A/N: Hello. This chapter is going to be divided into two sections, the second of which I will publish this afternoon. As always, your comments/criticism/advice are greatly appreciated, so if you have any concerns please do let me know.
Love,
HQ21
The party lasted until just before 11pm, when the lateness of the hour and commitments for the following day led the guests to begin to make their polite departures. Jane and Phryne stayed up for an hour or so, sitting in the parlour and listening to music as they shared more of the delicious cake, which Phryne found to be most enjoyable. Shortly before midnight Jane, who had been growing increasingly tired as the evening wore on, was encouraged to retire by Phryne, who retreated to her own room just a few minutes later.
The weekend was busy and filled with activities which Phryne hoped that Jane would enjoy. On Saturday she took Jane shopping and then for lunch in the city, followed by a trip to the salon, followed by dinner at a little Italian Bistro that Jane was quite fond of. The day had passed most enjoyably, and Phryne was relieved to find that she felt energised and rather well for the majority of it – with the exception of a covert bout of vomiting she suffered in the restaurant, when the sickening stench of steak from a diner three tables away caused her stomach to turn, prompting her to subtly excuse herself from Jane and seek refuge in the bathroom. When she returned she felt much recovered, and had been in the process of taking several sips of her strong black coffee when Jane had looked up to her and said it.
"Are you and the inspector seeing each other, Miss?" she asked gently, her voice low and characteristically curious, as though she were asking what the secret herbs were in the delicious sauce on her Bolognese. Phryne, who had been caught quite off-guard by the question, recovered herself quickly from her surprise and slowly lowered her cup onto the table.
"Why do you ask?" she responded gently. Jane smiled.
"I've known it since your birthday, Miss" she replied with an obvious smile, as though the thought that Phryne could conceal this from her was impossible, "and when we went to see the play at the theatre, I saw you holding hands" she added. Phryne sighed.
"I thought you were asleep" she said, in a faux-accusatory tone.
"I was" she replied innocently. "For a while" she added. "And I saw the way you kept leaning against his arm, and how he would draw you closer to him" she said gently. Phryne pursed her lips and rose her eyebrows slightly. "And when I saw him put his hand on your thigh last night-"
"Alright, Jane" Phryne responded, her voice gentle and calm. She looked into her treasured ward's eyes and searched for any signs of anger or disapproval. She found none. "And how would you feel if Jack and I were seeing each other?" she asked gently, her voice low and slightly hesitant. Jane, picking up on Phryne's barely-concealed apprehension, smiled.
"I'd be very happy for you" she said proudly, as she sliced a meatball neatly in half and placed it into her mouth. Phryne felt relief wash over her. Jane looked up at her with a calm, placating expression which Phryne found most reassuring. "I like the inspector, Miss Phryne. I like him a lot. He's intelligent and brave and kind, and he protects people - he protects you" she continued, watching as Phryne stared at her attentively as she spoke. Jane's shoulders fell slightly and a gentle smile played upon her lips. "And he makes you smile in a way that I've never seen before" she said, her eyes sparkling, her expression confident. "How could I be anything but happy for you?" she asked. "Both of you" she added gently.
Phryne stared at Jane for several moments, her heart aching with pride and gratitude at the wonderful child; a child intuitive beyond explanation and wise beyond her years. A girl who, she had not doubt, would grow up to be a fine doctor and a wonderful human being. A girl she was proud of and who she cherished, whose opinions she valued as much as her own, and whose happiness she strove to achieve and secure; a young lady who was staring back at her with the same feelings and intentions for her. Phryne smiled slightly and reached across the table, placing her hand over hers.
"Thank you, Jane" she said gently, her beautiful eyes shining as she stared at the girl before her. "But I want you to know that if you aren't happy about this, you can tell me. I wouldn't be angry or upset or disappointed, and I'd very much like to know" she continued, her tone low and sincere, her voice kind. "You're my family, Jane, and your happiness means the world to me."
Jane smiled her nervous smile and blushed slightly at the complement, turning her bright eyes back up towards Phryne.
"Your happiness means everything to me too, Miss Phryne" she said gently, turning her hand over so that they were clasped firmly together, "and I meant every word of what I said" she added with conviction.
And Phryne believed her.
The next ten minutes were spent discussing the subject of Phryne's relationship with Jack, with Phryne explaining to Jane that she had wanted to understand the nature of her relationship with Jack before she discussed it with her. Jane claimed to understand this, and did not seem at all disappointed or annoyed by Phryne's silence on the subject. Phryne obviously omitted certain details of their relationship from Jane, and skilfully evaded questions on the subject of marriage, which became slightly more problematic when Jane brought up the subject of that blasted article.
"Where on earth did you read that?" Phryne had asked, slightly surprised that Jane had come across it.
