Once again thank you for your encouragement! I have had an incredibly busy summer at work, but I have also been dealing with a bit of writer's block. I want to thank Izzyandlouie whose picture of the St. Kilda foreshore was the inspiration that gave me an idea which allowed me to finish this chapter even though there is nothing beach related! Many thanks! As always, these characters are not mine. I thank Kerry Greenwood, Essie Davis, Nathan Page and the rest of the cast and crew at ABC for bringing them to life and for allowing me to play in their world from time to time.
Chapter 17 Phryne's Birthday
As with most events during the Christmas season, Phryne's birthday approaches rapidly and the household is in a flutter as to what to do since they don't know if Dr. Wilson will allow her below stairs or if the dark mood that has permeated her being for several days will continue. Still, plans for a surprise of some description for her abound.
Phryne struggles emotionally as the restrictions chafe more and more with each passing day. These days her journal is always close at hand and she shares more of her darker memories.
Today after Jack has left for work and Jane for school and Dot has gone to help Mr. Butler, Phryne quickly does her exercises which are difficult now that her stomach is seemingly larger every day. The many pillows she is using to make her comfortable are scattered around her and she feels claustrophobic; longing for something exciting to break up the day. She selects one of the cold case files Jack left for her and reviews it, making careful notes on a pad. As she reviews testimony, she is drawn to the part about "break and enter" of the house and then the mysterious emptying of the safe of its valuables. This triggers a memory that she jots in her journal.
I believe you said once Jack that the "apple doesn't fall far from the tree." I remember the first time my Father began my lock picking and safe cracking training. I watched him throwing his tools haphazardly on the dresser and asked what they were. After fixing me with an appraising stare, he went to one of the tall cupboards that Janey and I couldn't reach and pulled out three locks. He locked each of them and then proceeded to demonstrate how the tool could unlock them. "You try," he said to me, "I have a sweet for you if you can open them all in 15 minutes." I wanted that sweet very badly, but it took several sessions before I got the feel of the tool and the locks. I remember the brands - John Waine & Sons as well as Thomas Worrall & Company. Father then gave me successively more complex locks and shorter time periods in which to open them, and in order to get the sweet he offered I worked harder every time until eventually I could open any lock he presented. "You never know when you may need to be able to pick a lock," he would say when Mother fussed at him about keeping me at it for long periods of time when I should be out in the fresh air. Later he took me to more nefarious locations where there were safes and he would have me listen to the tumblers moving into place over and over again. I didn't like these outings much, the smells of stale smoke and old whiskey and urine tended to permeate the atmosphere. My father wanted me to practice breaking into real places as well. He didn't make me steal anything while I was with him, but I was never sure…and he didn't always produce the promised sweets reinforcing my lack of trust.
He let Janey try as well, but she didn't have my knack or my competitive desire to succeed so her participation was strictly for fun.
Closing her journal Phryne returns to the notepad and makes a note for Jack. "Review the testimony of the son and the butler which differ very slightly from the rest of the family, but in the same way – their description of the gathering for the evening meal and the meal itself are where you need to look. If you don't see it on review, I will point it out. It may test your wartime French."
When Dr. Wilson comes that evening and examines Phryne, he gives her a choice of coming downstairs for her birthday or for Christmas, but not both. "I am sorry Phryne, but it might be too much activity and we are still many weeks away from our goal."
Phryne's disappointment is palpable, her deep sigh echoing around them, "Very well, I will go down for Christmas. It will be much more festive than my birthday."
In order to cheer her up a bit from the news, and as Jack is not home from work, Dr. Wilson stays for dinner and entertains Phryne with tales from his days in medical school. Phryne shares a few of her ambulance driving escapades as well and when Jack arrives, they are chuckling and Phryne's cheeks are flushed faintly pink and her eyes are sparkling for the first time in days.
"Jack, may I have a word on my way out," Dr. Wilson asks once they have all shared a delicious pound cake with fresh peaches and cream.
The ringing of the phone interrupts Jack's response and Phryne picks it up. "Yes, he is still here," and she gestures to Dr. Wilson to take the phone.
"Dr. Wilson here," he says in his best "I am the doctor" voice. "I will be there in less than 10 minutes."
