Chapter 22 - Intimate Friends

*.*.*.

The money Aunt P had given her to cover her expenses to move into her aunt's house was more than she earnt in a month. Last night, after dropping her back at the club, Cec and Bert had given her their contact number 'just in case' so she telephoned them and booked their services for the rest of the day. They had been suitably impressed when they turned up at her aunt's house to collect her and Phryne had agreed to pay what she suspected was an inflated fee for their discretion about where they'd be taking her. So, rather than her usual drop-off point a few streets away, this time Phryne got them to drop her off right outside the Imperial Club with strict instructions to wait for her to return.

"You work here, Miss?" Bert asked, his eyes wide with awe.

"I did," Phryne replied with a resigned sigh. She honestly never thought sleeping with Jack all those months ago was going to lead to this. "I'm about to hand in my notice."

"So you won't be able to sneak us in through the back?" Cec asked with a grin.

"Now, I thought you were a pair of gentlemen," Phryne teased.

"Yeah," Bert replied, "and it's a gentleman's club."

"Just wait here," Phryne insisted with a chuckle as she got out of the cab and went inside the building.

It was still quiet. The staff wouldn't arrive for a few hours so Phryne could easily just grab her stuff and run but she didn't want to do that. She owed Madam Lyon an explanation at least, not that she knew what that was. She supposed she had known what was going to happen when she went to see Janey, that she and Aunt P weren't going to let her go back to her old life. Although she did wonder if Aunt P was half expecting her to take the money and run. If the money would have fixed all her problems she probably would have at least considered it but it wasn't money Phryne needed, it was some respectability and it would take more than the cash she now had in her purse to buy that.

Still, she took the opportunity to collect her things while she appeared to be on her own. It was only as she packed it all up that she realised just how much she had kept at Jack's. All her work dresses were here, and heaven knew she was unlikely to ever be able to wear those again, and most of her make-up and jewellery but not much else. The practical items like toiletries and day dresses were all at Jack's where they were needed the most. She didn't have much that could be classed as valuable and her life hadn't been one that she'd wanted to keep mementoes of, so once she'd collected her clothes that was pretty much everything she owned that was still here.

She brought her bags down to the hall and looked around, taking it all in. It felt so strange to know she was never coming back to the place that had been her home for so long. The only safe haven she'd ever known, except for Jack's bed.

"So this is it, is it, Fern?" Phryne almost jumped before she saw Madam Lyon come down the stairs behind her.

She was mostly startled by the name she'd used. She had given Madam Lyon that name when she had turned up as a grubby street urchin. When Madam Lyon had insisted that she'd want a more glamorous stage name while working here Phryne had felt a strange longing for a name beginning with P again and her teenage self had picked the name 'Peony', despite Madam Lyon's numerous attempts to get her to choose a name that began with an L like everyone else. Stubborn as ever, Phryne had been Peony ever since, until she asked Jack to call her by her birth name at any rate.

"I can explain..." Phryne began but Madam Lyon shook her head.

"No explanation necessary. As I said this morning, I could see what was happening."

"I'm not leaving for a man, though."

"No?" Madam Lyon asked with a knowing grin, sounding thoroughly unconvinced.

"I've reconnected with my family," Phryne told her.

"Why?"

Phryne shrugged. "Seemed like time."

"What about our girls?" Madam Lyon asked.

Phryne winced. She did feel bad about leaving them. "You've made improvements in security."

"Because you kept running off."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Madam Lyon shrugged. "Like I said, I knew this was going to happen eventually. Your heart was never in it, Fern."

"You know," Phryne said hesitantly, "my name isn't actually Fern, either."

"Didn't think so. If I had to guess, I'd say you're the mysterious Miss Fisher I keep hearing about."

Phryne smiled sadly. "See, you'll all be safer without me. But, if you ever need me…"

"No," Madam Lyon said firmly before Phryne could finish her offer. "No, I'm not doing that to you. I wouldn't do that to any woman who left here. You can see what being linked to this work has done for that Inspector you claim to have no involvement with. No, even with your real name, I'd never hunt you down. The door is always open for you to come back, though. Well, unless you turn on us, then I take all that back and I will hunt you down."

"Why would I do that?" Phryne asked, shocked. "I wouldn't have survived without you."

"Oh, I think you would have."

To Phryne's surprise, Madam Lyon pulled her into an embrace.

"Take care, Peony."

"You too."

*.*.*.

Jack's head hurt. He wished the whole thing had been a nightmare and Phryne, poor Phryne had been completely blindsided. She'd almost looked upset at him telling her it was over. And what had been the point in ending it, the damage was done now? It wasn't as if he hadn't known, either, what would happen if someone found out, if George found out. It didn't matter that she wasn't charging him, that wasn't what society would see. Oh, but she'd made it seem like society's problem and he'd believed her. Why? He wasn't that starved of female companionship. He'd had other, more respectable women indicate that they'd like to spend time with him. Maybe at first Phryne had just seemed so different to Rosie, maybe some part of him considered her practice for when he did start courting again. The sad truth was that for all her warnings he had fallen for her and fallen for her hard. He hadn't wanted to, he'd known there was no future there, but he loved her, even the intensely frustratingly self-sufficient part of her that ploughed on through regardless and didn't think of asking him for help no matter how dire the situation or how much she needed the police.

