Defiance. That's what she saw when she looked at the young Miss Fisher. Saddled with that outlandish heathen name, she radiated stubborn defiance. Regina Charlesworth sighed and beckoned the girl over. Angry green eyes glowed from under the raggedy fringe. Last week she'd hacked her plaits off. She'd had sweet little Dutch doll plaits that stuck out endearingly and sometimes made people laugh at her when she stood her ground. Now she looked feral. Regina had heard that a boy had grabbed her hair when they were splashing on the beach and dragged her down in a misguided attempt at a joke. Phryne Fisher was not going to stand for that. She was grimy and bruised but she had a spine of steel.
Her teacher let her off with a warning. Fighting was best off outside at school by the pig bin but she couldn't be seen to tolerate it in the classroom. She'd punched and scratched a boy bigger than her over something she didn't even remember anymore. Regina didn't doubt where she got it from. She had a fight on her hands when the Fisher father had told her that he was withdrawing his children from education so they could go and work. Regina argued for all she was worth, told him that Phryne was meant for better things than working in a factory.
'She has brains and wit, she could go on to further education, do something with her life.'
She'd persisted for so long that he'd finally given up, storming out in exasperation. Regina was sternly satisfied with the result. Phryne had attended school until the Fisher family had won the hereditary lottery and had sailed across the hemisphere to the other side of the world when the money rolled in. Too many young men had died in the Great War and father Fisher had got his Barony. Now there was money for education, boarding school and a Swiss finishing school awaiting young Phryne no doubt. They had to leave Janey behind, check their grief at her vanishment on the shores of Melbourne and move on with their lives. Regina didn't walk by the seafront very often but sometimes she stared out to the rolling blue distance and wondered how that mulish insolent young girl was faring and hoped she was blazing her path in the world. She never expected to see her again.
But here she was. Striding up the stairs in a marvellous creation, strong as silk and as elegant as an orchid. Miss Phryne Fisher, bold as brass. Not only well educated but well-travelled and wiser to go with it. Regina Charlesworth was never prouder to see her former student. She was a triumph.