I'd like to take a moment to thank all of you, who have decided to come with me onto this little journey away from strict canon. I'm enjoying myself, I hope you too. Especially I appreciate the effort of those who took the time to drop me a line or two with their thoughts. All kinds of reviews, critisism, ideas are welcome, so don't be shy. ;) And if there's any scenarios you would really like to see done, please share.

Little Tricks

Tonight was the night. He could sense it. Quiet laughter sounded over from the dining room and Mr. Butler smiled into the dark chocolate cake he was just cutting into wedges. Detective-Inspector Robinson didn't often come for dinner. He tended to work late and then show up at Miss Fisher's doorstep unannounced to take in some liquids and conversation before heading towards a home that he obviously didn't feel too drawn to. Mr. Butler sometimes wondered if the man ever ate. Or slept. There seemed to always be too much work to be discussed and plenty of dashing about and chasing after Miss Fisher, both figuratively and literally, for the Inspector to ever really settle. The servant had a niggling suspicion that Jack Robinson had lived of cheese sandwiches for the gone years since his wife had left him and that his bed stayed cold most nights. Well all of this was about to change, wasn't it? Because tonight was the night.

With skilled hands and a quiet little whistle on his lips, Mr. Butler arranged the dessert onto two plates, decorating the cake with cream and the plumpest, juiciest cherries he could come by at the market. It was the climax of a dinner the butler called himself proud of. Mrs. Butler had had a way with "special" ingredients, with asparagus and avocado, figs and oysters and Mr. Butler himself had always been a keen learner. He smiled at the memories of her proving her theories to him.

All fruit was in place and the butler fished for a small bottle with old-fashioned writing on it's label that he unscrewed with vigour. A little bit would do. A few droplets of amber liquid that made the whole kitchen smell heavenly of vanilla, dribbled sensuous paths down the cream. If nothing else would work, this would. In truth Mr. Butler was too smart a man to trust in this sort of nonsense but he had been married for a long time and knew that Mrs. Butler had been a very level headed woman as well. And nevertheless she had believed in one sort of magic very strongly: In the power of true love that despite all odds, had to be pursuit and cherished. Carefully the servant screwed the lid back onto the bottle and returned the potion to the pantry. There was only a trickle left in the bottom now and then this memory of his wife would be gone, too. He recalled well when she had explained to him how it worked. It wasn't your classic love potion that did foolish things to peoples heads. No, this potion, or so the coughing old lady that had sold it to her, had said, would not induce anything that wasn't already there. It would just open the mind and eyes to the obvious and remove for the glimpse of a moment all things standing in the way of true love. And really, decluttering was part of his job as Miss Fisher's devoted butler, wasn't it?

With a small grin on his face, Mr. Butler balanced the plates into the dining room. Neither of the two people there had the decency to look up when he entered. Then again, that was probably less due to a lack of politeness than the fact that neither of them seemed to really have noticed his existence – or anyone else's on the planet. Jack Robinson's eyes had fixed Miss Fisher's in a way that made Mr. Butlers heart sing and at the same time his cheeks develop a pink tinge. His Mistress' lips on the other hand had curled into a smile that her butler also knew very well. One had to be blind to not see the intimacy that sparkled between those two people. Then again, love was supposed to be blind, the butler mused darkly and served his dessert. Both thanked him, neither seemed to actually be aware that he was there. Mr. Butler retreated before he would stumble into the erotic mine field, he could sense building rapidly.

At least half an hour must have passed as he was just washing the last pot, when he heard her walk into the kitchen and straight past him into the pantry.

„Did you need more wine, Miss? I would have been happy to bring it."

Only a second later she appeared again, a bottle of the ruby liquid in her hand and a smile on her face that was rather cheeky.

„Don't worry yourself, Mr. B. I will just pop open a new bottle. I think the Inspector might stay late tonight." She grinned. So it had worked. Mr. Butler was in the middle of an imaginary pat on his own shoulder when he noticed her stepping closer to him.

"It's a beautiful night, Mr. Butler, isn't it?" His Mistress purred, looking at him with dark eyes. Mr. Butler smiled politely.

"Very much so, Miss. Rather romantic, I believe."

It occurred to him that those words had been a mistake, the moment he'd said them. Her smile turned into something very much resembling sensual. His smugness turned to confusion. Whatever was going on?

"That is very true, Mr. B."

To his utter astonishment, Miss Fisher closed the gap between them, now standing entirely too near for comfort. He could smell her perfume on warm skin and things happened to him that he really was not ready for. No doubt his Mistress was an attractive woman but it had never occurred to him to actually be attracted. And honestly, he didn't have any intention for this to change. His body right now seemed to have other ideas. Mr. Butler felt himself panic as she reached out a hand to run it over his cheek.

"Miss, I don't think this is appr..."

"Don't be scared. I'll be gentle." She interrupted him and moved even closer. He stared at her with wide eyes, trying to retreat into the kitchen counter. Was there a polite way to avoid kissing a woman? One that was your employer nevertheless? Whatever had he done to Miss Fisher?! It had to be the potion, it had messed with her...!

To his incredible relief her lips avoided his and instead came up to his ear, parting for a quiet whisper.

"A perfect night for a little drugging, don't you think?"

She pulled back, the sensuous smile replaced by something a lot more icy in her gaze. Mr. Butler couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief all the same. He was in trouble but at least not in that kind of trouble. He used the time it took him to sort his clothes with idle fingers, to find the right words.

"I apologise, Miss. It was not my place. But please believe me when I say I never had anything but your best interest in mind."

He looked at his employer who appeared much more serious than he'd liked.

"I do not appreciate my staff trying to poison me and my guests, Mr. Butler. So the knowledge that you meant for the best when you overstepped the line is the very reason you are still in a position right now."

Her eyes softened somewhat. "And the fact, that you make the most delicious chocolate cake in all of Melbourne."

She licked her lips in an absent minded fashion that brought some beats of sweat to his forehead. Mr. Butler still felt rather shaken, but now tried to grip onto his sanity.

"Thank you, Miss."

She nodded, obviously having already forgiven his misstep and turned to the door.

"Oh, Mr. Butler. What I was wondering... have you ever dabbled in the dark arts before in this house?"

He couldn't help but smile at the curiosity openly displayed on her face and cleared his throat. He probably should just tell her, shouldn't he?

"It's possible that Mr. Collins has occasionally found his tea tasting slightly of vanilla in the past, Miss Fisher."

To his relief, her red lips now cracked into a full smile.

"I see. Well, Mr. Butler. Attempt to not kill anyone."

"I shall try my very best, Miss."

She nodded at him with sparkling eyes before returning to the Inspector, who, Mr. Butler was quite sure of it, would share her amusement about this little tale. Only seconds later Miss Williams entered the kitchen, wrapped in her nightgown with her hair hanging loosely over a shoulder. She pulled the door shut before asking in an excited whisper: "How did it go? Did it work?"

Mr. Butler took the time to fish his handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe the sweat of his forehead before answering.

"They found out. In fact, Miss Fisher played a rather cruel joke on me."

He decided that it was time to file this motion away into the furthest back of his mind. It really wouldn't do to blush every time his Mistress walked into the room from now on.

"Well of course they did. You shouldn't have left the bottle in the pantry. They are two detectives and very smart ones at that."

Mr. B smiled.

"I am well aware of that, Dorothy. Would you like some cacao?"

While he put the kettle on, Mr. Butler thought of his wife and all the knowledge she had passed on. "Darling," She had said; "Remember this: For a love potion to work it's best, the lovers need to know what they are taking." And Mr. Butler understood that it was always smart to listen to a brilliant woman.