"In the dorm, of course" Jane responded simply. "Most of the girls read the society pages, Miss Phryne" she added.
It's probably how they find out what their parents are up to, Phryne thought bitterly, as she ate the final spoonful of her crème brulee.
Towards the end of the conversation Phryne looked towards Jane, who was regarding her with a keen, youthful look of intelligence and admiration, and Phryne felt herself falter slightly. Whilst she was relieved that Jane was happy about her relationship with Jack (and it was quite evident from their conversation that her feelings on the subject were genuine), Phryne's heart ached at the greater deception which she was guilty of, the secret she was concealing from two of the people she cared most about, the two who most deserved to know. She wondered how Jane would feel about her having a child, and how she would react to it; would she be as open-minded and accepting at the prospect of a baby? A screaming, wailing infant whose very existence would change their lives so significantly? Phryne inhaled deeply and came very close to revealing the news of her pregnancy to Jane, before shaking the selfish thought from her head; how could she announce such a matter to her young ward who, whilst being intelligent and incredibly able, should not be drawn into the confusion and uncertainty of her own current circumstances. Phryne banished the notion from her head, requested the bill, tipped the staff generously, loaded their armfuls of bags into the car, and drove Jane back to their home in St Kilda, where the rest of the evening was spent listening to Jane's new records and talking, with all aspects of the forbidden subject being banished from conversation.
Sunday was spent in a much more relaxing, low-key manner. Phryne and Jane enjoyed an early breakfast and sea-side stroll, followed by a trip to a Monet exhibition at a local art gallery, before returning home for a light lunch. The afternoon was passed in the parlour, with Phryne, Dot and Jane listening to Jane's new records once more (which she seemed incredibly fond of, much to Phryne's relief), and reading. Phryne knew that Jane had been studying Virginia Woolf at school, and from their correspondence it was clear that the author had quickly become a favourite of Jane's, and had made quite the impression upon her. This realisation had prompted Phryne to order a copy of one of Ms Woolf's latest work 'A Room of One's Own', which Jane's eager and enlightened eyes devoured keenly. Phryne, who too had been quite taken with the piece, leaned against the chaise lounge with some lemon squash as she observed the eager-eyed reader before her. When Jane had finished reading she and Phryne discussed the material for almost a full hour, until Mr Butler came into the room and announced that dinner was ready.
After a delicious dinner and light dessert, Phryne and Dot helped Jane to gather her things, which she and Mr Butler carried to the car. Phryne drove Jane back to boarding school, hugging her tightly after she had helped her carry her things to her room.
Jane noticed that Phryne seemed to be hugging her tighter than usual, and for longer. She didn't mind, of course, far from it; if anything she cherished the warm comfort of the prolonged embrace. But what was the cause, she wondered? What Miss Phryne nervous about something – her knowledge of her relationship with the inspector, perhaps? Did she feel guilty about not having told her sooner? Jane didn't mind, of course. Not at all. She understood. Jane hugged Phryne tighter in response and they held each other for a few moments, before the female detective leaned back from the embrace and placed a hand tenderly upon Jane's cheek.
"I'll write to you during the week" she promised. "And you know that you can call at any time". Jane smiled.
"Yes, Miss Phryne" she said, leaning forward and kissing her gently upon the cheek. "I'll see you in a few weeks" she said with a reassuring smile.
Phryne nodded, running her hand down her cheek and kissing her upon the forehead, before rubbing her arm tenderly and saying their goodbyes.
As soon as Phryne got into her car and drove out of the school's impressive driveway she found she missed Jane immensely. She had completed enjoyed the time they had spent together: time which due to her work commitments and Jane's schooling was difficult to arrange. Phryne considered with a pang of guilt how Jane's residence at boarding school kept her safe from Phryne's work and, to an extent, enabled her to continue with it. As she drove onto the main road she found herself considering this further and wondering how, if she was only able to spend time with Jane two weekends a month, how on earth she would be able to care for a completely dependent child. As she drove back towards the city she found the feelings and concerns she had been able to banish over the weekend return to her with full force; now that Jane was back at school Phryne was not occupied with planning the next event of the day, dressing for dinner or preparing for a trip to a gallery. Nor did she have to pretend to be her usual happy, care-free and free-spirited self now that Jane was no longer in her company, and this realisation both relieved and terrified her in equal measure. Now that her weekend with Jane was over, her desire to ensure that Jane had a wonderful birthday weekend had been fulfilled, and she was left facing her very own terrifying reality once more, she found herself feeling suddenly quite overwhelmed.
