Phryne had spent the past 2 hours being yelled at by her Aunt and was more than ready to retreat upstairs. She grabbed the decanter of whisky and walked up to her bedroom slamming the door behind her. Dot upon seeing all of this happen thought it best to leave Miss Fisher alone and get along with her shortbread. That morning alone she had had three people call after her. Mac had been over at 9 a newspaper in her hand demanding to see Phryne, they had met in her bedroom and had talked for a short time, Dot didn't even have a chance to bring the tea up before she had left. Then at 9.30 Mrs Stanley had shown up also carrying a newspaper and as far as Dot could tell she was not happy. She had heard yelling in the parlour for a good half an hour before she had ventured in tea seeing both women looking rather upset. She had left them alone until at 11.30 Mrs Stanley emerged from the room saying her goodbyes to her niece, leaving Phryne to grab the decanter and storm up to her room.

Dot answered the door and did not appear surprised to see Inspector Robinson at the door, asking for Miss Fisher.

"Ah, good afternoon Inspector, Miss Fisher is up in her room, she asked that you go up to see her when you arrive." Dot sounded like she was unsure about allowing a man up to her bedroom, but complied with her Miss' wishes anyway. "Shall I bring up some tea?"

He wondered if Dot thought it odd that Miss Fisher assumed he would come over later. He supposed that Phryne assumed he would want to see her after reading the newspaper or at the very least call her. If she did think it odd, Dot said nothing of it, taking the Inspectors coat and hat waiting for an answer.

"Ah perhaps something a little stronger?" If Phryne had spent the morning with her Aunt it was more than likely she would need a drink he thought to himself.

"I think Miss Fisher is already indulging in drinks of that sort." She blushed heavily realising what she was implying. Jack simply nodded before adding "Just tea then" and turned to walk up the stairs to her bedroom. If Phryne was drinking then he wondering exactly what had happened last night.

He found her laying on her bed fully clothed including shoes with a glass beside her and the bottle of alcohol on her bedside table. She didn't move when he walked in the room sitting down on the bed facing the door. "Jack?" it was said as a very soft question, he turned so that he was facing her leaning back slightly placing a gentle hand on her leg in answer to her question. "I've missed you" her bad mood had evaporated when he walked in, she latched onto his neck with her arms and hugged him very tightly before whispering in his ear sending shivers down his spine."Dot let you up alone?"

"She said you told her too"

"I didn't think she actually would." She said with a laugh in her voice, she was glad that Jack was here,especially glad that she was alone with him in her bedroom.

"Well here I am." He smiled at her, but there was something in his eyes which she couldn't read, "I came to give you some more information about your bachelor."

Ah there it was she thought, he knew what happened last night, that meant he would want an explanation "Oh" she pulled away from him "thank you Jack" she tried to take the files off him but she was interrupted by a gentle knock at the door, it was Dot with the tea "And some biscuits Inspector."

She poured them tea and as she walked out Phryne picked up the whisky from the behind her and poured it into both their glasses with a devilish smile on her face.

"Do you really need anymore?"

"I haven't had any yet." She looked up at him sounding slightly shocked

He changed the topic quickly, remembering what she was supposed to be doing "Aren't you supposed to be shopping for a dress today?"

"Ah so you do listen" she paused, he really thought she had been drinking "Really Jack I haven't had any alcohol today, here kiss me and I will prove it." He gave her a small frown before drawing her in for a small kiss, which made her smile, she wasn't lying, not a hint of alcohol.

"Before we go on" she nodded her head once in a knowing manner, "I want to tell you what happened last night so you don't get the wrong idea" a flick of something crossed his face, maybe jealousy she thought crossed his face. She put her hand in his lacing their fingers together before talking "It was fine to begin with, and then towards to end I was talking to Berry and he came over, we went up to the balcony and he asked me when we could go somewhere more private." Jacks eyebrows had risen significantly but she continued "I thought he was joking, which he wasn't, so I told him no and he told me that nobody says no to him, and I said well I do. And then I left" she shrugged "And now Aunt P is furious and Mac thinks I've fallen in love." Jack took all this in, thinking about what he read in the paper and what she had just told him. "Nothing happened Jack, although I thought Aunt P would never stop."

"So you turned him down?" he sounded like he wanted to believe her, but had a tiny doubt about the situation.

"Of course" she squeezed his hand again, hoping he would understand "and now everyone thinks I have some kind of lover or I've gone soft." She looked exasperated "Jack we aren't going to be able to keep this a secret for much longer." Her hand dropped from his and came up to her own face which held an anguished look.

He considered this, knowing that she was right. It was bound to come out sometime, in fact he was surprised she had managed to last with a secret this big for this long. He himself had wondered only that morning if they shouldn't just submit to their feelings and let the truth come out. They kept this a secret for Hugh and Dot, well that's what he had told her, he wasn't sure he wanted to let the world know about Phryne just yet, but as time went on, he knew that this was no longer true.

She rolled her eyes after he had time to think, "We won't see each other until Saturday anyway, so there isn't any point now." she was right… again. He looked into her face and kissed her gently on the lips, she smiled into his kiss and deepened it laying him down gently on the bed. He felt himself submit to her, they hadn't had the comfort of a bed since they had visited the hotel weeks ago, it was nice to have space to move. She had moved so that she was laying on top of him her right knee in-between his legs, they were kissing very gently, lovingly even. She hadn't been kissed like this in a long time and Jack made her so comfortable she felt herself melting at his touch forgetting where they were. His hand had just made it to her hair when she pulled away and ran over to the bedroom door shutting it gently before locking it, winking at him and kicking off her shoes as she made her way back across the room to him. Their eyes met in silent agreement and she slipped off his shoes and climbed back on top of him to continue their gentle kissing in peace.