Chapter Eight

Jane was full of enthusiasm about the upcoming addition to the household. Thus Phryne found herself being ganged up by Jane, who wanted to know about new things, and Dot, who was already an expert, to start furnishing the nursery. During one of the measurements of the potential room, Phryne decided to broach the subject, she felt rather uncomfortable with previously.

"Dot, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, ma'am."

"It is a rather delicate matter, you do not need to answer if you deem it intruding on your privacy."

"I will try my best to answer, ma'am."

"You and Hugh wanted to have children right from the start?"

"Yes."

"It has been two and half year since the wedding."

"It has."

"I assume you do not use 'family planning'?"

"No, of course not!"

"I highly doubt it, but are you sure that there are no health issues?"

"Your questions are rather embarrassing, ma'am. But frankly, I did visit Doctor Macmillan for a checkup just in case."

"Wise choice, and there are no problems?"

"Yes, I am perfectly healthy to carry a child."

"Hm, so… how often you and Hugh… well, try to conceive?"

"He has a physically and mentally demanding job, so… roughly once a week?"

"This is not enough to get pregnant, Dot. And you cannot hope to wait for the blessing from God, you need to take matters into your own hands."

"But, ma'am!"

"This is not some secret plot for you to babysit my and your child together. Well, maybe it is. But if having a baby makes you happy then Hugh as a dutiful husband must do what he can to archive that happiness."

"But I cannot just… make advances on him."

"Whyever not? Or you think it unseemly?"

"I do, ma'am."

"Nobody is talking about throwing yourself at him or other… degrading actions. A bit more revealing clothing, a well-timed gesture, a touch of perfume, French underwear… They all can steer a man's desire despite his tired state."

"I will think about it, ma'am. Thank you for your concern. And I would not mind to babysit for you."

"Oh, Dot, you are a treasure."

While Dot made suggestion of where to put what furniture in the current room, Phryne thought about her usage of the aforementioned methods of seduction on Jack. All of them were consciously or unconsciously implemented by Phryne though the years with almost zero result. Almost.

Despite being busy with Dot and Jane setting up the nursery, Phryne kept thinking about the puzzle Jack presented to her. The day that changed his life… Trying to think about such a date, Phryne came to an astonishing revelation that she does not know much about Jack's life. In attempt to remedy the situation she went to Jack's new study, a room next to his bedroom that was allocated for this purpose when he moved in. The door was unlocked so Phryne entered without a guilty conscious. Not that the lock could stop her.

Jack did not bring much from his house. Books, of course. Among them some German authors in original language. English classics, no surprise there. Volumes on law and criminology. Jack's attitude to his work was well known. Phryne neared the desk to see if there were any personal items there. She started to open the drawer, but stopped herself. Curious or not she did not have any right to go through Jack's personal correspondence or, God forbid, diary, just to find a code to a safe. If he wanted her to read any of those, he would have given her permission. Moreover, the hint was given in a way that she must already know the date in question. Sitting down behind the desk, Phryne made a list of impossible dates.

Jack's birthday

Remained a mystery for quite some time. When the usual gang gathered to celebrate Phryne's twenty ninth birthday (Jack presented her with a ticket to a modern art exhibition that was displayed in Sydney at that time; Phryne was utterly thrilled), she realized that she and Jack had known each other for more than a year and she had no idea when his birthday was. After much coercing Jack revealed his birthday to be in May. Six months later, Phryne had no idea what present to give in return, but opted for a collection of sheet music. To which Jack commented that it was a rather selfish present, since he was only playing in her parlor. Phryne did not deny her intentions.

Jack's parents' birthdays

Which must be found out right away. Do not want to commit a faux pass at a family gathering. What presents do you give your in-laws? She actually has in-laws… That would get some time getting used to.

And that was it. Everything else was fair game. The list of possible variants was much longer.

The day of Jack's graduation from the Police Academy

His first day as a police officer

His first arrest

His first wedding day

The start of the Great War

The day of his deployment

The day of his discharge

The day he was made Detective Inspector

The day of his divorce

And that was it. All those dates could be found through official records and there were only two of which she actually knew and the start of the war did not count. But those were not personal enough or were dates that a person prefers not to remember and not use daily. After some consideration, Phryne added the date of their engagement and wedding, but that would have been too easy. Lady Detective was at a complete loss.