Phryne stopped before the traffic lights and gripped the steering wheel tightly with her gloved hands, pressing her lips together tightly as she closed her eyes and slowly exhaled. She felt the tenseness in her body slowly fade as she fought to calm herself, her shoulders falling slightly as she forced her eyes open and stared straight ahead. The light was still red, but it would turn at any moment. Phryne stared up at the light and inhaled deeply, her concerns and fears washing over her once more in torturous waves, causing her mind to feel weary and heavy with the burden of her own thoughts. She didn't know how much longer she could cope with this. She hated feeling so afraid, so on edge, so completely and utterly out of control. As she remained at the lights she found herself considering her anxiety on the subject, which she had not encountered since the day before when she had had dinner with Jane in the restaurant. When she had almost confided in her ward about her condition. Phryne scoffed at her ignorance at the memory, pursing her lips together and looking back up at the lights, which remained red. As she stared up at the light she found herself considering the dinner with Jane, and the guilt that she felt at her deception; guilt which was now flooding through her body and threatening to drown her.
Phryne was excellent at keeping secrets, she always had been, even since she was a child. The confidential work she undertook during and after the war required her absolute discretion, as did much of her detective work. She had kept the secrets from her past behind her, buried in the depths of her soul, and almost completely banished from her memory (unless she wished to actively seek them out, of course).
But this was different.
As Phryne sat in her parked car, which had not been permitted to move for what felt like an excruciatingly long time, she found her mind flushed wish images of Jane, Dot, Jack, Mac, Mr B, and her other friends and family and confidantes. Her mind travelled from person to person, before resting on the one it always found its way back to. Jack. The guilt which flooded her veins now burned inside her, paralysing her body almost completely. She felt like she couldn't breathe.
What do I do? she thought, swallowing hard as she felt a knot form deep in the pit of her stomach.
Phryne looked from left to right, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that she felt her emerald Claddagh ring press deeply into her finger. Her eyes befell the beautiful piece, which she stroked tenderly with her thumb, just as the lights turned amber and then green. Phryne looked up and inhaled deeply, as memories of Jack's face, his touch, his voice, flooded her mind; her guilt and her heart made the decision for her. Phryne did not turn right towards St Kilda, but turned left towards Russell Street.
I have to tell him, she thought, trying to convince herself not to change her mind, now that she had bravely forced herself into action. He deserves to know, she thought, justifying her actions internally. And I can't bear this much longer.
Phryne spent the majority of the five minute journey thinking of what to say, how to start the conversation, and how to proceed. After what felt like an eternity of trying to decide how to tell the man she loved that she was carrying his child, a fact which many women in her position would be overjoyed with and would find cause to celebrate completely, she found herself feeling dizzied by her thoughts and almost sick with frustration; her thoughts were betraying her and her bravery was diminishing with each passing second. Wonderful.
Even as Phryne parked her magnificent car outside the Police station just behind Jack's own vehicle, she had no idea what she was going to say, and found herself questioning her very intention. She sat in her car for almost a minute with the engine still running, and came very close to driving on, and pretending she had never arrived at the station that evening. She'd arranged to have dinner with Jack the next day, when she planned on telling him. And yet tomorrow seemed to be so far away. Phryne's hand, which appeared to be operating separately to her mind, switched off the ignition, and before she knew it she had opened the driver's side door and was walking into the Police station.
The young constable behind the desk looked up at the sound of the door opening, and cast his eyes appreciatively over the beautiful young woman who entered. She was wearing white trousers (trousers!) and a blouse, with a silver belt and matching shoes, and a white and yellow pattern scarf was draped across her shoulders. The yellow flower upon her white cloche perfectly complemented her pale yellow jacket, and the officer found himself in awe of her beauty; the short dark hair, the deep red lips, the entrancing, intelligent green eyes. There was no doubt in his mind that this must be Miss Phryne Fisher, female detective, and close associate of Inspector Jack Robinson. The small smile which played on his lips fell as she turned towards him, her keen eyes befalling the unfamiliar officer, who tipped his head politely in response.
"Good evening, constable" she greeted, her voice low and gentle. There was something haunting about her tone, almost ethereal. He looked up at her instinctively as he considered it, his eyes watching as she looked towards Inspector Robinson's office.
"The Inspector is still here, Miss Fisher" he stated, in anticipation of her question. She nodded and looked back towards him.
"Thank you" she said gently, offering him a polite smile, before walking slowly forwards and heading towards the door.
The constable watched as the beautiful lady tapped lightly upon the door before pushing it open, his eyes focusing intently upon each fluid movement, as she stepped into the office and closed the door behind her. As the door clicked shut behind her he found himself wondering whether the rumours amongst his colleagues (and in the press) held any weight to them. Before he had even lowered his gaze back to the file in front of him he had decided, most definitely, that they did.
