Was it really such a foolish idea? She closed her eyes and leaned back in the garden seat, closing her eyes against the afternoon sun.

"I've brought you some lemonade, Miss," a sweet voice with a mild Somerset burr intruded on her thoughts.

"Mother?"

"Out, Miss, gone to take tea with Lady Atherston," the maid set the tray on the little table.

"Lovely," Phryne smiled. "Peace at last."

The maid, who had come to London with Baroness Fisher contained her giggle. Miss Phryne had had battle after battle, argument after argument with her mother. She had spent the first three months sorting out the financial mess her father had got them into, finally getting everything sorted even if it wasn't to her mother's liking. For the future Baron and Baroness Fisher would have to be frugal, which the Baroness had done before, but it was having to explain every penny spent to her daughter that had caused the rows. Phryne had seen that her father wasn't the only one to blame for the family's parlous circumstances, Lady Fisher had spent unwisely on dresses and gowns, entertained lavishly and really, although Phryne was angry with her father she saw it was his only recourse, to sell the estate.

By the time everything had been sorted out, Christmas had come and gone and Phryne found herself in a bit of a predicament. She had ignored her own health and consequently, when she had been taking some underwear out of her drawer one morning she came across her sanitary supplies, as she called them, and realised the one thing she prepared against had happened. She couldn't recall the last time she had used them and then, when her skirt seemed tight she realised what had happened.

"Right, Miss, I have some chores to attend to, I'll be out again shortly," Ellen smiled.

"Thank you Ellen," Phryne smiled.

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The night before she flew her father to England, the night of Dot and Hugh's wedding she and Jack had had a nightcap. He had been open about how he felt about her going so far away and she had admitted she didn't want to leave him, or her little family or Wardlow, they had both a little more whisky than was advisable - for someone aiming to fly an aeroplane the following morning, but by the time she woke in the morning she knew she had something to come home to. Jack had snuck out of the house but had driven over to the airfield for one last kiss. She had asked him to go after her, but he hadn't been able to take enough leave. He had written and she had written back saying she understood but asked him to wait for her. He wrote back saying he would but she didn't get that letter, after that neither got the other's letters.

When Phryne realised she had an 'issue' she didn't know what to do. It was too late to see to the little problem and she had no idea how to tell Jack, gently, that it might have been Rosie that was the problem in that department.

Her mother was incandescent with rage. How could she be so careless? Did she know who the father was? She had arranged for her to meet suitable young men, hoped to steer her towards a suitable marriage and settle down and now...

"Mother, I do know who the father is and no I am not going to tell you." Phryne jutted her chin out defiantly when she suggested she have it dealt with, "at this stage, no, I will have to go through with it. It's highly dangerous and would probably mean I would never be able to have children," not that she wanted them but it was a bargaining chip, "if it didn't kill me."

"Well, you will have to stay out of sight, I shall say you have gone to visit friends, then, you will have to have it adopted." Margaret had turned on her heel and stormed off, Phryne was such a disappointment.

So she had been exiled to one wing of the house with only Ellen for company. Ellen was a sweet little maid who thought her mistress was rather exciting, daring and wasn't the least bit worried that she was pregnant out of wedlock. She resolved to do what she could to help her, especially when Miss Phryne admitted she knew absolutely nothing about babies except that they appeared to be rather red.

"Only when they're first born," she laughed, "believe me, Miss, I know. Mum's had ten of us, and I helped with the last three. My elder sister has two and mum helped with those."

"Oh, Ellen," Phryne sighed, "she sounds like someone I need."

"Well, I know your mother has spoken to Dr Standish and I think she is aiming for him to deliver the babe, and take it away, immediately."

"No, she can't!" Phryne stoked her hand over her belly, "it's mine!"

"So you want to keep it?" her eyes widened.

"Feel this, Ellen," she pulled the girl's hand over her belly, to feel the kicks and punches, "that's my baby, and yes, at least I think so."

"Strong little thing," Ellen smiled ...

"Phryne!" her mother's voice, harsh and annoyed, had Ellen pull away and move off the couch where she had been sitting with her mistress.

"Mother!" Phryne tried to sound pleasant and pleased to have her visit, she rarely saw her. Ellen draped a shawl over the obvious bump to lessen the Baroness' ire.

"Ah, you can go Ellen," she waved dismissively at the young maid. "I've spoken to Dr Standish, he will deliver the brat and then we have someone who will take it off your hands."

"I should like to keep it," Phryne said, simply, "it's up to me, mother, my child."