…

"Jack, I need another hint for the safe code," Phryne stated, getting under the covers, watching Jack doing the same. The pajamas did wonders to his figure and he was completely covered!

"Having problems, are we?"

"No need to be smug! Look, I made a list, but nothing fits! I doubted any of them were right, but I found all the dates and tried all of them today. As you know, I had no luck."

"Hm, let's see… The date is between the last two points."

"But it is ten days of your life!"

"Believe me, it is hardly possible to miss this day, especially for you."

"So it is connected to me?"

"Are you interrogating me, Phryne?"

"Are you deflecting?"

"Yes, it is connected to you."

"To our investigations?"

"Yes."

"Now that does not help much. Do you know how many investigations we completed together?!"

"One hundred and thirty eight, give or take."

"You keep count?"

"For brass. I keep a folder of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries."

"Is it also in the safe?"

"No."

"How disappointing. I most definitely want to read your accounts of our investigations."

"It is with the brass. I petitioned to legalize your status as a Special Detective or whatever rank they decide upon. The processing, discussion and paperwork takes time, but you would not be able to start fulfilling your duties till spring anyway…"

"Jack! This is… this is the greatest thing that anybody has ever done for me!" Phryne could not help herself, she launched herself at Jack, kissing him soundly. "Why are you like that, cheri?" she asked when Jack gradually pushed her away.

"Because… because you do not remember the date."

…

For the next three days Phryne did not stop thinking about Jack's words. What date in their lives could be so important that it made such an impact on Jack's life? Jane and Dot provided the necessary distraction while Jack was mostly absent staying at the East Station ten hours a day. Despite them sleeping in one bed, Phryne felt his presence even less.

Seeing her foster mother's distress, Jane asked if she could help.

"I need to find the code for Jack's safe which is an extremely important date in his life. The date that is connected to our work together. And I have no idea what it is! I cannot think of anything!"

"You can start at the beginning and go from there. When did you meet?"

"This is it! Jane, you are brilliant!"

Phryne rushed to the telephone to call Bert or Cec to drive her to the station. She was too agitated to drive herself, even if she thought Jack would forgive her driving on her own on such important errand. An hour later she was rolling the tumbler on the safe. Three magical numbers and it clicked open. Inside was indeed a stack of files. Phryne took them all out and went for the one on top.

Drunken disorderly. Husband murders his wife in a jealous rage, apprehended on the scene. Assault. Assault during a bar fight. Accidental murder. Suicide. Assault. Public misdemeanor. Theft, suspect apprehended ten minutes later. Drunk driving. Assault under influence. Drunken disorderly. Accident that led to poisoning. Domestic violence. Motor car accident. Theft. Domestic violence. Arson. Suicide. Public misdemeanor. Running an illegal betting ring. Accident involving a car and a cart. Missing person, who was found three days later partying in another town. Arson. Domestic violence. Domestic violence. Accidental murder. Accidental death. Theft. Accidental death.

Phryne released a deep sign. For almost five years that she was a Lady Detective she saw it all. At least she thought so. Yes, murder was the ultimate crime, particularly a premeditated one. But there were all kinds of other crimes. Other crimes that police dealt with day in and day out. Violent, mentally unstable or simply drunk suspects. Hysterical victims. There was so much that she did not bore witness to while working with Jack. Yes, the crimes were solved in days or even mere hours, but they still took hours of foot work, interrogations and paperwork. Always understaffed with limited forensic resources, unsung heroes indeed.

How can Hugh perform marital duties with such depravity happening in front of his eyes? How could Jack while married to Rosie? What can she do for this marriage to be different for him? Phryne Robinson had no idea. But now she at least remembered the date. The date that irrevocably changed both their lives. The date when Phryne Fisher met the most honorable and intriguing man of all.

…..