Phryne pressed the handle down and opened the door after Jack's voice had bade her to enter, the sound of his familiar tone instantly destroying her armour, causing her to step into the room feeling exposed and terrified. She knew she couldn't tell him before she had even closed the door.
Jack looked up from the paperwork on his desk at his unexpected visitor, his expression softening and a small smile playing onto his lips.
"Miss Fisher" he said, eyeing her warily as he rose from his desk.
"You weren't expecting me, Jack?" she asked, feigning surprise.
"I wasn't expecting you to knock" he replied, his voice low and slightly husky. Phryne's eyes drifted over him, noticing the tiredness he was clearly trying to conceal.
"Have you found your missing escaped prisoner yet?" she asked, her remaining confidence evading her completely, and forcing her to find a comfortable, familiar subject to discuss.
"Not yet, no" Jack replied with a sigh. "It would appear that Ethan Daniels is quite evasive."
"A little too evasive, apparently" Phryne returned lightly. "How on earth did he escape from prison?" she asked, finding her confidence returning to her with the continuation of this conversation. Jack shook his head.
"In the same manner you broke into the convent" he replied.
"I was smuggled, Jack. We've already discussed this" she said dismissively. "Though we must give Mr Daniels points for such an inspired method" she added, the nervous edge to her tone disappearing almost completely. Jack considered her for a moment and nodded.
"Indeed we must" he agreed, his eyes drifting over Phryne, who stood tall before him. Her eyes met his and she felt her stomach tighten.
"What do we know about Mr Daniels?" she asked. Jack considered her for a moment before responding; it took everything she had to maintain their eye contact.
"Ethan Daniels, aged 34. Incarcerated in Sydney in August 1925 following his conviction for double murder, attempted murder and arson" he explained. "Mr Daniels was married to a lady called Jennifer, and judging from the fact that Sydney Police were called to their residence over twenty times in less than eight months, it appears that he was very abusive" Jack added. Phryne clenched her jaw in response and looked up at him attentively. "After almost a year of marriage she fled their home in Sydney and attempted to reconnect with her parents in Adelaide. Her husband, after finding her missing and guessing her location, followed her to Adelaide and broke into her parents' home" he continued, his voice dropping slightly, his eyes meeting Phryne's. "Jennifer's parents tried to protect her and he killed them. He then set the house on fire and tried to kill her too, but she managed to escape. He suffered severe burns from the fire and was picked up a few streets away and taken to hospital. He was arrested and charged whilst in his sick bed."
"How awful" Phryne said, her voice low and shocked. "Where is his wife now?" she asked with concern.
"She's here" Jack returned. "After the trial she inherited some money from her parents and moved to Melbourne. She rented a house in Collingwood and found a job as a typist." A small smile played on Phryne's lips; the woman was making the most of her life after the most terrifying ordeal.
"Good for her" she said gently. "Is she alright?"
"We only just managed to locate her; our search was impeded by her change of name" he explained. "I checked on her personally this morning. She seemed quite nervous and didn't wish to let me into the house. She came into the front yard and I explained the situation to her. She refused offers of being put into protective custody. I gave her my card and increased patrols around her home" he explained. "We had a report just over an hour ago that a man matching Ethan Daniels' description was seen boarding a train from Sydney to Melbourne two nights ago."
"So he could be here already" Phryne replied.
"It's possible, yes" Jack agreed. "But I can't imagine how he has found her address. After the report came in I sent some officers to her house to check on her" he assured Phryne, who nodded. "I've also received a picture of him which was taken by the prison just under a year ago" he explained, picking up the image from his desk and showing it to Phryne. The man was tall, stocky and bald, with a dragon tattoo on his upper right bicep. There was cruelty in his steely eyes that almost made Phryne shiver. "I've circulated this image to the press, and Ethan Daniels' face will be on the front page of every newspaper tomorrow morning."
"Why now?" she wondered out loud, tearing her eyes away from the image. "What would prompt a man to choose to break out of prison almost four years after he was incarcerated?"
"I don't know" Jack responded honestly. "But you can certainly ask him when we find him."
"'We'?" Phryne said lightly. "Are you asking me to assist, inspector?"
"I think we both know that you would be powerless to resist, Miss Fisher" Jack teased, watching as a calm expression graced Phryne's features. She'd seemed slightly on edge when she'd first entered his office and he was relieved to find her appearing more relaxed. "You've been in my office for over a minute and you have yet to perch yourself on the edge of my desk, Miss Fisher" he said teasingly. Phryne smiled.
"I've just returned from driving Jane back to her school" Phryne explained. "And you know how I feel about sitting still for prolonged periods of time." Her anxiety was returning to her and she felt nauseous with guilt, as a strong desire to confide her condition to Jack overwhelmed her once more; it felt powerful, paralysing and almost divine.