"He said as much, well, three weeks, your lying in period, then it goes and you go back into society," she huffed and swept out.

Phryne had, in the first instance, thought about leaving her parents' house but had realised that at five months gone life would not be easy, and she would have to find somewhere that would be big enough for her and Ellen, whose wages she now paid, and eventually the child. No, staying at the Fisher residence, out of sight, was best and maybe her mother would come round when her baby was born.

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Outside the Baroness scowled, Phryne was being ridiculous. If you told her she couldn't have something she wanted it and vice versa. God only knew who she had bedded to get herself in this situation, got to be one of those dreadful communists Prudence had told her about.

Downstairs the butler had put the afternoon post on a tray ready for the Baroness to look through. As usual a fire had been lit in the drawing room though there was hardly any need for one but the Baroness insisted.

Margaret sifted through the envelopes and threw two in the fire and watched them burn, she did the same with the ones Phryne wrote to whoever this Robinson person was. She had stopped asking if there was any letters for her she only kept writing in case he might see fit to reply. He didn't, so, perhaps, one day she would be able to go back to Melbourne and tell him. She really needed him, more than ever, more than she had ever needed a man, but Jack was her soul mate, he was her rock and he deserved to know the truth.

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Jack sighed as he looked through his post after another murder that he really could do with Phryne's insight on, but there was nothing from her, again, and he had gone from disappointed, through angry to worried. Phryne would not not write to him, even if it was to say it was all a mistake and she was cutting ties with him and Melbourne. Did her parents have something to do with the absence of letters or telegrams. He had asked Collins if his wife had heard anything and he too said Dottie was wondering why Miss Phryne hadn't written. Hugh said she was probably busy with her parents and didn't the English spend a lot of time visiting other members of society?

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"Ellen," Phryne called her over from folding nappies and muslins and gowns and blankets that had been passed to her. "You must thank your mother for these, I know I can't send you out to buy them and mother won't let me order anything, she keeps sending it away. There is one thing I was wondering, it's a lot to ask, but you said your mother is able to attend a birth?"

"Yes, Miss Phryne, she knows exactly what to do," Ellen stood before her. "Do you want me to ask her if she will attend you?"

"Ellen, I don't trust Dr Standish, he's too ... oh, I don't know, but he worries me. He is in agreement with my mother that I should give the baby up and I worry that he will give me something to knock me out, so that he can take it away." Phryne took her hand, "if I pay for her to stay close by do you think she would?"

"I know she would, Miss, and you don't have to pay, I got her to come over, you're close now and I've heard your mother talking to him, after each time he comes to see you." Ellen smiled and crouched down in front of her, "she's only next door, as a nursemaid, I heard they were in need of one so ..." she blushed.

"Thank you, Ellen, now, tell me what all of these are for," she waved her hand over the piles of baby linen.

"Well, Miss ..." Ellen laughed and they spent a happy and somewhat silly hour looking at the things Mrs Reed had sent and Ellen showed her how to fold a nappy and warned her that dressing a baby was like trying to put an octopus in a string bag.

"I've tackled a few criminals in my time, Ellen," she grinned, "perhaps it's time to put that skill to use."

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The murder case was solved and Jack decided that now was as good a time as any to tell the Commissioner that whether he liked it or not he was taking extended leave, he was owed it, and sailing overseas.

"You could lose your badge over this," he was told, "do you plan on coming back?"

"I hope to, but it depends what I find when I get to my destination. Something has gone wrong, and I intend to find out what it is," he straightened his shoulders. "One of our citizens is missing and I intend to find them."

"Hm, well, I give you six weeks, then I want a telegram stating your intentions, Robinson, you are the best copper I know, we don't want people like you leaving us." He shook Jack's hand and strode out, muttering.

"I'll find out what's going on, Dorothy," Jack assured Mrs Collins, "I'll telegram as soon as I know. Keep strong, that's what Phryne would want."

"I will, Inspector, find her for us, please, it isn't home without her," Dot sniffed, "I know she doesn't like babies but I do so want her to meet this one." She stroked her rapidly growing belly.

"And she will, Dot, she will," he patted her hand and left, handing his suitcases to Cec and climbing into the taxi.

"You go get her, Robinson," Bert grunted round his cigarette.

"I will, Albert, I will."

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The voyage was interminable, Jack paced the decks, read his Shakespeare and a few Zane Grey's he found in the ship's library, but he couldn't concentrate. He rehearsed what he would say when he found her, whether she wanted to listen or not, she would hear him out.

