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“It’s very late, Inspector.”
Normally, Prudence Stanley’s mien was enough to cower the bravest man, but not tonight, not after what he and Phryne had been through.
“Mrs. Stanley, normally, I would agree with you that decency and propriety dictate that it’s much too late for callers, but tonight I arrested the cream of proper Melbourne society for attempting to sell poor girls into sexual slavery and for attempting to murder your niece for trying to stop him. For decency’s sake, after informing my ex-wife that her father was involved in the crime, I made sure, due to the trauma, that she was in the care of her sister.
So, after spending all night dealing with the dictates of law enforcement, decency, and social mores, I believe that I can be forgiven for wanting to make sure and to prove to myself that the woman who is my partner, who I have come to care for very much, is safe and sound. I honestly don’t believe that there’s a man in this world who, after seeing the horrors of what we saw tonight, would not want to hold their loved ones close to them and thank their Maker they were safe.”
You could have heard a pin drop or Phryne’s heart swell in her chest.
Prudence considered him, closed her eyes for a moment, smiled slightly, then shook her head in agreement. She patted Jack on the arm and said, “There may be merit in your point, young man.” She glanced up at Phryne and smiled, “I guess if it had been me on that ship before we were married, your Uncle Edward wouldn’t have checked his watch before he checked on me.”
As she started towards the parlor, Prudence turned back. “Phryne?”
“Yes, Aunt P?”
“If I didn’t say it before, I’m saying it now – I’m proud of what you did saving those girls. I’m proud of you. And, Inspector… Jack, thank you for being there for Phryne. She…she is very precious to me.”
Jack’s voice became rougher with emotion as he admitted, “As she is to me.”
Phryne’s eye became moist and she hugged her aunt around her neck.
“I love you, Aunt P.”
“As I love you, child. Now, shoo, I have a young man to comfort and care for in there” she said as she motioned to the parlor, “and you have your young man to comfort and care for out here. ‘Night, children.”
It was only after she said it that Jack realized that he, with Phryne, had murmured, “Night, Aunt P.”
As the parlor door closed, Phryne turned to Jack and placed her forehead in his chest. He, in turn, wrapped his arms around her. “I believe I have now seen my first miracle. You not only got Aunt P to back down, by the end, she was not only agreeing with you, she called you by your first name!”
“Let’s just say I was inspired.”
“She’s never said those things to me before… you’ve never said those things before.”
Tilting her chin up and stroking her cheek, Jack replied, “I wasn’t in a position before where I had the right to say them. And then tonight when I almost lost you again...”
Running her fingers up and down his lapel, she quipped, “Why don’t we go upstairs and we say everything we’ve wanted to say…and maybe investigate possible future rights and positions?”
No sooner than the words were spoken, Jack’s stomach rumbled and Jack’s chin hit his chest in crushing embarrassment.
Phryne giggled and placed her face on his chest. “Via the kitchen and the leftover chicken and vegetables that I had Mr. B put aside in case you came over." She then raised her face so that he could see not just the passion he'd often suspected but the love he'd never dared suspect radiating in her eyes as she said, "While there are many new things we will have to discover in this relationship, I believe it can already be said that I am well versed in at least this aspect of your comfort and care. I'm hoping after we get you fed, you can introduce me to some others.”