But last night in his drunken, frustrated anger he'd taken it out on her. He'd seen her as the personification of his folly in flesh. It was all his fault, he'd known exactly what he was doing when he got into bed with her but he'd blamed her instead and kicked her out of a house that was almost her home too. She hadn't known why, she had no idea what had happened to him but he could see from the way she had started clearing up that she was going to look after him. If he'd let her stay, he would have her here now. She'd probably force food and coffee into him while berating him for being a drunken idiot and then with her own, unique way of thinking come up with a way to sort it all out.

Instead, he was more alone than he ever had been before.

He eventually got up and dressed and tried to think of something to do. He probably should find someone with some legal training to help him with the investigation into his relationship with Phryne. He really didn't think they'd done anything wrong but he was certain he'd gone past the point of black and white and into a murky grey area.

That was when he heard the knock on his front door. Cautiously he went over and looked through the glass. He could only see one silhouette, not a baying mob, so he opened the door slightly and was unsure whether or not to be concerned that Phryne was standing on the other side. She was certainly capable of doing more damage than a baying mob on her own.

Jack opened the door fully, deciding that he wholly deserved whatever justice Phryne was about to mete out to him.

"I didn't know you knew where my front door was," Jack joked in a dismal effort to relieve the tension between them.

"Your sense of humour hasn't abandoned you at any rate. Can I come in?"

Jack said nothing but he stood to one side so she could enter his home.

"You could have told me, you know," she accused him as he closed the door behind her.

"No," he replied, "I should have told you. How did you find out?"

"So you haven't seen today's paper?"

"Oh. I didn't realise I was newsworthy."

Phryne seemed a little nervous. "Everyone loves a scandal."

"That's your middle name, isn't it?"

She smiled ever-so-slightly. "I'm so sorry, Jack. I never meant for you to lose your job because of me."

"You don't owe me any apology, it's the other way if anything, but, what do you mean 'lose my job'?" Jack was confused. "Oh, is that what it said in the papers? I haven't lost my job, not yet anyway. I've been suspended while they look into the accusations."

"Oh," she brightened up a little at that. "Well, that's better."

"Unless they decide I'm guilty. Nothing with you is straightforward, you know."

She didn't rise to the bait. "I know. That's one of the reasons I'm here, actually."

"Go on," he prompted when she didn't continue.

Phryne took in a deep breath. "I can't change my past, how we met, how I earnt my money, none of that. But I've done what I can. So, you can go to your boss and you can tell him that the woman you've been sleeping with is the Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher, daughter of the Baron of Richmond."

"That was always true," Jack pointed out.

"Yes, technically, but it's official now. I went to my sister and my aunt this morning, Jack. They've taken me in. I've just come from the Imperial Club, I don't work there anymore. I've got a taxi outside with all my things. I'm going to live at my aunt's house for now. So, as long as your boss doesn't look too deeply into what Phryne Fisher did during the years she went missing, you should be able to get your job back without too many issues. I'm a respectable lady now."

Jack tried not to laugh at that last comment. "You're respectable?"

"It's the best I can do for you, Jack."

For once, Phryne actually seemed serious. She would usually be teasing him, mocking him, but she just stood there completely sincere. He hoped this wasn't going to be a permanent change now she was a lady. He kept his arms firmly by his side despite his need to reach out to her. His hands seemed to need to be touching her, as if that could turn her back into the fun, teasing woman he'd fallen in love with but he knew he could touch her no longer.

"You went home? Finally?" he asked in total relief. If nothing else, he'd actually achieved the impossible task he had hoped to achieve that day Janey Fisher had set foot in his office when she had been so determined to find her sister.

She nodded.

"What changed?" he asked.

She glared at him.

He shook his head and cursed himself for a fool. She'd already told him, she'd gone for him. She wouldn't go for herself or for her sister or the rest of her family but for some reason she'd done it for him. And he'd been so awful to her.

"Phryne… I don't know what to say. After the way I was last night, you should hate me."

"No, you were drunk and hurting. I get it. I blame me too. I would have understood that last night if I had known why you were drinking."

"I knew what I was doing when I got into bed with you, Phryne. You're not to blame."

"I'm trying not to be," she shuffled uncomfortably on her feet. "So, that was one thing I came here for, to tell you that."

"What was the other?"

Up until last night, that would have been the opening which would have ended with her throwing herself at him and he realised a part of him was hoping she still would but instead she just stood there and looked at her feet. "Well, when you kicked me out last night, I thought I'd break in while you were at work to collect my things but it looks like I'll have a bit of a wait for that so I was hoping you might have calmed down enough to let me get them now."

"No," Jack replied softly, surprising himself that he said the word out loud.