Handing the receiver back to Phryne he gathers up his bag, "I am sorry to rush off my dear, but I have a breach delivery to attend." Kissing her on the cheek, he heads out the door.
Jack follows Dr. Wilson out of the room to find out what he wanted to share with him. Dr. Wilson gives a quick synopsis of his concern for Phryne's depressed state. "Jack, I am depending on you to help lift her spirits in these last weeks of confinement and the beginning months of Motherhood when she will be similarly confined, but for different reasons."
"I'll do my best, sir," Jack's solemn bass rumbles behind the doctor as he hurries out the door.
"Never doubted that Jack!" Dr. Wilson's voice drifts back through the open door.
Jack returns to Phryne and spends time reading poetry to her, his deep voice soothing and calm. All the while, his mind is developing and rejecting ideas. Inspiration finally hits him while brushing his teeth.
The next day Jack puts Dot on the job to find a small Christmas tree for Phryne's room.
While Dot is out shopping she sees Christmas trees made of Ostrich feathers. They are almost ethereal in their beauty. She decides immediately that this is the direction they should go. She drops by City South to share her idea with Jack.
"Dot, I think that is an excellent idea! It will certainly appeal to Phryne's flair for the dramatic. Let's proceed. And let's keep it a secret."
"Yes, Detective Inspector," Dot agrees, "I'll take care of it."
Dot finds a beautiful white feather Christmas tree that is the perfect height for the table. She is drawn to the pink feather tree, but is too practical to purchase it. She then purchases an assortment of blue, purple, gold and pink ornaments and finds lights as well. She also finds a gossamer light gold tree skirt that will add the finishing touch to the base of the tree. Satisfied with her choices she hurries back to Wardlow.
Phryne's birthday dawns with a clear blue sky, and when Jack wakes Phryne to take her to the loo, her look of surprise and wonder at the feathery Christmas tree now resting on the table warms Jack's heart.
"Jack wheel me over to look at the tree please. I can wait a few minutes for the loo."
Jack obliges and rolls her to the table so she can get a better look at the ornaments on the tree.
They examine the tree together, Phryne commenting on the various ornaments. Her favorites are the delicate birds' nests with tiny eggs and the angel tree topper. Arranged beneath the tree are a few beautifully wrapped birthday gifts and Phryne runs her fingers over the black and white designs, smiling slightly.
"Ok Jack, I can't wait any longer," she says. "What are in the packages?"
"One does not reveal the gift prior to the opening Mrs. Robinson," Jack says with mock severity.
"Is that how it works?" Phryne questions him giggling slightly.
Once back in bed and Jack gone Phryne gazes at the tree, the softness of the feathers reminding her of her fan dance which then causes her to frown thinking about her figure, but when Dot bustles in with breakfast she puts on a smile.
Mr. Butler prepared her favorite breakfast and she eats well discussing the ornaments with Dot and asking her where she found them.
"You remember that little novelties shop close to the House of Fleuri?"
At Phryne's nod, Dot proceeds, "Just a few doors down from it is a Christmas shop – temporary of course, but I saw the feather trees in the window and thought immediately of you."
"Dot you are a treasure. I think the tree is a perfect addition to this room for my birthday and Christmas."
"I thought so too, Miss," Dot replies her cheeks pinking at the compliment.
Jack's second gift comes in a somewhat clandestine manner. After the household goes to bed, Jack slips down the stairs and out into the garden to make sure all is in place. "Excellent," he says softly to the warm night air. The bed is placed to take advantage of the flowers in the area as well as an unimpeded view of the night sky. The table sitting next to the bed has a bucket of iced champagne, two large pieces of birthday cake and a bowl of fruit along with crystal flutes, napkins and heavy silver cutlery. Turning down the bedclothes, Jack places a Red Rose and Daisy bouquet against the pillows, "Perfect," he whispers as he observes the effect against the snowy sheets.
"Jack?" Phryne's sleepy question reaches him as he comes through the door, "I need the loo."
"Perfect timing as always Miss Fisher," Jack says in a low and gravelly voice.
