless for a moment.

"Please tell me you are kidding."

"You know me better than that, Jack. I never joke about Aunt P.'s attempts to get involved in any aspect of my personal life."

Phryne sat down, wondering if to cancel the whole trip. While she really did want to meet Jack's family, tensions would run high enough without Prudence Stanley wandering the hallways. Jane looked at both adults in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

Jack didn't take his eyes from Phryne while he answered.

"Your mother has talked me into joining a family reunion that I didn't want to go to. And now Mrs. Stanley has invited herself along."

"You actually have a family, Jack?"

DI Robinson's eyes flew to the girl at this.

"No offence, but you never mentioned them before. I always kind of thought you were alone..."

Jane trailed off, wondering if she had put her foot in it. Miss Fisher had trouble suppressing a giggle a the gobsmacked expression on the Inspector's face.

"See, Jack, you really have hidden them well. It is time that we find out who we are going to be related to in the near future."

While his forehead fell into creases at this, Detective-Inspector Robinson surrendered to the overwhelming evidence. So maybe it was time that he introduced his future wife and daughter to the rest of the clan.

"But, Mrs. Stanley...?"

He looked at Miss Fisher's face, who slowly shook her head.

"Too late for seconds thoughts. She will come, weather we want her to or not," she grinned, her red lips curling around the rim of her teacup, while she drained it.

"Welcome to the family, Jack."

X

Mr. Butler was not quite sure, why he had come here. It wasn't one of the times they usually met. In fact, their usual day had been yesterday and he had seen her only last night. Yet, when he had left the Fisher residence to shop for some special ingredients he needed to cook Miss Jane's favourite dinner tonight, he could not resist the temptation to swing by the State Library.

In truth, he knew exactly, why he had come. While Mrs. Riya Santi probably had better things to do today than concern herself with the return of a girl she had never laid eyes on in her life, he needed to tell her this. After all, she was Phryne's friend too and surely, she must be interested. Tobias Butler had convinced himself of this, when he took the last steps, lifting his finger to his hat towards the glass likeness of Williams Shakespeare and catching his breath for a second, before following the balcony to where he knew to find his lover. He hoped, he wasn't interrupting her too much in her painting. She had taken a liking to landscapes at the moment, but didn't seem quite satisfied with where it lead her. Mr. Butler saw her from afar, her bright red frock in quite a contrast to the white balustrade she had leaned her canvas against. She was standing at the moment, looking with a frown at a tree that didn't seem to suit her wants. He was about to call out, when he spotted the second person, standing behind her.

Mr. Butler's enthusiastic steps trailed off, as he watched the tall, dark haired stranger move closer to Riya and look a the canvas over her shoulder, saying something that caused her to break into laughter. They looked nice together, Mr. Butler found. The man was wearing a uniform, quite obviously of higher rank and as far as he could tell from here, he was rather handsome, with an immaculately trimmed beard and his full head of hair only lightly marbled with some grey. Something in Mr. Butler's chest froze at the sight. He realised that it was his heart. Part of him wanted to walk there and push in between those two, another part of him desired to run. But he just stood, silently, watching. Something rolling against his foot tore him from his dark thoughts. Only then he realised, that he had dropped his shopping bag, groceries spilling out of it onto the floor. With burning eyes he shoved the things back into the paper, then turned stiffly and left. Riya Santi and Admiral Winterbottom didn't notice that they had been watched. They were currently discussing the rather terrible turn the beech on the canvas had taken, since the artist had decided to add a squirrel to it.

"I really think, I might have to get out of here at some stage." Riya sighed, sinking onto her chair. "I have been in the city for too long, my spirit is drying up. It has forgotten what a landscape looks like."

The admiral leaned against the balustrade, looking at his old friend.

"You know I would take you to about any landscape you like, Mrs. Santi," he smiled.

The artist waved this comment off like a silly fly.