"Yes I do" Jack agreed, his voice warm and gentle. "And was it your boredom that prompted you to come here this evening?" he queried gently, a slight note of concern present in his tone. Phryne looked into his eyes. "Were you hoping for the distraction of a new case, now that Jane is back at school?" he asked, noticing the change in her demeanour; her body language displayed her almost palpable discomfort and anxiety. He felt nervous at the sight.
"No" Phryne said candidly, swallowing hard as she spoke and looking up at him with glistening eyes. Jack's playful expression became more serious; something in her voice startled him. "That's not why I'm here" she added, her voice low and hollow, almost a whisper.
Jack took a step towards her and placed his hand gently upon her wrist, his fingers searching for hers as she looked into her eyes and attempted to hold her gaze. Her jaw was clenched and her eyes were bright, and she seemed to be struggling with some internal torment, which stared up at him darkly through her haunted expression.
Before he could speak, the sounds of heavy footsteps in the station, followed by a child's loud and incessant sobbing, caused both Phryne and Jack to turn towards the office door. Phryne removed her hand from Jack's and walked forwards, opening the door and stepping out into the corridor, closely followed by the inspector.
Phryne looked towards reception and noticed two Police officers standing beside a young blonde woman in a light blue dress, who was standing by the front desk and attempting to console a wailing child in a white nightdress, who she was holding in her arms. The little girl, who appeared to be around four years old, had her legs wrapped tightly around the woman's waist and her arms were around her neck, as she burrowed her head into the crook of her neck and continued to cry loudly. The woman, who Phryne judged to be her mother, was rubbing soothing circles on her back in an attempt to calm her. Phryne found that her attention was fixed upon the distressed child, who was sobbing desperately and appeared to be inconsolable. She looked up from her mother's shoulder and turned towards Phryne and Jack, who had just entered the room, and at the sight of more scary new faces she began to cry even louder. Phryne felt a lump forming in her throat, as her gaze became fixed upon the child.
"Mrs Daniels" Jack sad gently, surprise present in his tone. The woman turned towards him, revealing a dark bruise around her left eye. "What happened?" he asked with concern, walking towards her. "And who's this?" he asked, his tone gentle and kind, and causing the girl's sobbing to cease for half a moment.
Phryne's eyes widened as realisation dawned upon her: Mrs Daniels had a child. A child whose existence Jack knew nothing about. Why would she conceal such a fact from a policeman?
"This is my daughter, Lucy" Mrs Daniels replied, her voice broken and weak, and barely audible above her daughter's cries. She looked up at Jack with apologetic eyes which swam with tears. "Inspector, I-" she began, her voice breaking off. Jack took a step closer to her and placed a hand comfortingly in the centre of her lower back.
"It's alright, Mrs Daniels" he said soothingly, his eyes falling from her face to the little girl she held against her. "Hello Lucy" he said gently, tilting his head in an attempt to see her face. The little girl, evidently reassured by her mother's willingness to speak to this strange man, turned her head towards him, her bright blue eyes staring nervously up to his. "My name's Jack, and I'm a Police officer" he said gently, which caused the girl to relax slightly. Jack reached into his pocket and passed her a handkerchief, which she gingerly accepted, pressing it clumsily to her face.
Phryne watched the scene unfolding before her with great interest; she hadn't seen Jack interact with a child so young before, and she'd never heard him introduce himself to anyone by his first name. She watched as the little girl burrowed her face back into her mother's neck, and wrapped her legs tighter around her waist. Phryne swallowed hard and instinctively moved forwards.
"Mrs Daniels?" she said gently, causing the woman to look up at her with a glazed expression. "My name's Phryne Fisher, I'm a private detective. I work with the Police" she explained, her voice warm and kind. "Why don't you come with me into the inspector's office? It's much quieter and we'll be able to get Lucy settled" she explained. The woman nodded instinctively in response and walked towards Phryne, who placed a hand on her upper back and guided her into the room. Jack waited until the door closed behind them, before turning towards one of the young constables.
"What happened?" he asked.
Phryne led Mrs Daniels into Jack's office and guided her towards a chair, which she eased herself into. She adjusted her hold on Lucy, whose face remained buried in her mother's neck, her arms around her neck. Her legs fell to her mother's sides and she appeared slightly calmer. Her sobbing had stopped completely and she made only small sniffling sounds on occasion, which Phryne somehow found slightly even more unsettling; at least if a child was wailing it was clear something was wrong, but this stupefied silence was most sinister. As Phryne stood up straight before Mrs Daniels she noticed that Lucy was trembling visibly in her arms, and goosebumps were appearing on her legs.
