AN: Updating a day early because I will be away tomorrow! :)
/ / MONDAY - Early Afternoon / /
Three police cars raced towards Richmond's north to the address of one Stanley Thomas, and from them rushed several men all headed toward the house with guns and batons in hand. Two of the men however, ignored the destination of the others and ran instead for the bright red car parked at the side of the street.
"Phryne?!"
For the first time since settling in her brother's lap twenty minutes ago, Phryne opened her eyes.
"Jack," she breathed, wincing as her throat ached.
The Inspector gaped at her. A bruise bloomed on the side of her face rather matching his own, and there were more still that were just beginning to form along her neck in the unmistakable form of fingers. But what he noticed more than anything were her eyes. They were terribly bloodshot, the whites such an alarming shade of red. What had happened to her?
He paled but reached for her all the same, needing to touch her, to hold her and know she was safe. Jack climbed into the back seat of the car and Phryne slid from her brother's arms into Jack's. She looked at him curiously, and raised her hand to trace her fingers lightly across his cheek.
"You're hurt," she whispered.
Jack swallowed. "Uh, yes. A uh, earlier suspect didn't take kindly to my accusations."
That was mostly true. And from over Phryne's shoulder Jack saw Orpheus nod his thanks at the aversion of finer details.
"We should get you to hospital, Phryne."
"No, I don't need-" she swallowed thickly and painfully, "I'm fine Jack. I just want to go home."
"Phryne," Jack argued softly, "you've been- I would feel better if I knew for certain you were-"
"At least let us call that woman doctor friend of yours, Phryne," Orpheus cut in. "A compromise."
Phryne looked carefully between them, "No hospitals?" she rasped.
"No hospitals," Orpheus confirmed.
They waited, and after careful consideration Phryne nodded. Then she closed her eyes once more and curled back into Jack's chest. He was warm and soothingly familiar, and she was -she silently admitted- very worn out and in need of a little comfort.
"Collins," Hugh, who had been standing a short distance away to give the Inspector and Miss Fisher a small amount of privacy stepped forward. "Go inside and call Dr Macmillan to meet us at Miss Fisher's house," Jack told his Constable.
"Yes sir," Hugh nodded, and no sooner had he left them then another Constable appeared. It was Constable Wallace, and he approached the car ready to report to the Detective Inspector.
If the sight of Miss Fisher curled in his superior's lap startled Wallace he didn't show it, and for that Jack was very grateful.
"The suspect has been apprehended," Wallace informed him. "But he's been shot sir, we've had to call for an ambulance. It seems he's already lost a lot of blood."
Jack glanced at Orpheus who looked right back, challenging the Inspector to say something against his tactics
Jack gave in and looked away, "Thank you Constable Wallace. I will be returning Miss Fisher to her home momentarily, please send Collins with any updates."
"Yes sir."
The Constable walked away and Jack turned to Orpheus. "Perhaps, Mr Fisher, you would like to drive?"
Orpheus nodded and stepped out of the back of the car to move to the driver's seat. He started the engine with a roar, and taking care of Phryne in the back, pulled gently onto the street.
/ / /
Mac stepped out of Phryne's boudoir to find Orpheus and Jack waiting anxiously in the hallway, and knew with no doubt that Jane was hidden around the corner too, almost certainly with Dot. Sighing she led them all downstairs to the kitchen where she could address the entire household and get a drink, and perhaps some lunch.
"Well?" Orpheus demanded after a moment, his patience worn through.
"She will be fine. She's dehydrated and hungry, may I suggest you take her some soup and bread with a large glass of water, Mr Butler? Otherwise she has minor abrasions and some bruising. I've bandaged her wrists and ankles as a precaution to prevent infection, and I've left her an ointment as well."
"And her eyes? How on earth did they..." Jack broke away mid-question. The shade of red the whites of Phryne's eyes had gone was a disturbing sight, and it worried him.
Mac met his gaze calculatedly, she had been hoping to avoid some specifics while Jane was in the room, but supposed they would find out one way or another what had happened.
"That would be caused from being strangled," Mac told him evenly. "They will fade back to white after a week or so."
Jack swallowed uncomfortably and nodded. "Can I see her?"
"Yes, but do let her rest. I doubt she had much chance to over the last few days."
The telephone rang then, and Mr Butler excused himself to answer it. When he returned he looked to Jack.
"Constable Collins on the phone for you, Inspector."
Jack walked out to take it and silence fell over the room as they waited. Mr Butler placed a glass of whiskey before Orpheus and Mac, and a sherry in front of Dot. Jane looked up, and the older man smiled kindly at her and set about making the girl a cocoa.
The Inspector returned. "Stanley Thomas has been taken for surgery," he said to the room. Mr Butler poured another glass of whiskey and offered it. Jack took the glass and swallowed its contents in one. "Thank you, Mr Butler."
"Might I enquire, sir, if anyone has informed Mrs Stanley of her niece's return?" asked the older man. Jack balked, raising his eyebrows slightly. He hadn't given Phryne's aunt a thought. They had arrived here, and he had taken Phryne straight to her room, tucking her into bed as Orpheus tried to calm Jane and Dot.
Mac had arrived shortly thereafter and promptly kicked him out so she could assess her patient in privacy, and Jack had paced until the doctor had reemerged just minutes ago.
"I haven't contacted her," he admitted after a moment, then turned to Orpheus.
"Neither have I. Miss Williams, did you perhaps think to...?"
