The docks were busy. Porters and passengers mingled with cab drivers touting for business, trunks and suitcases bumped the legs and backs of the people as they tried to get to their final destinations.

"There they are," Phryne pointed their father out, "oh dear, he's being pompous again."

"Is he pompous a lot?" Janey slipped her hand round her sister's arm.

"Can be," Phryne shrugged, "come on, let's bring them over to the car. Cec and Bert …" she looked around and waved at the red raggers, "are to take their luggage to the Windsor."

"Even though we've vacated your house?"

"Oh yes, father and me under the same roof … doesn't bear thinking about."

Janey was quite glad she hadn't suggested they stay with her. It had been too long, and her mother was bound to interfere with the way she brought up her children. Phryne had said when she took their father home their mother was still trying to marry her off to a titled gentleman – any titled gentleman, so she imagined she would try to interfere in some part of her life, and it would be the children. She took a deep breath and went to greet her parents for the first time in just over fifteen years.

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Margaret, Baroness Fisher, practically leapt on her younger daughter, ignoring her elder one.

"Janey! Oh Janey! Darling!" She wrapped her arms round her, "it really is you! Look, Henry!" she turned to her husband, "look!"

Henry harrumphed and stepped in to hug her. "Janey," he grunted, "god girl, where have you been?"

"Surprisingly safe," she whispered, "with someone who cared."

He blustered about how he was her father and that he loved her.

"I'm sure Janey will tell us her story, Henry," Margaret narrowed her eyes, "but the docks are not the place for that. Now darling, I hear we have four grandchildren."

"I have four children, yes," Janey hummed, she wanted them to prove they were worthy of being called grandparents first.

"How wonderful!" her mother clapped her hands.

"Mother, father," Phryne thought she had better remind them they were at the docks, "shall we get you settled in at the Windsor," she turned to Bert and Cec waiting just far enough away, "gentlemen, would you mind?"

"Miss," Bert grunted round his customary cigarette butt, Cec touched his cap.

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Phryne and Janey were both relieved when their parents were safely in their suite in the hotel. There had been endless questions, some of which Janey answered – mainly about her children and the house, those about her life with Fredericks she said she would answer over dinner.

"So, when can we meet the children?" Margaret asked.

"Well, William and Robert are at school, so perhaps tea, on Saturday?" Janey offered, it was Wednesday.

"Well, of course one mustn't interrupt their education," Margaret frowned, "but what about the two younger ones?"

"I think you should meet them altogether," Janey insisted, "it's only fair."

"Well …"

"She is their mother, mother," Phryne reminded her.

"Of course," Margaret conceded, "they are alright, aren't they?"

"Of course!" Janey gasped.

"There is nothing wrong with any of them, Robert is a quiet one so you must be calm around him," Phryne folded her arms, "now, come to dinner with me, at my house tonight – you haven't seen it, mother, perhaps meet Jane if she's home from school."

"Ah, yes, Jane, the orphan?"

"My ward, mother," Phryne scowled.

"She's lovely, and so good with the children," Janey smiled, "especially Robert, they have a shared interest in history."

"But he's only … what … six?"

"So, he likes stories of the Ancient Egyptians and the Romans …"

"And you, Phryne, how do you get on with them?" Margaret knew her eldest daughter was not enamoured of small children.

"She is their indulgent aunt, mother," Janey smiled, "Psyche adores her."

"Hmm …" her mother frowned, to her that sounded like a recipe for trouble.

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Neither of her parents knew that Phryne and Jack lived together. They thought, from her letters, that they were colleagues, occasionally sharing a drink or a meal. Henry knew they were closer than that but not even he imagined a respected Detective Inspector of the Royal Victoria Constabulary would live in sin.

"So that's the long and the short of it," Jack sipped a well-earned whisky, "Gloria Turnbull was working for this club owner, finding weak-minded men to gamble away their hard earned funds. Coupled with this she targeted men who were married to women she had known years ago, seeing they were happier than she was she determined to destroy their happiness. When they couldn't pay their debts she would offer to meet them and show them a way to get out of the mess they were in …"

"She killed them," Phryne leant back in her chair, "and the heavies went round to further ruin the women's lives with demands for money to pay the debts they didn't know they had. What did the club owner say?"

