Chapter Ten
Phryne made it to the door of 221B first and threw it open for Jack to follow through, shrugging off his overcoat and hat as he did so. They were met, though, by a Mr Butler so apologetic that he could scarcely get the words out.
"Sir, I'm sorry – you had a telephone message from Constable Collins. There has been a riot at the docks, and your assistance is requested."
Jack closed his eyes in disbelief. Was there actually a universal conspiracy to ensure that he never, ever got to put his head on a soft, cool pillow again? Resignedly, he lifted his coat back onto his shoulders.
"Jack, let me at least drive you there."
"Miss, Mr Lin is also here, and has been waiting for you for a little while. He has brought a young lady that he would like you to meet."
"Tell them to wait," snapped Phryne. The thought of Jack getting behind the wheel in his current state had her genuinely scared.
"No, Phryne, it's all right," said Jack. "I'll take care of the Hispano, I promise."
"It's not the ruddy car I'm worried about, Jack."
"Or perhaps, Miss, I could drive the Inspector to the docks?" offered Mr Butler. "I'm sure Constable Collins or one of the other officers would be able to drive him home."
Phryne acquiesced, but with firm instructions to the Inspector that the instant he had the situation under control, he was to leave the paperwork to someone else.
"Tell Hugh to take it home and let Dot type it up if you have to, Jack – I owe you some resources anyway," she joked feebly.
He attempted a smile at her which didn't make it to his eyes and preceded Mr B out of the door.
Phryne walked into the parlour, at which point both its occupants rose to their feet.
"This is my niece," said Lin, once the niceties were completed and Phryne had a much-needed martini in hand. "Her name is Lin Soo, and she has been working for my grandmother; but she is struggling to find potatoes as beautiful as silk, and dishwater as enchanting as jasmine soap, and so I hoped you might consider her as a possible replacement for your maid?"
Phryne attempted to meet the girl's eyes, but they were cast modestly down; and the sleuth could never tell afterwards what imp – perhaps one with superb olfactory senses that recalled a delicate and unique scent – prompted her to say,
"I will certainly consider someone who loves beautiful things and is … well trained in the martial arts."
That earned her a swift glance from the girl, and a muttered aside to Lin Chung. He lifted his head in disbelief, and replied to her in the same tongue, before turning to Phryne.
"My niece asks that you give her a year's work, for which she will take no recompense. I find myself wondering why."
Phryne grinned.
"Soo, you have the job. And thank you for introducing me to a remarkable new weapon." She turned to the mantelpiece, on which was resting the weighted leather thong.
This earned her a quick grin in return.
"You will be paid full wages, of course," Phryne confirmed, "although the first week's will be reduced by the cost of one small pane of glass."
Finally – finally! – she'd managed to startle Lin Chung out of his inscrutable expression. He turned on Soo, but Phryne stayed him with a gesture.
"You said yourself, Lin – Soo and I share a love of beautiful things. It would be very hard to watch something such a lovely piece of Chinese history be lost to someone like me, I expect."
"It was not that," came a soft voice. Soo had decided to speak for herself. "I wanted to get away from grandmother, and I thought the vase might help me do so. I would like to work for you, Miss." Her eyes lit up with mischief. "And I promise I will not to try to steal anything else."
"In that case, I can offer an almost categorical assurance that no member of the household will shoot at you again," replied Phryne dryly. "Or at least," she qualified with typical honesty and after a moment's reflection, "not deliberately." She set down her glass and reached her hand out to shake the girl's own.
"Come back tomorrow at midday, by which time Mr Butler and I will have had the chance to prepare the ground. I'll see if I can get Mrs Collins to join us for lunch, in case there are any secrets she can impart as to Keeping Miss Fisher's Wardrobe Under Control." Then she turned to the uncle.
"Lin, a word about the vase. Here's what I need you to do."
The explanations were swift but succinct, and Lin undertook to engineer the resolution of the vase's fortunes with the See Yup Temple trustees as painlessly as possible. Then the Lins took their leave, and Phryne settled down pensively to a solitary supper.
The Inspector's place was laid at the table, but the Inspector remained consistently absent.