Phryne Fisher had just completed a case. She was now in her private boudoir, as was a special guest:
Detective Inspector Jack Robinson.
She had changed into "something more comfortable"—a nightgown and slippers. He was still wearing a suit but had taken off his coat and tie. They were sitting on the couch together.
Something wasn't quite right, and Jack noticed it.
"Are you ok, Miss Fisher? You seem a little…tense."
She sighed. "Yes, I am, Jack. I guess the last case drained me, a bit."
"You know, you nearly got killed."
"Yes, that's right. I'm sorry, Jack, I'm not quite myself, tonight. Maybe you'd better go."
"Phryne, may I suggest something?"
This shocked her, a little. "Phryne?"
"That's right."
"Yes, please make a suggestion."
"I had a little indulgence with my ex-wife. In fact, she once told me that it was one of the few things I did for her that she enjoyed."
"Sounds intriguing. And what was it?"
"Foot massages."
This surprised her a little. "You mean you would massage her feet?"
"That's right."
"Well…I'm never had one of those before…but yes, I think it would be very nice."
He moved a little away from her. She took her slippers off and put her feet in his lap, and he began rubbing them. As he continued doing this, she became more relaxed.
"That does feel nice, Jack. In fact, it feels heavenly!"
"Thank you."
"Do here, please…and here." She flexed her feet to show him the areas, and he attended to them. "Jack, I've changed my mind; you may stay!"
"I'm glad to hear that!"
He continued his massage.
"You have a calming influence on me, Jack."
"Thank you, Phryne. You know, doing this reminds me of the time you told me about when you stomped barefoot on grapes."
"That's right, Jack. And I gave you some of the wine that resulted from that."
"Yes, you did."
"Excuse me for a moment."
She got up and walked to a cabinet-still barefooted. She opened it and rummaged around for a bit. She finally picked out a bottle.
"This is some more of that very wine!"
"Excellent!"
She found a wine opener and spent a couple minutes opening it. It opened; she then found a couple glasses. She poured some of the wine into them and brought them to him. She gave him one, then once more sat down beside him.
"Cheers," she said.
"Cheers," he said.
They drank.
"I now wish I saw you standing in the grapes!"
She smiled. "I'm still friends with the owners. I think I can persuade them to let me do it again, sometime."
Then she put her feet back in his lap.
"Please continue, Jack!"
"Of course!"
She not only let him stay, she let him spend the night with her!