"All he wanted to do was to find Fredericks and offer his sons as husbands to the four girls. Like everyone else he had no idea that Fredericks was dead and the girls had moved on."

"Did Gloria look for Fredericks? I mean did she have any leads?"

"None, none at all, but as you saw she's a pretty girl who turned men's heads, including his. He was, however, more than she could handle and if she didn't come up with the goods soon she wasn't going to last much longer."

"So why did she think she could convince him she could find Fredericks?"

"He tried to grab her, around the time Janey was taken. At least that what she's telling us."

"So, she thought all she had to do was to find Janey, or May, Beth or Mary and follow them to find out where they lived. She could then arrange a meeting and he would be happy, the men she killed were just collateral damage."

"That's about it. She did find Janey, she did know Noah was her husband and he told her that Janey was an orphan and had left the house she had lived in when they married. He told her where the house was, she went and found it all locked up, of course. She knew she was in trouble then, that in all likelihood Fredericks was dead but if she told this man, Cedric Harman, by the way, she would be finished."

"How much did Harman know?"

"He didn't know she was killing these men, or that Janey was one of the girls he was looking for and he will never know where the others are. He's a swindler, always looking for another way to make money, or take money but he is not a murderer – after all if you murder your mark you aren't going to get any more money out of them, are you?"

"No, so …"

"The girls are safe, Gloria will hang for the four murders that she has no regrets over; in fact she said she enjoyed it – seeing the blood flow – that's what she said."

Phryne shivered, "I suppose it's to be expected after she kicked kittens to death and killed dogs. Harman?"

"His men will be charged with obtaining money with menaces and he will have to look elsewhere for heiresses for his sons."

"Right," she stood up, "well, mother and father are coming for dinner so we'd better change."

Jack swallowed the last of his drink and followed her out of the parlour, this could be an interesting evening, he thought.

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Margaret looked round the hallway as Mr Butler let them in that evening. Henry greeted him like an old friend, which earned him a glare from his wife who believed that the master should not be so familiar with servants.

"Baron," Mr Butler nodded respectfully, "Miss Fisher is in the parlour, with the Inspector."

"Oh, are they on a case?" Margaret frowned, Phryne's 'hobby' should not take precedence over dinner with her parents.

"I believe the Inspector has just wrapped one up," he opened the door, "Baron and Baroness Fisher, Miss."

Phryne and Jack stood up and smiled, stepping forward to greet them with handshakes and kisses as appropriate.

"Jack!" Henry beamed, "how are you?"

"Well, thank you, Baron," Jack smiled, "and you, sir?"

"Tickety-boo!" he grinned, "meet Margaret, my wife."

"Baroness," Jack bent over her hand and kissed it lightly, "I hope your voyage over was uneventful."

Margaret cleared her throat, "er, yes, quite, thank you, Inspector."

Mr Butler appeared with a sherry for Margaret and whisky for Henry.

"Marvellous," Henry raised his glass.

"Mother, would you like a tour of the house, father knows his way about?"

"Oh, yes, that would be lovely, it looks magnificent from the outside."

Phryne led her mother out of the parlour, leaving Jack with Henry, he'd said he would be fine.

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"It's lovely, Phryne," Margaret sat on the edge of her daughter's bed. "I do think you're spoiling Jane, after all …"

"She's my daughter in all but name, mother," Phryne sat at the dressing table, "Aunt Prudence treats her as another niece and even helped get her into Warleigh Grammar."

"We must see Prudence," Margaret raised her shoulders.

"Oh, she's coming tonight, she joins us about once a month," she smiled.

"Lovely, and the Inspector …"

"He lives here," she stated quite bluntly, "this is his home, now."

"Phryne," her mother's voice held a warning tone.

"What?" she stood up, "don't tell me you're surprised …"

"You're not married."

"I am aware of that …"

"And he's …"

"A copper? My dearest friend, my confident, my partner in everything …"

"What if people find out?"