"Oh don't be ridiculous, Admiral. I don't need anyone to take me there. I am determined, I will have to find myself a landscape. A lush green forest, a beautifully lit lake, something amazing that touches my soul. It's starving in here with all the dust."

She stood, walking over to the balcony and staring down into the round hall.

"Books are amazing, poetic, wonderful. But they don't remember the trees they have come from. There is nothing like nature to really inspire."

The Admiral watched her, half confusion, half amusement on his features, as she babbled on about her longing for some fresh air and unfiltered sun on her face. The waterfall of words stopped suddenly, when the artist spotted something bright on the floor. With some confusion she picked up the round object, looking at the orange with a sense of dread.

X

"So, this is where you are hiding?"

Dorothy Collins almost dropped her rolling pin at the voice from her kitchen door. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Jane!"

Half laughing, half crying she wrapped the girl into her arms, covering her in flour.

"Dear God, when did you get back? Have you seen Miss Phryne yet? How was your travelling? Did you miss us?"

"Which question would you like me to answer first?" Jane grinned, dusting herself off.

"How are you? Besides taller and prettier?" Dot stated, looking at the girl. She realised with a start, how much she had missed having her around.

"Pretty good. It is a little strange to be here again. Things have changed."

Jane let her eyes openly wander over the Collins' small kitchen.

"So this is your own house, is it?"

"It is. It was our wedding present from Miss Fisher."

"Rather sneaky of her, keeping you around like that."

"Isn't it?" Dot stated, without hiding the pride about her little house that shared a wall with the Fisher residence, before returning to her dough. Jane watched her for a while beating up the ball of flour and butter.

"It's a shame I missed your wedding too."

Dorothy halted, a smile forming on her face at the fond memories.

"Yes, it was beautiful, Jane, you should have seen it. And neither of us knew at the time, that the Inspector had bought a ring just..." The maid clapped a hand in front of her mouth.

"It's alright, Dot, they told me already," Jane laughed.

"Oh." The maid blushed anyway, for good measure. "Well, then they probably shared all the details already. About how Doctor Mac noticed him being all secretive and thought he was having an affair with Amber Walters?"

"What? No, they didn't."

Dot wiped her hands onto her apron, leaning back against the kitchen counter, grinning.

"Well, she nearly ripped his head off at my wedding. Luckily the Inspector had the ring in his pocket to prove his innocence or we might have had a murder at our reception."

"It looks like I missed all the exciting things," Jane pouted, stealing a bit of dough.

Dorothy smiled sweetly at this.

"I'm sure you had just as exciting adventures in Europe. It must be so beautiful there."

Jane took this as an invitation to share some more of her worldly experience with her friend. She was finally home to tell the stories. It was even more exciting than travelling.

X

"Well, it's all settled," Phryne sighed, falling into the loveseat, where Jack Robinson was currently occupied with the paper, finding himself suddenly being used as a cushion.

"It was rather short notice on the villa, but luckily it was empty. I rather think, the owner was happy to have someone take it; it is the end of the season."

At this, Jack finally looked up from the news he had been studying.

"You are aware, we are only going to be there for a week and Uncle Walter does have a small estate there? When I say small I'm talking no more than ten guest rooms." He said, turning a page.

Miss Fisher snuggled her head deeper into his shoulder, glimpsing at his reading material, without finding anything of interest.

"I know, but it seemed rather rude to turn up at his house with my whole family. So we will stay in a guesthouse nearby. Of course, you can stay with your family, if you prefer, Inspector."

Jack turned another page, before answering.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

With a small grin he finally turned to his lover and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips. Despite still feeling rather worried about introducing Phryne and her chaotic clan to his family, he started to be overtaken by her giddy excitement.

"We only need to pack now, but I will get Mr. Butler to help you tonight," she stated nonchalantly, staring out the window, where they rain was slowly easing off.

"Tonight?!"

"Yes, Jack. We are leaving tomorrow. Didn't I mention that I want to spend some time in Daylesford? I think we really need a holiday."