"Are you cold, Lucy?" Phryne asked, causing the child to tense slightly, before turning slowly around to face her. Her tearful blue eyes met Phryne's, and she stared at her for a moment, before nodding almost imperceptibly. Phryne removed her jacket and draped it over the little girl, ensuring that she was completely covered by the garment, which encased her small body in warmth. Phryne placed her hand tentatively on the girl's back, as she snuggled down and drew the material closer around her. She's so small, thought Phryne.
Lucy was instantly struck by the beautiful scent of Phryne's perfume, which lingered upon the garment, which was incredibly soft and warm. She looked up towards Phryne and watched as she drew a chair towards them and sat in it, clasping her hands before her and looking at the child and her mother with gentle eyes. Lucy considered Phryne's kind face and red lips, as well as the fact that she had let her borrow her soft jacket which smelled very nice, and decided that she liked her very much.
"What's your name?" Lucy asked gently, her voice low and slightly cracked. Her mother appeared surprised to hear her speaking. Phryne concealed her surprise well.
"My name is Phryne" she said slowly, her voice gentle and pleasant. Lucy frowned.
"Fy-nee?" she asked with uncertainty. Phryne nodded. It was close enough; in fact, it was better than attempts made by some adults she had met.
"And your name is Lucy, isn't it?" she asked. Lucy nodded. "It's lovely to meet you, Lucy" she added.
"What's his name?" Lucy asked, staring at Phryne with an imploring gaze, as though her question was obvious.
"Do you mean the inspector?" Phryne ventured. "His name is Jack."
"No" Lucy said simply. "Not the policeman" she said, seeming confused that Phryne did not know who she was referring to. "The man who hit my mummy". Phryne felt a small part of her heart break.
Mrs Daniels took a deep breath and tensed visibly, wrapping her arms instinctively around her daughter and lowering her eyes, as she rubbed her daughter's back soothingly with a trembling hand. In that moment Phryne knew precisely who the man was, and she could make a rather educated guess about his relationship to Lucy, too. But Phryne's detective's mind was silence for a moment, and her heart took over.
"I don't know" Phryne answered honestly. "But I promise you that I'll find out, and I'll make sure he doesn't hurt your mummy ever again" Phryne stated, her voice gentle but confident. This seemed to reassure Lucy, and even Mrs Daniel seemed slightly less anxious.
Based on the little she already knew Phryne had made a deduction as to what had transpired that evening, but she did not want to raise it at this precise moment in time, and certainly not in front of Lucy. Mrs Daniels looked worried and seemed embarrassed, possibly even ashamed. Phryne resolved to ensure that she would not be tormented by that feeling for much longer.
"You're both safe here, I promise" Phryne said gently, offering Lucy a small smile. The little girl pushed her small hands upon her mother's chest and turned around so that she was facing Phryne directly. She had the same deep blue eyes as her mother, but her hair was light brown and curled at the bottom. She was very pretty, and had an almost doll-like innocence about her which Phryne felt certain the likes of Rembrandt and Vermeer would have adored. Phryne then returned her attention to Mrs Daniels, who appeared to be on the verge of tears; she had held everything in to be strong for her daughter, but now that they were safe her emotions were overwhelming her, and she did not want to lose control in front of Phryne. Phryne inhaled sharply and rose from her seat. "Would either of you like a drink?" she asked, knowing that Mrs Daniels would be grateful for a brief period of privacy. Lucy's head turned up instantly towards her.
"Milk?" she asked gently, before promptly adding "please". Phryne smiled again and nodded, before turning back towards Mrs Daniels.
"Tea would be lovely, if you wouldn't mind?" she asked, her voice recovering slightly.
"Of course" Phryne said kindly. "I'll be right back" she added, before slowly walking towards the door and leaving the room. As she suspected, the moment she closed the door behind her Mrs Daniels began to cry.
Upon hearing his office door close Jack Robinson turned from the officers and towards Phryne, who was walking towards him.
"Am I correct in assuming that Mr Daniels managed to locate his wife and proceeded to assault her?" she asked in a low voice. The officer on then right nodded.
"Yes, Miss" he said respectfully. "I don't know how he found out where she lived, Miss, but he did. Constable Jenkins and I were doing our patrol, as the Inspector ordered, when we heard this commotion from Mrs Daniels' property" he began. Phryne nodded encouragingly. "By the time we got there we saw a man punch Mrs Daniels in the face, hard. Her little girl was holding onto her legs and screaming, and the man tried to make a grab for her" he added. Phryne swallowed hard. "The little girl managed to bite him on the hand, and by the time he tried to grab her again we were running towards him. He took off, Miss, and Constable Jenkins here chased after him, but we lost him" he added regretfully, looking towards Jack with concern.