"Dear heaven, mother," she rolled her eyes, "those that know, know, regardless of how they found out, some choose to ignore it, some people are actually happy for us and those that don't like it don't have to visit. I love Jack, he loves me, a piece of paper would make no difference except to give him control of my money which he doesn't want. I shan't be bringing shame on the family by bringing hordes of illegitimate children into the world, or even one – Janey has provided the family with an heir … the matter is not up for discussion."

"How does Janey feel about you exposing her children to this … to this arrangement?"

Phryne shrugged, "The children have an uncle who spoils them, he's bought the two older boys bicycles and taken William out, the others will go out with him when they are old enough. They've never had anything like this, a whole family, it was just their parents and them, they're happy which makes Janey happy. That's all I care about."

"It's just not done, Phryne …"

"Mother, please," Phryne sighed, "it works. Now, I'm sure I heard Aunt P arrive and Janey is being brought over by the raggers …"

"Your father told me about them, communists, he said."

Phryne just rolled her eyes and started to leave the room, "coming?"

Margaret sighed and followed, "Who's looking after the children?"

"Mr and Mrs Hammond, Janey's housekeeper and butler. Mr B found them for her, and they are proving to be as good as him."

"She should have a nanny."

"Her children, mother, she will raise them her way. After all, until now it has just been her."

Margaret harrumphed, Phryne ignored her.

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Prudence was delighted to see her sister, not so much her brother in law but for Janey and Phryne she would endure his visit. She was greeted by Jack who smiled and kissed her hand as he usually did.

"Mrs Stanley," he hummed, "Prudence, how lovely to see you."

"Jack," she nodded, "how goes the detecting?"

"Well, ma'am, very well," he guided her to a seat, "the case is closed."

"Ah, so we now know who had abducted Janey?"

"And who murdered her husband."

"Yes."

"One and the same?"

"No, the murderer was a woman who had been at school with Phryne and Janey, jealousy, greed, fun … she was not a nice person."

"Greed, fun!?"

"Long story, Prudence, and not really for the dinner table." He handed her a sherry, "but Janey was safe with her kidnapper, as you know."

"Probably better off with him than with her father," she huffed; Jack shrugged.

"Prudence!" Margaret spied her sister from the bottom of the stairs. "Darling, how lovely!"

Mrs Stanley looked across from the parlour door and wondered how she and Phryne were getting along, more to the point how she had taken the news that Phryne and Jack lived together.

"Margaret, you look well," she lifted her face and kissed her sister's cheek, she was the shorter of the two.

"I am, darling, even more so now that Janey has been found."

"It is wonderful, isn't it," Prudence agreed, "and with four adorable children."

"Ah, so you've met them," there was a hint of jealousy in Margaret's voice.

"Of course, just after they were found and Phryne had them come and stay with her. They came over to Rippon Lea for the day."

"Oh …"

"Margaret, I am in Melbourne, you are all the way over in England, did you really expect them to wait for you?"

"We won't see them until Saturday, Janey wants us to meet them all together, and the two older boys are at school." She followed her sister into the parlour, "Prudence, do you think it is right they should be exposed to Phryne's er …" she cleared her throat and whispered, "living arrangements?"

"Once upon a time you weren't such a prude, Margaret," Prudence huffed, "everyone is happy, and Phryne is as settled as she will ever be. Nobody cares."

"Not even you?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Not now; nobody who could cause trouble does; they solved a case that nearly had the new Commissioner sacked, and some trouble with a politician which they managed to keep out of the papers – everyone in high places was rather glad of that and now choose to overlook such matters. Maybe it isn't the done thing, Margaret, but it works, and if there was trouble they would probably start up their own detective agency and no one would be safe. No, let's not worry about such things, dear, let's just be happy the girls are together again."

"If Phryne hadn't been so adventurous Janey wouldn't have been lost to us for all these years."

"That's unfair, Margaret," Prudence hissed, "and enough of that talk, Janey will be here shortly …"

Margaret had always blamed Phryne for Janey's disappearance and though over the years they had become civil to each other, even cordial on occasions even she wouldn't say they had that close mother-daughter bond everyone talked about.

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Janey took a deep breath as Mr Butler opened the door and allowed her to step into the hall.

"Good evening, Mrs Sinclair," he bowed his little bow.