"The apprehension of the notorious Chinese gang under the leadership of Ly Wong commenced the previous night during the police operation in the docks. Blah-blah-blah… The gang was suspected for importing and distributing cocaine on the whole Victorian territory with Melbourne being their main point of import. The suspects resisted arrest by starting a shoot out with the police officers. Four killed and nine injured. Fortunately, none on the side of the brave officers from the Melbourne East Police Station. Blah-blah-blah… Chief Commissioner commends the leading investigator on the case, Detective Inspector Charles Beckett and his officers for the job well done. What nonsense is that, Jack? You were there yesterday too! You have been on the case for weeks! And they do not even mention City South?! Was it not a joined investigation?!" Phryne exclaimed, throwing the newspaper on the table in the kitchen.

Jack's moving in changed some routines in the Wardlow. For example, breakfast was mostly served in the kitchen, because Jack preferred to eat there when leaving for a morning shift. He suggested such arrangement since it was easier for Mr. Butler to attend to him that way. Jack had no problem of preparing his own breakfast, but that was where Mr. Butler put his foot down. So when Phryne woke early enough, she sat in the kitchen while Jack was having breakfast, returning to bed after a cup of tea. That day the whole household managed to fit into the kitchen to eat and to share the news about the exciting shoot out at the docks.

"It was, Phryne, but there were circumstances-"

"Seriously, the nerve of them! Do you not want your husband to be commended, Dot?"

"He was, ma'am," Dot answered, looking down at her plate. "Inspector let himself to be not credited for the investigation for some of the junior officers to be promoted for their participation in the raid."

Phryne turned to the Inspector in question. He continued to quietly eat his omlette. "You are just too good, Jack Robinson… Jack! Your arm!"

And then Lady Detective who could look at dead bodies in various state of decomposition without as much as a twitch, who nursed hundreds of soldiers on the battlefield, who shot without hesitation, fainted in her own kitchen.

Phryne came around several minutes later, lying on a chaise in her parlor. "Jack! Where is Jack?! What happened to his arm?!"

With moving Phryne to the parlor and procuring smelling salts for her, everybody forgot the reason for her to faint in the first place. Four pairs of eyes went to Jack who was reclining in the chair to see a red stain blossoming on his sleeve with an alarming speed.

"Call for Mac right now! I do not care if she is with a patient or what not, get her here!" Phryne ordered, jumping from the chaise and rushing to undo Jack's tie, despite his protests.

"It is just graze, Phryne. The stitch must have popped open."

"A graze, Jack?" She fixed his tie for the tourniquet with quick movements that spoke of a lot of practice. "And where did you get that graze, I wonder?"

"During the raid. There is nothing major-"

Thankfully Mac appeared at the door since she was picked up by Cec, otherwise there would have been a rather spectacular row.

"So where is the patient?"

"Here, Mac. And do not even look at me like that, Jack! I am not going anywhere till I know the extent of your injury. Why did you not tell me? Better yet, why was I not notified? I am your next of kin!"

"Because the raid ended in the middle of the night. I got patched up in the hospital as everybody else and went to the station to process the arrested. I returned two hours ago, there was no time-"

"There is always time! Or maybe you were not planning to tell me at all?! What if it was a bullet or a stab wound?!"

"This is exactly why I asked the nurse not to notify you. To spare you the anxiety in your condition."

"I AM YOUR WIFE!" Phryne screamed, turning to look at her husband after pacing back and forth during her tirade. She could have brought up other arguments, but the words died in her throat after seeing Jack without a shirt. Phryne always considered Jack to have a beautiful body and he undoubtfully did, but that was not what shocked her after witnessing his bare torso for the first time. The scars… So many of them… There was an old round scar under his collarbone, most probably a clavicle shuttered by a bullet during the war. There were several thin lines on the arms and torso, shallow knife wounds from different years. But there was also a fresh scar, not more than a year old, a jagged stab wound on the right side of Jack's stomach. Where could he have gotten that and how could she not know about it?

"Inspector is right, it is just a graze from the bullet. He will be right as rain in a week. You should not do any heavy lifting, though, not to stretch the skin even more apart. He is also right about your condition, Phryne. You cannot stress yourself this way."

"I know, but I… cannot help it," Phryne replied, falling bonelessly on the chaise. Heavy lifting… She surely did not fly from kitchen to the parlor. Jack carried her, disturbing his stitches even more. Why was he so selfless?