"I was waiting for Doctor Macmillan," Dot said.
They all looked between each other, realising how furious Prudence would be if she found out they hadn't contacted her immediately. Dorothy stood.
"I will just-"
But at that moment knocking sounded at the door, continuing insistently, and Mr Butler moved to answer it. They heard the door open and then a familiar and booming voice call, "Where is she?!"
Prudence Stanley had arrived.
Jack walked through the dining room to the front hall once more. "Mrs Stanley, we were just about to call you," he told her.
"Your Constable already rang me, Inspector. He said you and Orpheus were bringing Phryne home."
"And so we have, Doctor Macmillan has just seen her. She's upstairs, resting."
Prudence nodded, and without another word she marched up the stairs toward Phryne's bedroom. Jack looked after her, hoping Phryne would be up to such a visit. A few moments he heard a small scream. Aunt Prudence was clearly taken aback by her niece's appearance.
Jack gave a short sigh, and decided it would probably be best if he at least tried to calm Phryne's brusque aunt. As he began to climb the stairs he heard the older woman continue to wail with shock.
"Oh Phryne!"
/ / /
Night fell in Melbourne to find Phryne in the bath. She had been given instructions not to dampen the bandages on her ankles or wrists which made the task a challenging one, but she was determined to wash every inch of that place from her as thoroughly as possible. Jack knelt on the ground next to her, his jacket discarded across the foot of her bed, his tie tucked into his pocket and his shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbow.
In his hand he held a wash cloth, and he took his time to gently run it over her and wash the last few days from her skin.
Phryne closed her eyes, resting her head back into the porcelain. Her legs were extended to rest on the opposite edge of the bath, out of the water, and her arms were draped laxly over each side. The soapy cloth brushed across her skin in soothing circular motions, dipping occasionally into the warm water, every movement just as delicate and deliberate as the last. Phryne hummed at the pleasant sensation, and briefly considered that perhaps it wasn't all so bad that she was unable to wash herself.
She never thought she could have this. That she could be so contented and happy to just lay in silence with a man, feeling his presence and enjoying the touch of his body against hers without needing to think about complicated things like sex or love. They could just be and it was exhilarating.
"What are you thinking about?" Jack asked, watching her smile to herself as he shifted and began to wash the tops of her legs.
Phryne thought before answering, taking a slow breath in and back out again. "How wonderful you are," she whispered, her voice was returning to its usual tones but the rasp was still there. "How wonderful this is."
"Being bathed?"
"Mm, yes," she smiled further. "I've never felt so comfortable as to allow someone else to do such a thing for me. I can look after myself."
Jack nodded in understanding, "I'm glad to be able to do this for you," he told her softly.
Phryne nodded, "Yes, I don't believe it would be quite so enjoyable if I'd asked Dot."
"I imagine not," he chuckled.
He moved the cloth over her knees then dipped it back into the scented water before moving to her calves. The comfortable silence fell back over them, and Jack continued to wash Phryne's legs, being mindful of her bandages, and then the soles of her feet. She continued to smile and sigh serenely until she was clean and Jack wrung out the cloth and placed it over the edge of the bath.
She opened her heavy eyes and blinked at him sleepily. Getting out of this bath was going to be just as awkward as getting in it had been.
Hands placed on either side of the porcelain, Phryne sat up and water ran down her chest in a small wave. With some careful effort she slid her legs along the edge of the bath and turned her body so she sat in it sideways, her legs draped over one side at the knee, her arms moving outstretched in the cool air.
Jack dried his hands and then clasped them around hers, hoisting her up so she could find her footing and stand before him, ready to be wrapped in a large and warm towel.
She dried herself and found a robe to pull onto her bare form as Jack prepared to take his turn in her bath water. He stripped as she watched and lowered himself into the tub, washing quickly and efficiently before climbing out once more and reaching for a towel of his own.
"And what now?" she asked as he dried himself.
"Now we sleep," he reached for the pair of his pyjamas Mr Butler had laid out for him and pulled them on before padding over to the bed and climbing in.
Phryne discarded her robe and pulled a silk night dress over her head, then both settled under the covers before she leant across and turned out the lights.
In the darkness their bodies sought out each other immediately, curling together familiarly, slotted into one another like two pieces of a puzzle. Phryne held him tight, reminding herself this was real and she was really home once more and in Jack's arms.
And Jack too sought reassurance in her touch, needing to feel for himself that she was safe. His hand slid across her lower back, and hers moved across his heart. She breathed him in and he shifted, pulling her closer. Her leg fell between his, and her cold fingers found the collar of his pyjama shirt, then dipped beneath it to his collarbone. He pressed his nose to her fringe and she kissed his neck.
"Phryne," he whispered..
"Jack," she replied.
"Phryne I…" he swallowed and his adam's apple bobbed against her lips. "I..."
She sighed, her breath warm against his skin and slowly she nodded.
"I know," she told him.
He kissed her forehead, unable to stop the tears forming in his eyes. He hadn't asked her yet, to tell him what had happened. She'd spoken to Mac, and Mac had spoken briefly to him, but he didn't know it all. Not from her perspective. Collins wouldn't be taking her statement until tomorrow. All Jack knew was that seeing those marks on her neck had terrified him, and the question of what she had been through would linger until he knew.
"I love you."
The confession hung in the air for a moment, and both of them lay still as they let it settle over them. After a moment, just before worry or regret could start to seep in, the words were repeated on a whisper.
"I love you too."