Jack moves her chair over and she slips into it. They go to the loo, but instead of returning to their room Jack rolls her to top of the stairs. "What's going on?" she whispers, wide awake now.
"You'll see," Jack whispers back his breath tickling her ear. "Come on now, arms around my neck."
Obediently Phryne lifts her arms and puts them around his neck and anchoring her to his body by his strong arms Jack carries her down the stairs, out the door and into the garden finally depositing her on the edge of the bed.
"Jack Robinson," she squeals softly, "what are we doing?"
"Having a night out," he replies glibly not commenting on the fact that her thin nightgown is diaphanous in the moon light and his body responds accordingly. "Lie down Miss Fisher lest Dr. Wilson skin me alive."
Phryne scoots back on the bed her hand brushing the bouquet causing her to pause to look at it. She gathers it burying her nose into the flowers and inhaling deeply. "These are glorious Jack! Thank you."
She hands him the flowers which he places in a vase and then she slides over to the opposite side of the bed. "Are you joining me Inspector," she purrs clearly delighted to be doing something different, something a bit naughty.
"I thought you would never ask," Jack teases slipping into the bed and moving close so she can rest against him.
The two of them gaze at the night sky mesmerized by all the shades of deep blue. The stars glitter like giant diamonds in the inky navy sky seemingly close enough to touch. They don't talk much for a long time, but as the moon rises higher they begin to talk about constellations and planets. They are fascinated by the full moon in all its reflected glory and how much light it produces. How it makes them feel like they are the only two people in the entire world under the huge antipodean sky. At some point they have cake and a bit of champagne before falling into each other's arms their whispered words of love echoing around them, their soft cries of release heard only by the moon and stars.
A bit before sunrise, Jack wakes them and returns her to her room before setting off for the station the case files with Phryne's notes in his hands.
Later that evening Phryne Robinson's moans of pleasure echo loudly around the room.
"Phryne," Jack hisses, "not so loud, you're going to wake Jane and likely Dot as well."
"I can't help it Jack, your fingers are magical."
Jack smirks, glancing at his hands which are buried in Phryne's hair, completely covered in slippery suds from her shampoo his strong fingers gently massaging her head. The expression of pleasure on her face causes Jack's grin to widen his eyes moving over the rest of her lying naked on her back, the heaviness of her breasts and the large swell of her belly mesmerizing; his children growing there; her body nourishing them. It is an unfathomable miracle in Jack's mind.
He jerks his thoughts back to the task at hand – his final gift to her after spending the last couple of hours shaving her legs, painting her toe nails and massaging her from head to toe; his powerful warm fingers and hands smoothing oil all over her and easing muscles tired of lying in bed.
He spoke poetry to the babies, his deep voice vibrating against her as he rubbed the oil into her tightly stretched skin. He has been careful not to be sexual in his touch though he suspects Phryne has observed the keen desire for her that his smalls do little to conceal.
As he rinses her hair in warm water and then wraps the wet strands in a fluffy towel, Jack mentally prepares for sleeping; willing his body to calm.
Jack moves Phryne to the floor by the fire in order to dry her hair. He has placed soft cushions that allow her to recline and he combs her hair out the heat from the fire drying the strands.
"Jack, this has been a wonderful birthday," she says dreamily staring into the flickering firelight.
"I'm glad," Jack says simply his fingers tracing lightly from temple to chin.
"I don't deserve it. I've been terribly moody lately."
"It's understandable that you would be moody at times. I just hope you don't regret," his words are stopped by her fingers across his lips.
"Jack Robinson, no matter how moody, how distressed, how upset I may be from time to time, I can't truly regret any of this. I..."
Phryne's words are cut short by Jack's kiss his firm lips capturing hers in a sweet, hungry mating that leave them both breathless and banish concerns of moodiness and regret in favor of love and light.
Later Phryne traces the scars from his knife wounds remembering the days when she thought he might be lost to her forever and silently vows to choose joy in the days ahead.
Drowsing, almost completely asleep, Jack feels his wife's fingers tracing his knife wounds and he senses the love in her touch and hears it in her almost silent declaration. His only sign of acknowledgement is the slight quirking of his lips that goes unseen as Phryne falls asleep her hand splayed over his heart.