She raised her head and looked annoyed. "Why not? Yes, apparently I'm rich now and will probably have no problems replacing everything but that's not the point. They're my things and I want them."

"That's not what I meant," Jack hastily replied. "Of course, you can have your things if you want to take them with you to your aunt's house. I'm not holding them hostage. I just meant… I don't really want you to go. Despite what I told you last night I don't blame you and I don't want this to be over. I know I have no right to ask you to carry on spending your nights with me, I don't expect you to want to have anything to do with me, I just don't want to lose you if there's a way for us to be together."

He got a real teasing smile that time. "I don't know, Jack. I'm a proper lady and you're a disgraced detective. I think I'm too good for you now."

He returned the smile and nodded. "You're right. You are."

She eyed him suspiciously. "If I hadn't gone to Janey, if I was still working at the club…"

"I'd still be begging you to stay with me," Jack instantly replied. "And not just because my bed felt so lonely without you last night but you actually made me a better detective you know. Your quirky ways of seeing the world open my eyes to so many things. I feel like I've suddenly become my own case and I honestly don't know how to solve it without your help."

"Quirky?"

"It's a compliment."

"Of course it is."

There was a momentary pause. Jack knew she wouldn't take him back, he already didn't blame her. Sadly, he also knew there was nothing he could do about it. She'd warned him not to fall for her; he couldn't exactly win her back without revealing the depths of his feelings which in themselves would be enough to send Phryne running for the hills. Plus, while she had said it in a joking way, she wasn't exactly wrong about their social statuses. He was nowhere near good enough for her, especially if his folly had been widely reported, even though his folly had been to fall for her in the first place.

"Jack…" she began.

Jack closed his eyes and leant against the wall of his hallway. His stomach churned and his head hurt but he had to let her say it, he had to let her hurt him like he'd hurt her. He owed her that much.

"I just… I don't know how it will all work," she said slowly, as if she didn't notice his pain. "I'm used to sneaking away from the Imperial Club but I've never been a lady before. I struggled to convince Janey to not come with me to collect my things now so I don't think they're going to be that keen on me vanishing every night to sleep in your bed. We might have to spend a few more nights alone, at least while I'm working out how to be honourable."

Cautiously Jack opened his eyes and looked at her. Phryne wasn't even paying him attention, she was too deep in thought. It was so adorably like her to be so lost in her own world that she didn't even seem to notice his presence that he felt his heart lurch with his love for this woman.

"I'm sorry?"

"Of course it's possible, I used to stay at Aunt P's sometimes as a child and never had any trouble running off then and I am an adult now, and used to doing everything alone, I just don't know yet how it will work."

"Right."

"Aunt P's very old fashioned, though, so we'd probably still need to keep it all a secret, although I suppose it might help your case if it weren't a secret, but then if it were known people would expect something more official sooner or later."

"Phryne?"

"Yes?" She finally stopped thinking aloud and met his eyes.

Jack smiled. Her mind really never stopped, did it? "Just, go back slightly before you terrify yourself with the prospect of what an official relationship entails. Are you saying that this isn't over? Despite the way I behaved last night?"

She reached out and touched him and he found himself instantly relaxing. She had always been so tactile, he hadn't realised how much he'd simply needed her touch even if it was platonic. "In case you hadn't noticed, I can be a bit hot-headed myself. I'm not saying I liked what you said and did last night but I do understand. And if you've changed your mind about never wanting to see me again, I would very much like to continue our still extremely unofficial relationship."

Jack squeezed her hands. "You do realise, though, Miss Fisher who in no way has any feelings for me, that in order for your plan to get me my job back by being an honourable lady to work, I will need to tell people that you and I are… intimate friends."

"Intimate friends, I rather like that." She stepped forward into his embrace and he felt her body against his in a way he would enjoy more if he wasn't so hung-over. "I know, Jack. I just need you to know that I still have no intention of becoming Mrs Robinson and popping out a baby for you every nine months."

Jack blinked. "No, I suppose not. I can't really see you as a traditional wife and mother."

"And I really do need to be getting back to my aunt's."

"I know." He bent down and kissed her, delighted to find her kissing him back.

She broke the kiss. "The good news is, though, as you are not currently employed, I can come over and spend the days with you. Again, maybe not for a couple of days while I adjust to everything…"

"Oh, you'll be very welcome, at anytime you can spare in your new busy social calendar. In fact, now I think about it... just wait here a minute."

Jack left her looking confused in his hallway as he ran up to his bedroom. He returned a couple of minutes later with a small box.

"I have a gift for you," he told her. "In truth I got it for you a while ago but it seemed sort of pointless, really. However, as you're now an honourable lady it doesn't seem quite right for you to go around breaking into people's houses."

She took the box from him and opened it up, curious, and he could tell a little concerned that it could contain a ring. She laughed once she saw the contents and she took out a copy of his front door key.

"You're always welcome here, Phryne," he told her seriously.

"I'll use it often," she promised him, giving him another far too brief kiss in gratitude.

TBC...