"Hello, Mr B," she sighed, "how is it?" she nodded towards the parlour.

"All appears relatively calm," he hummed, taking her wrap.

"Well, here goes …"

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"Janey!" Phryne wrapped her arms round her sister, "come in, Jack …" she turned just as Jack approached with a cocktail for Janey.

"Try this," he smiled, "not too strong …"

"What is it?" she whispered.

"Daquiri – rum and lime juice, and syrup …"

She sipped it and smiled, it was sharp and light, perfect. She had tried whisky under Phryne's supervision and a few other cocktails and Mr Butler knew what she liked and what would be the most suitable for any given situation.

"Lovely, thank you …"

"Janey!" her mother called from the fireside, "there you are."

Janey rolled her eyes and went across to greet her.

"Hello, mother," she smiled and dutifully kissed the offered cheek, "how's the Windsor?"

"Lovely, dear; aren't you a little late?"

"Psyche wanted me to read to her …"

"Perhaps a nanny?"

"I don't think so, we are fine as we are." This was not a conversation she wanted to get into; Psyche wanted to come to Auntie Phryne's house and it had taken some persuading and the reading of a story to persuade her she would not like the late night.

"I look forward to meeting her, and her brothers," Margaret continued not at all convinced there wasn't something wrong with one of the children.

"And they look forward to meeting you, on Saturday," Janey smiled, she had told her children about their grandparents and that they would be having tea with them at the weekend. They were excited though Robert was wary, all these new people made his head spin. He loved Auntie Phryne, she had kept her promise to show him her aeroplane and Uncle Jack was kind and had bought him and his brother a bicycle. With the new school and new friends there, it was all a little too busy for him.

Mr Butler announced that dinner was served and they all headed to the dining room. The seating plan had not been easy, but in the end, Phryne sat her parents next to each other and Janey sat beside their aunt.

Mr Butler had outdone himself with the menu, knowing what everyone except the Baroness liked he set out a starter of asparagus with hollandaise sauce, followed by roast leg of lamb, potatoes and vegetables, and a dessert of poached white peaches and cream – Phryne's favourite.

Conversation at first was mainly about life in London, the house and Margaret's 'causes', much like her sister's. Henry spent a good deal of time at his club when he wasn't attending the 'house' and grumbling about the younger generation.

"Now, Janey," Margaret sipped her wine, "where have you been for the last fifteen years? I need to know."

"I was safe, mother, with some other girls. We learnt to keep house, sew and cook and educated ourselves in the library. Mr Fredericks was kind and left us very much to run the house for him. When he died we continued to live in the house, found ourselves jobs to keep the bills paid and eventually we left, I was the only one who got married."

"But why? And are you really telling me he didn't do anything to you?" she scowled.

"Mother," Janey sighed, quite tired of telling the same story, "He wanted a family, and being somewhat of a recluse found four girls who he thought needed some kindness, a release from poor home lives – and that is what he gave us. At no time did he do anything to us that was unseemly or unkind."

"He seems to have raised four independent and rather resourceful young ladies," Jack leant forward, "all the girls are happy and gainfully employed. Nobody knows what he wanted from them other than companionship and possibly to marry well and give him grandchildren – the family life he craved."

"And this man you married?"

"Noah was a student when we met, he became a teacher and the children loved him and he them. He was taken from me by someone who wanted to hurt me because she was jealous and she found he could easily have his head turned by a pretty face," she looked across at her father who had no idea what she was intimating, "whatever else Noah did, he never intended to hurt me or the children – yes he gambled and lost, he made unwise decisions but never once did he raise his hand to any of us." Again she glared at her father.

"Hmm," Margaret frowned. "But …"

"No buts, mother," Janey held her gaze, "we were happy, we are settled and I have found my sister; all things considered I am lucky. William and Robert go to a good school Arthur will follow them and so will Psyche. We have a nice house and I still have my job at the bookshop."

"You work in a shop?!"

"And I like it," Janey tilted her chin in defiance, "why should I stop?"

"You could do good works, join your aunt on one of her boards …"

"Margaret, stop trying to run her life," Prudence interrupted, "if she wants to continue with Mr Simons then she should."