"A holiday from leisure, Miss Fisher? I recall having done little more than loitering around in the parlour and on the rooftop those last few weeks."

There was little sincerity in the Inspectors protest. In fact, while he still dreaded too much time with his family, the prospect of frolicking through lavender fields and bathing in the Hepburn springs with Phryne seemed utterly tempting. But he was not going to share this insight just yet. There was too much fun to be had in being convinced.

"I believe, Inspector, you might have worn me out a little bit during those periods of leisure," Miss Fisher whispered into his thoughts with a red-lipped smile and leaned up to brush a kiss to his neck. Jack Robinson's eyes closed on their own accord. She knew exactly what buttons to push.

"Phryne." He said warningly, sounding a little hoarse. Her eyes were innocence itself, while her fingertips trailed along his thigh. He grasped her hand, stilling it.

"We might have to be a little more careful now, with Jane in the house."

"Oh, Jack. Don't be such a spoilsport," she protested, while removing her hand from his leg and his firm grasp. While she did not look forward to having to behave herself around Jack, he did have a point and it filled her with a certain satisfaction, that he worried about Jane's well being. She had been scared for a moment there this morning, but it seemed like the clouds had passed. The Inspector had simply decided to take fatherhood in his stride. She wondered briefly, if he enjoyed the idea of calling Jane his daughter. They had never actually talked about his wish to have a family, mostly because Miss Fisher was scared that she would discover, she could not make him happy in this department. But the tears she had spotted this morning had spoken a pretty clear language. Jack had given up about ever becoming a father, yet discovering he might have a daughter after all, even an almost grown up foster child, had touched him deeply. She could only hope that it would be enough.

Miss Fisher resurfaced to find Jack Robinson watching her with a fond smile.

"Where have you been off to?" he prodded gently, kissing her on the forehead.

"Daylesford." She lied convincingly. "Wondering if..."

Jack would never find out, just what she had been wondering about, as this very moment there was the sound of a key being forced into the lock and Phryne trailed off. After two break-ins in less than three months, it was probably understandable that she was a bit jumpy at the sound. But it was only Mr. Butler pushing through the door, shaking water of his coat. He looked rather drenched, which would have been normal for any other person, but the servant usually seemed rather disobeying to the rules of nature. So, seeing him in the state of a mere mortal having been caught in the rain, had something oddly shocking about it. He fished out a crumpled looking shopping bag from under his coat, before hanging up his hat and turned startled, when he found his Mistress leaning in the door frame to the parlour, looking at him.

"Are you alright, Mr. Butler?"

He thought about this for a moment, then plastered a smile to his face.

"Of course, Miss. It it rather terrible weather to be outside."

"Indeed."

"Well, Miss, if you don't need my service at this time, I shall get changed and begin dinner preparations. It is Miss Jane's first evening home after all."

Phryne nodded, not believing a word. Something had happened. But it wasn't any of her business, was it? It was strange, while everybody in this house was carrying their own crosses, sharing their worries with each other, Mr. Butler always seemed like a rock that the waves of life splashed against without any effect. Seeing him shaken up was an awfully odd occurrence and she really didn't know what to say or do.

"Of course, Mr. Butler. Get dried, before you catch yourself cold. Oh, and," she called after him, causing him to turn at the steps, to look at her, "we are leaving for Daylesford tomorrow afternoon by train. I would like you to come along."

He flashed her a broad, fake smile and nodded.

"Very well, Miss."

Mr. Butler didn't notice the two pairs of worried eyes following him as he walked upstairs. He was too deep in his thoughts. Daylesford? Possibly a good time for a little get away. He opened the door to his modest, but comfortable room on the upper floor and sank onto the chair in front of the small wooden desk. His clothes were by now sticking wet and clammy to his legs and back, but he currently did not have the mind to get changed. First he needed to do this, before the courage left him. He dipped his pen into the well, watching the ink leaving a splash on the paper, resembling a big blue tear. Mr. Butler sighed and fished for a new sheet. This had to be right.