"It's alright, Bradley" Jack said gently. "You protected Mrs Daniels, prevented a kidnapping and brought the mother and her child to safety. That's the priority" he added. The constables seemed to relax visibly.
"Thank you, Sir" Constable Bradley replied, relieved.
"I want you to notify the local stations about the incident, and I'd like you both to go back to Collingwood and supervise the search" he said. "The incident occurred less than 30 minutes ago, so we need to get there quickly" he added. The constables nodded in agreement and quickly left the station. Phryne walked towards the officer behind the main desk.
"Would you please make a cup of sweet tea for Mrs Daniels, and a glass of milk for her daughter?" she asked. Constable McAver nodded and disappeared towards the kitchen.
Phryne turned around and walked back to Jack, and they exchanged the information that they had both recently acquired.
"And she didn't mention to you that she had a child?" Phryne asked. Jack shook his head
"No, she didn't" he replied. "But based on the child's age-"
"-and her cheekbones and her hair-" Phryne added. Jack nodded.
"I'd say Mrs Daniels had a daughter and did not tell her husband" he said. His voice was devoid of judgement or criticism; it was low and solemn but most definitely not angry. For a moment this gave Phryne hope; and then half a second letter that hope was shattered. This was not the same. Not even close.
"I'd imagine that when Mrs Daniels found out about her pregnancy she decided she could no longer remain with her husband" Phryne said gently. "She suffered for all the time she was with him, but refused to allow him to pose a risk to a life of her child" she added. "So she fled to her parents' house, probably confided in them, and they kept her safe" she continued. "Until he found her." Jack nodded. "Did she testify against him?"
"Yes" he explained. "The trial was in July 1925, so it's possible that she was in the early stages of pregnancy at that stage, which she managed to conceal" he added. Phryne felt her stomach tighten and she nodded.
"She was trying to protect her child" Phryne said gently. Jack nodded.
"And now we're going to help her" he said resolutely. Phryne smiled instinctively in response, and Jack found himself relaxing at the sight of her, just as the constable returned with the drinks Phryne had requested.
"Thank you, Constable McAver" Phryne said, picking up the drinks. "Shall we?" Jack nodded and walked ahead of her, knocking gently on the door before opening it for Phryne, who stepped inside.
Mrs Daniels was sitting up straight in her chair and talking to her daughter, who was sitting upon her right leg, facing towards the door, still wrapped in Phryne's jacket. They both looked up as Phryne and Jack entered the room.
Phryne walked towards them and handed Mrs Daniels her drink, which she accepted with thanks. She offered Lucy the glass of milk, which she wrapped her small hands around. Phryne leaned over to help her secure it, and as she did so her scarf drifted down Lucy's arm, causing her to giggle. Phryne watched as Lucy stroked the material of the scarf, preventing Phryne from standing up straight, as she admired the light yellow floral design which adorned the white material. Phryne chuckled in response, before unwrapping the scarf from around her neck and draping it across Lucy, who beamed up at her in response. All remnants of the tired, frightened little girl were long gone, and a confident, calm and grateful little girl was staring up at her.
"You can keep it" Phryne said gently, as she adjusted the material around her. "It suits you perfectly." Lucy smiled broadly and was poised to speak, but her mother's voice stilled hers.
"Oh, Miss Fisher, we couldn't possibly-"
"It's fine, really" Phryne said kindly, setting the young woman instantly at ease. "It wasn't really my colour" she said dismissively, as she smiled gently at the little girl. As she headed towards Jack she felt lighter due to the loss of the garments, and considered how she had always imagined losing her clothing in his office; though in her imagination the circumstances had been slightly different.
"Mrs Daniels" Jack began gently, drawing Phryne instantly from her carnal thoughts. "I have arranged for several officers to search for the man in question" he stated delicately. "I'll ensure that you and your daughter are both suitably protected until he is captured."
"He hit my mummy" Lucy said, her tone heavy with confusion and concern.
"I know, sweetheart" Jack said gently, taking a few steps towards her. Phryne felt warmed by his manner with the child. "But he won't hurt her again" he said resolutely. Lucy smiled.
"That's what Fynee said" she declared proudly. Jack rose an eyebrow and suppressed a smirk.
"I can tell you from experience, Lucy, that Miss Fisher is always right" he said, feeling Phryne's eyes upon him as he spoke. Lucy accepted this information easily, as though she had never questioned it. Jack turned his attention to Mrs Daniels. "I'd like a doctor to examine you, Mrs Daniels, if you would allow it. And I'd also like to find somewhere safe for you to stay tonight" he said gently. Mrs Daniels wrapped her arms around her daughter, who leaned back against her chest. "Is there anyone you could stay with? Friends? Family?" Mrs Daniels shook her head.