"What kind of bookshop, Janey?" Henry thought he should join in before Margaret caused a riot.

"We sell both new and second hand, father, and we have recently set up a lovely children's section, William and Robert helped with that …"

"It's trade," Margaret muttered.

"Yes mother, it is," Janey stood up, "and without trade you wouldn't have your grocers and butchers, your bakers – Phryne, thank you for, yet another, lovely dinner, but I have to get the children to school in the morning and to the shop quite early."

"I'll get the cab, Janey," Phryne was angry with her mother for trying to run Janey's life, as her aunt had said, but she wouldn't confront her mother just yet. "Give our love to the children," by which she meant hers and Jack's, "and I shall see them very soon."

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As Mr Butler handed Janey her wrap Phryne smiled. "Don't worry, I think she thought that of the two of us you would be the easier to bend to her will. Trouble is, you have been brought up to be rather independent, Mr Fredericks did you many favours and that is one very important one."

"I expect she will turn her nose up at the school, the fact that the children will have tea in the parlour with us and try to arrange a finishing school for Psyche when she's old enough." There were tears in Janey's eyes.

"I can't see that going well," Phryne hugged her.

"Did she send you to finishing school?"

"No, I escaped to the trenches," Phryne pursed her lips, "I think, or at least I hope, I did more good there than tripping around a school in Switzerland with a book on my head to make me stand and walk straight."

Janey laughed.

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When she got back to the dining room Prudence was quietly, but firmly, telling her sister to stop meddling, that Janey was fine, she was happy, and the children were healthy and bright.

Phryne knew that it was only because she had not married a suitable member of the nobility and provided an heir and a spare that her mother was intent on meddling in Janey's family. With the mood her mother was in she was quite glad that Jane was staying at school as a spur of the moment visit by an author she admired had been organised.

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The Baron and Baroness left very shortly after Janey, but it was Margaret's parting shot that had Phryne, and Prudence it has to be said, wishing they had never told them Janey had been found.

"It's all your fault, you know, Phryne."

Jack grabbed her hand and subtly shook his head, if she argued back it would escalate into a full scale row.

"Good night, mother, father; I expect I shall see you on Saturday."

"Oh, right," Margaret swept out of the house, Henry shrugged a 'sorry' and followed her to the cab.

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Prudence's driver was in the kitchen, having been invited to stay and eat there instead of driving back to her house and waiting for a call. He was ready to leave when she was.

"Thank you, Dawes," she kissed Phryne goodnight, "don't worry dear girl," she smiled, "they will be gone soon enough and you and Janey can get back to normal – whatever that is. Bite your tongue and remember, she can't interfere from England."

"I'll do my best, Aunt P," she sighed.

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"I can't avoid her for six weeks," Phryne flopped onto the chaise, "and I can't go and leave Janey to her mercies."

Jack couldn't understand why Margaret wanted to interfere so much in her daughters' lives, instead of supporting them. His own mother had supported his sister when she had decided to train as a nurse before she married. She would offer advice when asked for it but never forced Elizabeth to follow it. The had allowed her to choose her own suitors, and eventually her own husband, they had looked after the children when asked to and never did anything with them without Elizabeth and David's permission first. Janey had four children, she had a lovely home, now, good friends, dependable staff and a job she enjoyed, why should anything change? That was it! His sister and her husband had a house out of town, and it would soon be the term break …

"Got it!" he passed her a drink and sat down.

"What?"

"A way to avoid your mother for a couple of weeks."

"How?"

"You know my sister's house, the one David inherited from his grandparents?"

"You mean the rambling estate in Ballarat? What about it?"

"Plenty of room for a couple of weeks at term break, the children could meet my niece and nephews – you and I have been trying to arrange it for ages, and I have some leave to take …"

"And there's no room for another couple?" she slowly smiled, "you know, it could work. We'd have to be careful with Robert, it could overwhelm him …"

"There's plenty of room for him to take himself off for some quiet time, as long as we know where he is. Let me talk to Elizabeth."

"And if it all goes horribly wrong on Saturday we can whisk them away as soon as the boys finish school.