He was two weeks away from the port of Southampton when his heart lurched, something had happened to Phryne and he wasn't there to help. He felt physically sick at the thought she was in danger and he was too far away. He'd promised to bring her back, he hoped it wasn't too late.

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At the precise moment Inspector Robinson's heart lurched a baby's cry rent the air.

"Well done, Miss," Ellen grinned, "it's a little girl, and she's beautiful, if a bit red."

"Right, Ellen," Mrs Reed handed her the baby, "clean her up while I see to Miss Fisher, just the last bit to do, Miss, then it's a feed for the little one and a rest for you."

Phryne gasped and grunted but did exactly as she was told. Her baby was born while her parents were out of the house at a dinner party. Her mother need not know until Dr Standish called in two days time.

Both mother and baby were cleaned up and when Phryne was handed her child she nearly broke with emotion.

"Oh," she whispered, "oh, my, are you sure she's mine?"

"As sure as eggs is eggs, Miss," Ellen sat beside her, "now, let's see if she can latch on. Clever this one, knew exactly when the right time was ..."

"She did, didn't she," Phryne gasped a little as the tiny mouth took her nipple and greedily guzzled.

"Have you got a name for her?" Mrs Reed wrapped up what she needed to dispose of.

"No, I haven't," Phryne sniffed, "I, er ..."

"You've got time, Miss, get to know her, Ellen was a week old before she got more than Bab."

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The next two days were quiet, apart from Bab demanding her feed which, because Phryne was so far away from the drawing room and dining room, Baroness Fisher did not hear.

The day came, however, when Dr Standish made his usual visit. Margaret was furious that she had not been told of the baby's arrival and threatened to sack Ellen on the spot.

"You can't mother," Phryne sat up in the bed, "I employ Ellen these days, I pay her wages, she works for me, as my nursery maid and ladies maid."

"Well, the brat can go now, Dr Standish," she indicated he should take the baby from its mother.

"Oh no you don't," Phryne glared and tightened her grip on the sleeping child, "you said three weeks, after the lying in period, at least honour that."

"Yes, well Dr Standish has found parents for it ..." Margaret folded her arms.

"Her, mother, my baby is a girl," Phryne hissed, "now, leave, please."

"Phryne ..." her mother's voice held a warning tone.

"Out!" Phryne shouted, "and don't bother to visit again, you neither, doctor!"

"This is my house, Phryne, I shall go where I wish," her mother snapped back.

"You only have it because I sorted out the mess you and father got into, without me you would be out on the street," Phryne snarled.

Margaret stormed out of the room, Phryne was right in that regard, if it wasn't for her they would be somewhere down the East End, in a slum. Back where they started.

"Miss Fisher ..." Dr Standish started.

"Out!"

Through the door Phryne and Ellen could hear the doctor explain that Phryne would come round, "women are prone to be very emotional just after a birth, Lady Fisher," he was saying, "give her the three weeks."

"And stay out!" Phryne threw a tea cup at the door and the sound of it smashing relieved her stress level.

"Now what, Miss?" Ellen picked up the shards of pottery.

"We have three weeks, Ellen, and I can't do anything just yet, not so soon," she pouted. She could almost see Jack's eyebrows hit his hairline and her being sensible in regard to her health. A tear trickled down her cheek, she missed him so much and the lack of letters hurt more than ever.

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The Baroness tried a couple of times to get in to see Phryne and talk some sense into her but she was met with a locked door and her daughter telling her to 'Go away!"

Dr Standish was met with the same order so Mrs Reed came and checked she was alright.

"Well, Miss Fisher," she smiled and cleaned her hands, "you'm both doing well. Little Bab here can go outside, if you've a mind to take some air. Perhaps sit in the garden in the afternoon?"

"I think I'd like that, it's getting stuffy in here and the walls are becoming quite boring." Phryne smiled, "I can go down the back stairs and avoid mother."

"There's that nice secluded arbour, Miss," Ellen was, as usual, folding baby linen, "I can carry the bassinet down and it will sit on the bench."

So Phryne spent the warm summer afternoons in the garden with the baby. Ellen would bring her out a drink and some biscuits, tell her when her mother was due back and they would chat. Phryne would tell her more stories about her life in Melbourne and when Ellen said she would like to go there someday Phryne suggested she go as her nursery maid and help her look after the baby.

"For you know I shall be quite useless on my own," she smiled.

"So you are going to go back, Miss?"

"I am, Ellen, that is where my family are, my found family, who won't care about Bab's birth, and it's where her father is, and I should like him to know her." Phryne smiled and bit back the tears.