"No" she said. "No, there isn't. It's just us" she said, pressing a kiss to her daughter's cheek. Phryne watched as Lucy leaned into the touch.
"Then you can both stay with me" Phryne declared, watching as three sets of eyes looked towards her. "There's plenty of room and it is a very safe, secure house" she added gently. "I would be delighted if you would be my guests." Lucy was beaming at the invitation, and Mrs Daniels was looking at Phryne with an expression of surprise and awe. Jack watched her with warm eyes. He, of all three of them, was the least surprised by her kind invitation. "I will personally ensure your safety and assist with the investigation" she explained gently. "But I understand if you'd feel more comfortable in a hotel, and I will arrange that for you if you'd prefer" she said, becoming acutely aware of the presumptive nature of her invitation; Mrs Daniels had escaped a controlling husband and set up an independent life with her daughter. Phryne understood completely if she wished to be alone.
"Are you sure, Miss Fisher?" Mrs Daniels asked. "I'd hate for us to impose, and Lucy is quite lively and-"
"There is no imposition at all, Mrs Daniels, I assure you" Phryne said gently, her voice kind and sincere. She turned her attention to Lucy. "And I'm fairly lively myself" she added with a smile. Lucy laughed, and even Mrs Daniels relaxed slightly.
"Please, call me Jennifer" she said with her first smile. Phryne felt herself relaxing instantly.
"And please feel free to call me Phryne" she responded kindly. Mrs Daniels nodded, drawing her daughter close to her. "I'll drive you both to my house now, if the inspector has no objections" Phryne stated, turning towards Jack, who was watching her with warm eyes.
"None at all, Miss Fisher" he replied. "Though I would like to station two officers outside your house, just until this is over." Phryne was about to protest when Lucy began to speak.
"Policemen help people" she declared, stroking Phryne's scarf as she spoke. "If you are lost or scared or in trouble you tell the policeman" she added, speaking the words in an almost rehearsed manner, which told Phryne that the girl's mother had taught her precisely what to do in the case of an emergency, which was hardly surprising given her own violent experiences. Jennifer sighed gently and smiled upon her daughter, running her hand through her hair.
"That's right, sweetheart" she said gently, placing a tender kiss upon her head. Phryne turned back towards Jack with a defeated expression; she would not argue against the Police presence at her house, not if it made Lucy feel safe.
"Then it's settled" Jack declared with a small smile. "I'll send an officer to your house to collect some of your belongings and bring them to Miss Fisher's residence this evening" he added kindly.
"Monkey?" Lucy said passionately, her eyes alight, her expression urgent. Jack and Phryne exchanged a confused look.
"Lucy has a favourite toy, a monkey doll with a long brown tail" Jennifer explained helpfully. "It's in her bedroom, I think. Would it be possible for you to ask your officers to bring it with the other items, Inspector?" she asked nervously. Jack offered her a reassuring smile and nodded.
"Of course" he said kindly. "I'd imagine you're quite keen to get to a more comfortable setting" he added, watching as Jennifer smiled gently back at him. "I'll walk you to Miss Fisher's car."
Jennifer smiled and thanked him, easing herself out of the sear and wrapping Phryne's jacket around her daughter.
Jack and Phryne walked out of the station and towards her car, helping Jennifer and Lucy into the backseat, before Jack walked Phryne to the driver's side door.
"I'll send two officers over within the hour" Jack said gently. "If you have any concerns, anything at all, call me immediately" he instructed. Phryne smiled tiredly.
"Of course, Inspector" she said, running her hand down his arm briefly before turning towards the car door.
"Phryne" he said, his voice gentle and hushed. She turned back towards him and found his concerned eyes staring into the depths of hers. "Are you alright?" he asked, his memories of her haunted voice in his office a short while before still weighing heavily on his mind. Phryne inhaled deeply and smiled.
"I'm fine, Jack" she said gently. "Though I'm afraid dinner will have to wait" she added, the realisation saddening her more than she could convey. He nodded.
"Not for long, Miss Fisher" he reassured her, as he opened her car door for her. She smiled and got inside.
"Never for long, Jack" she replied, placing her bag upon the passenger seat as he closed the door behind her. "Please keep me updated."
"Of course" he said with a small smile, as she started the engine and drove down the road.
Jack watched after her for a few moments until the Hispano Suiza was completely out of view. A concerned frown marred his usually calm and unreadable features; something was worrying Phryne, something she had almost confided in him that very evening. She had been slightly nervous and on edge for the past few days, and he had initially put it down to her injury and the emotional nature of the kidnapping case. But now he found himself wondering whether it was perhaps something more. Perhaps it was not an issue with her, but with them. Jack swallowed hard at the thought, which caused his chest to tighten, before walking briskly back into the station.