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Elizabeth was delighted with the idea.

"I'll draft in some staff …"

"We'll bring the Hammonds, Janey's housekeeper and butler, they know the children well and more to the point the children know them …" Jack knew he would have to check this out first, but if not Phryne would insist Mr Butler attend as well. "I'll confirm after the weekend."

"Lovely, the children will be glad of some extra company."

"They're a bit younger than your three …"

"No worries."

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Mrs Hammond had laid out all the children's favourites for tea that Saturday, and the Inspector's favourite ham, cheese and mustard pickle sandwiches, just in case, scones, finger sandwiches of smoked salmon on brown bread she baked herself, little cakes with sweet cream and icing, and biscuits. The silver was polished to within an inch of its life and the rest of the house had been given an extra special clean. There was nothing out of place, even the playroom was tidy.

"… So that's what we've thought," Phryne took her sister's hands in hers, "when the term break starts, if mother is still hell bent on interfering we're off to Ballarat to stay with Jack's sister. There's plenty of room for Robert to have a quiet space and we can talk to him about it first."

"It will look like we're running away," Janey frowned.

"Planned for ages, Janey," Phryne winked, "well, Jack and I have been trying to find a convenient time to go over, now the case is cleared up we can go with clear consciences."

"And if they decide they want to come?"

"Sadly, Elizabeth doesn't have any more room."

"Of course she doesn't." Janey squeezed her hands. "Thank you."

"Thank Jack, it was his idea. I think it was because mother blames me, for losing you in the first place and now for encouraging you to live your life as you see fit."

"Hey!" Janey huffed, "in an odd way you did me a favour, losing me. You lost me to a kind man, I didn't have to endure any more of father's beatings, I had an education, I learned to look after myself and subsequently my family. As for encouraging me to live life as I see fit, well, I'd like to see you stop me."

"I wouldn't dare try." Phryne smiled, "well, I hear the cab, ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

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Margaret approved of the house, the décor and the furnishings – Phryne had suggested that Janey say it was her own doing, and the choice of house was her own rather than even hinting that she had help from her sister, though she did give Phryne credit for seeing her money was saved wisely until she was found. Her mother, however, did raise her eyebrows at Janey's choice of trousers rather than a proper afternoon dress, that had to be Phryne's doing. Janey ignored it.

They sat in the comfortable, light parlour and Mr Hammond brought in the tea.

"Mrs Hammond is just fetching the children, madam," he bowed slightly, "I believe Miss Psyche has been playing in the garden."

"Ah, well, fresh air is good for them, Mr Hammond."

"Indeed, madam," he left smiling, Miss Psyche was covered in mud from digging in the vegetable patch, looking to see how the carrots were growing.

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In spite of Mrs Hammond's best efforts Miss Psyche was not going to cooperate fully and had to be carried on the housekeeper's hip to meet her grandparents. Already one sock had rolled down and she had managed to pull one ribbon out completely, however she was clean and her dress was neatly pressed. The boys were smartly dressed but not too formally in shorts, shirts and ties, socks and shoes and their hair was neatly brushed. Janey got up to take Psyche and usher the children forward to meet their grandparents.

They shook hands politely and said how nice it was to meet them, though Robert was hardly audible and rushed back to stand just behind his mother. Arthur gave them a cheeky grin and Psyche squeaked something about carrots and wriggled to be set down, immediately running over to Phryne who was watching with faint amusement.

"Auntie Fie, carrots!"

"Gardening again, Psyche?" she smiled.

Her niece nodded enthusiastically, "diggin'!"

"Well, perhaps after tea you can go back, if mummy doesn't mind; but change your dress first."

"'kay!" Psyche took her hand and pulled her over to a chair where she sat down and scrambled up onto her knee. Somehow, Phryne never minded when Psyche did this and Margaret and Henry could both see the small child was very much like their older daughter – Margaret was not impressed and pursed her lips at the behaviour.

Henry decided to try and engage William in conversation, being the older child and heir to the title. He asked him if he knew what a Baron was.

"Well, sir, I suppose I don't really. Mum says you are nobility, and you live in England. It's very good of you to come all this way just to see us." William chewed the inside of his lip. "What does a Baron do?"