"I'm sure he will love her, and you, Miss," Ellen patted her arm, "now, no tears today, it's too nice."

"Thank you, Ellen."

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"I'm sorry sir, Miss Fisher is not receiving visitors," the butler groaned, this was the third time this Australian had called.

"Police business," Jack held up his card, "wanted in connection with a murder."

The murder of his heart, was that a crime? It was in his book.

"Sorry, sir, I have instructions ..." the door was closed in his face, again.

"Mr Godfrey," Ellen paused on her way up the stairs, "who was that?"

"Some Australian wanting the young miss," Godfrey the butler sniffed, "no visitors the Baroness says. You keep out of it, Ellen, family business, not ours."

"Right," Ellen thought. "Oh dear, I've forgotten the water jug," she turned and trotted towards the kitchen.

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Outside she looked up and down the street. A woman and pram, two children and their nanny and a man in coat and fedora, pausing and looking at something he had pulled out of his jacket pocket. She ran up to him.

"Excuse me, sir," she caught his elbow, "are you looking for Miss Fisher, Miss Phryne Fisher?"

"I am, who ...?"

"This way, and don't say a word," she dragged him to the back of the house and through the gardens to the arbour.

"Miss," she called quietly, although the Baroness had left for tea with Lady Atherston, "Miss."

"Ellen, what is it?"

"You have a visitor," Ellen hissed back.

"I don't get visitors, ..."

"I know, Mr Godfrey has been instructed not to let them in," she tugged Jack's arm, "come on you."

Jack followed until Ellen pushed him into the arbour and with a "I'll fetch some tea," ran off.

"Jack?" she looked up and gulped, "Jack, how?"

"Blowed if I know, I was accosted in the ... Phryne, is that what I think it is?" his eye was caught by the bassinet and the sleeping baby.

"Oh Jack," she burst into tears, "I'm sorry, really sorry, I didn't know how to tell you."

"So that's why you stopped writing?"

"Stop? I didn't stop," she sniffed and blew her nose, "you did. I kept on, even though I heard nothing."

"I didn't stop writing, I thought you had but I wanted to know why. I thought you had married ... perhaps ..." he waved his hand towards the baby.

"No, I haven't married, she's yours," she blurted out, "that night, before I left."

He took his hat off and ran his hands through his hair, "I'm a father?"

She nodded and waited.

"But ... didn't you ...? I mean, you would have done something, wouldn't you?"

"Too late by the time I realised," she patted the seat next to her, "I spent so much time sorting out the affairs I didn't take any notice that things were missing, not happening, and by the time I realised I knew that it could kill me. It could kill me anyway, but I was already feeling her kick." She took his hand, "You're not angry?"

"Stunned, amazed, but not angry, no never," he swallowed."What's her name?"

"She doesn't have one, yet, we just call her Bab," Phryne looked up to see Ellen carrying a tray of tea towards her.

"How does your mother feel?"

"Outraged, practically locked me in the tower," she nodded to Ellen, "if it wasn't for Ellen here, I'd have probably been charged with murder. When I said I wanted to keep the baby she hit the roof. We had a blazing row and she told me I was to keep out of sight and we agreed that after three weeks she would be taken to be adopted. I don't want that, but at the moment that's where we stand. I've just asked Ellen if she would like to come to Melbourne with me, as my nursery maid ..."

"Your mother has come back, Miss, Lady Atherston isn't well, apparently," Ellen put the tea tray down, "she's in the drawing room."

"I want to know what happened to your letters, Jack, and the ones I put out to be sent to you," Phryne stood up, and held out her hand.

"Before we do that, love," he smiled, it was the first time he had used such a word for her, "what are we going to do? I mean, I am willing, more than willing, to marry you, but do you want that? You never follow convention ..."

"True, but having missed you so desperately perhaps it is what I want, you and Bab," she leant up and kissed him, their first since being reunited.

"God I've missed you," he pulled her close and kissed her, firmly, "now, we can't just leave Bab here, can we?"

"Ellen will you take her up to my room, please, she's only been fed recently so it should give me time to speak to mother."

"Of course, Miss," Ellen made to pick up the bassinet.

"Wait, I haven't even held my daughter," Jack shrugged off his coat, "come here, little lady," he picked the baby up and cradled her in his sure arms. "Well, hello, daughter of mine, aren't you beautiful, just like your mother."

"Flattery, Inspector," she smiled. "Ellen, take the bassinet upstairs and Jack's coat ... I am going to speak with mother."

