The birds woke her, along with milky sunlight creeping through the window. Phryne's fingertip stroked over the fabric underneath her, searching for memories of last night. Jack had shuffled two armchairs in front of the kitchen fire when the morning air had begun to be unbearably frosty. She remembered sitting with him, quietly discussing the case, while Concetta had remained still and peaceful underneath the blanket the Inspector had wrapped around her. Now the opposite chair was decidedly empty. Phryne could hear laughter and quiet whispering behind herself and for a little while she didn't stir, not willing to be witness of an intimate moment. But finally her sore back protested the odd position and she made a show of stretching herself and smoothing out her crumpled dress.
"Good morning," Concetta said, in way too good a mood for having spent the night resting on a wooden kitchen table. "Caffe?"
"Sounds like a heavenly idea," Phryne said, avoiding Jack's gaze. He looked so very happy, despite not having closed an eye all night. A small cup of hot, strong coffee was pressed between her fingers. Concetta's warm skin touched hers for a brief moment, lingering, as if she was trying to comfort her. What an odd thought.
"I had better see if my men have arrived yet," Jack said into her contemplations. It almost appeared as if he couldn't bear being in a room with both of them. She caught his eye on his way to the door and dropped her own back to the cup. Carefully she took another sip, trying to not burn her tongue.
"It's very good," she said, when she realised that Concetta's eyes were resting on her. Her host just smiled.
"Tell me something, Miss Fisher," she requested, gesturing towards the table where breakfast was laid out. They settled down in something very akin to harmony.
"What is it you'd like to know?" Phryne asked with more enthusiasm than she felt.
"What exactly is your relationship with Gianni?"
Phryne stopped breathing, but her smile stayed glued in place.
"We are friends," she heard herself say. "Just... old friends."
Concetta reached for the bread basket to offer it to her.
"Do you often spend the night guarding your friends?" she asked after a pause.
"More often than I care to," Phryne answered truthfully. Concetta seemed not satisfied with that answer but spread jam onto a slice of bread before she spoke again.
"In my family, men will guard women, but never the other way around."
It was to be said for Miss Fisher that she managed to answer this without showing any signs of the annoyance she felt.
"I believe men need as much protection as any woman," she finally managed.
"You may be right," Concetta said, looking into the distance. For a while silence fell as they both ate, both wondered where the Inspector had disappeared to.
"Do you love him?" Concetta asked so suddenly that Phryne's second coffee burned down the wrong part of her throat.
"I don't understand?" she finally asked with forced nonchalance.
"Gianni. I have seen how you look at him," Concetta said calmly, as if she was talking about the weather. Phryne chose not to answer, praying that Jack would return and rescue her from having to answer this intrusive question. "It is hard to not see," Concetta added gently.
"I do not see how my feelings on the matter are relevant," Miss Fisher said after a pause. "He has pledged his life to you."
Concetta nodded at this with a calm smile that woke in Phryne the urge to stab her with the butter knife.
"You have answered my question, thank you."
"I'm glad I could satisfy your curiosity," Phryne said, sarcasm dripping of every word. She pushed her plate away, suddenly not hungry anymore.
"I admit, I am more confused than I was before," Concetta explained, setting down her cup. "If you love him, why do you give him up so easily?"
Her dark eyes borrowed into Phryne. She really was a very beautiful woman and strangely, there seemed no hostility to her questions, just unconcealed curiosity. It was strangely fascinating to meet someone so unguarded. Phryne thought about her answer for a long while, as the grandfather clock ticked the moments away.
"I am not conceited enough to believe that I know Jack's heart better than himself," she finally said. "He is convinced that this marriage will bring him happiness." She fixated the other woman. "So all left for me to do is to hope that he is right."
Surprise flickered across Concetta's olive features, but she did not get a chance to voice her thoughts as the Inspector chose that very moment to storm back in the room.
"Apologies, but I have to leave immediately. A murder was reported to the station right before the men left and my presence is required."
Concetta rose with some words of sympathy and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, which he allowed, even though he could not hide his discomfit at the displayed intimacy. Phryne couldn't help but grin.
"I will pack you some food to take," Concetta offered, already bustling away.
"Thank you," he mumbled, looking at Miss Fisher. She tilted her head, feeling that he was attempting to tell her something.
"So, a murder, Inspector?" she asked cheerfully, when he wasn't forthcoming.
"A man was found at the Yarra this morning, not far from here," Jack explained quietly, and added, dropping his voice further: "According to his papers, his name was Bricelli."