"Er, well, boy," Henry harrumphed, "we sit in the House of Lords and look at the laws the politicians want to make, and we say if it will be alright."

"Oh, and if you don't like it?"

"We send it back and suggest changes."

"I suppose those are the laws that Uncle Jack looks after – I mean he stops people doing bad things?"

"I suppose he does," Henry agreed.

It was an awkward meeting, apart from Henry and William talking, Robert stayed by his mother and when Arthur decided to try to engage his grandmother in looking at a picture book Phryne thought she had forgotten how to talk to small children, if she had ever known. She didn't really remember, living in poverty in Collingwood she only remembered being beaten by her father, eating whatever her mother could afford and being blamed for losing Janey. Maybe in the early days, when she was Psyche's age, she was kind, but even though she had been the dutiful daughter and ensured her father was returned to England in a timely fashion and provided them with the funds to maintain a certain level of lifestyle she didn't feel her mother really cared for her.

Psyche stayed on her aunt's lap, wary of the stern looking woman sitting opposite them. It didn't make it easy for Phryne to drink her tea, but it did make it easy for the little girl to pinch a biscuit off Phryne's plate – and instantly get reprimanded by her grandmother.

"Psyche! We do not take without asking!"

Her eyes filled with tears, Auntie Phryne always let her take a biscuit off her plate, she dropped the biscuit onto the rug.

"Now look at the mess!"

"It's alright, Psyche," Phryne pulled her close and glared at her mother, "you know I always save a biscuit for you …"

"Mother," Janey stood up and took another biscuit over, "here you are sweetheart …" She turned back to her mother, "if you don't mind, I will scold the children should it be necessary; it is Phryne's choice to have Psyche take biscuits off her plate, and a dropped biscuit is nothing to worry about."

Arthur sat down on the floor having decided his grandmother was not going to make the silly animal noises to go with the pictures in his book like Uncle Jack did, and sometimes Auntie Phryne, Robert sidled out to the calm of the kitchen and William scowled at Margaret.

"There are manners, they are of a certain social level Janey …"

"Until a few months ago we lived in Fitzroy in a two up two down terrace and ate what I could afford. We didn't have afternoon tea and fine china, it is an enormous change, for the children in particular, so if Psyche wants to take biscuits off Phryne's plate or dig in the garden and get covered in mud, if William wants to go cycling with Jack and Robert wants to bake with Mrs Hammond then they shall – they will never forget where they came from and they will never look down their noses on anyone less fortunate than themselves."

"Well really … as if …" Margaret huffed.

Janey looked at her and waited.

"Henry," Margaret stood up, "we should be going."

"Er, what? Oh, yes, right," Henry cleared his throat and patted William on the head, "good to meet you, son."

"And you sir," William nodded, "and thank you for explaining what a Baron does, I'm sure it's very interesting."

"Quite," he harrumphed, "well, hope to see you again, very soon …" he waved at Psyche and Arthur, but Margaret pointedly ignored them and glared at Phryne – it would appear it was all her fault – again.

Janey surprised herself by agreeing that it would be nice to see him again, she wasn't so sure about her mother.

The children were allowed to leave the parlour and go to the garden or the playroom.

"What is going on, Phryne?" Janey slumped into a chair. "Father was always the one who ignored us, when he wasn't beating us …"

"I don't remember mother being too good at intervening in those events, though …"

"If she did, he would probably have beaten her. What was she like when you took him back to England?"

"Well, I suppose she was grateful, but she immediately set about organising dinners and meetings with suitable men, then when I high tailed it off to India, she decided I wasn't worth the effort, I think. You know, when the Lofthouses held that memorial for me when everyone thought I had died rescuing Shirin they didn't attend." Phryne sat back in her seat, "she blames me for most of the family's ills – you being independent is her latest beef about me."

"My independence has nothing to do with you, that was how Fredericks raised me. I guess she was hoping I would be malleable, easy to bend to her way of thinking. I'm rather glad Psyche is like you, you know, and I think mother noticed."

"She definitely did, and she most definitely does not approve."

"Her problem, not mine." Janey tossed her head in defiance.