"Good luck, Miss," Ellen called softly not really wanting to be heard.

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Margaret was going through the afternoon post that Godfrey had left for her. She pursed her lips at the letter sent from Australia and the two telegrams. The letter was from Jack, the last one he posted before boarding the ship, the two telegrams were from him telling her he had arrived and wished to see her, and from Dot telling her the Inspector should be arriving that day if the voyage had gone to plan. She never read any of the letters just threw them in the fire, so determined was she that Phryne's ties to her homeland should be cut. Henry knew nothing about any letters, he knew Phryne had had a baby but not what his wife was planning. He took no interest once he had been told the child was a girl.

The door opened, Margaret turned round, "mother," Phryne stood with her hands on her hips and beside her a man. She noted he was handsome and well dressed and he was cradling the little bastard her daughter had the nerve to bring into the world. "Any post for me?" She held her hand out.

"Nothing," Margaret threw the papers into the fire. Phryne leapt forward and pulled them out of the fire, dropping them on the hearth and flattening them with the coal shovel.

"Tampering with the King's mail, Baroness," Jack spoke for the first time, "I do believe that is an offence under the law of the land." He extended his free hand to help Phryne up.

"This is from you, Jack," she blew on it and pulled what she could out of the envelope, and screwed her eyes up as she tried to read the scorched writing. "...coming over to see you. Want you to tell me why you stopped writing ..."

"How many of his letters have you burnt?" she waved it threateningly in her mother's face, how many telegrams?" she waved them too. "Why? You knew who Jack was, who he is, we talked about him at dinner when I brought father home!"

"I want someone different for you," her mother grumbled.

"That should make no difference, the letters are addressed to me," Phryne snapped, "you took the letters and destroyed them. I suppose you burnt the ones I sent as well? Especially after I found out about Bab."

"You didn't say who her father is," Margaret slumped down in a chair. "This is not the life for you, Phryne, you should ..."

"What, marry some weak and wet lord just for position? Well I have news for you, mother, Jack and I will marry, Bab will have her father ..!"

"Phryne we agreed!"

"No! you agreed to let me keep her for three weeks, I never actually said I would give her away!" Phryne stood with her hands balled into fists.

"If you don't mind," Jack stepped forward, "if I had known Phryne was pregnant I would have been here all the sooner ..."

"I didn't write that in any of my letters, but ..." she turned to him and stepped close, "I did say it wasn't easy, being here, and that I missed you ..."

"I asked you if you really wanted me to come after you ..." Jack drew her close.

"I would have telegrammed yes, especially if it was after I found out about Bab," she cuddled into him and placed one had on the baby's chest.

"Baroness, I shall be taking Phryne and our child back to Melbourne," Jack turned to take her out of the room, "there was no need for Bab to be born out of wedlock, but you made it so, you made it happen. I can't imagine what hell you have put your daughter through, but be assured, Bab will never, ever have to go through anything remotely close."

"Phryne, please," Margaret stepped after them, "you don't have to do this, if ..."

"No, mother, I won't do what you want, I won't abandon Bab just because she wasn't expected. I never expected to want a child, to love a baby and took steps to avoid it, but I do love her and I know that Jack and I can be good parents, better than you." Phryne turned to her, "I won't see you again, I don't think it would be good for either of us. Jack," she turned back to him, "I'm tired, it's only been two weeks ..."

"Right, let's get you settled for a nap and I will organise our voyage home," he turned back to the Baroness, "I do believe that here, as in Australia, enforced confinement such as you have done to Phryne is illegal and should you try to stop her leaving I shall bring the full force of said law down upon you."

They left the Baroness open mouthed at being spoken to like that, but with the threats Jack had made she was left with no choice.

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Jack laid Bab in her bassinet and helped Phryne settle in the bed.

"I'll stay with her, sir," Ellen smiled, "she'll be safe."

"Thank you, Ellen, now passage for three?" he looked to Phryne for confirmation.

"In my name, Jack, a stateroom with provision for a baby, and an adjoining cabin for Ellen," she squeezed his hand.

"Right," he bent to her and kissed her, "you get some rest, I'll try and get the first boat so we may have to go to Southampton, that's where I docked."

"Come back here, Jack, please," she watched him head to the door that would take him down the back stairs, "stay with me."

"I'll be back as soon as I can be," he smiled and disappeared from view.

Once he was out of view Ellen sat down on the bed.

"Ellen, I know this is sudden, so when Jack comes back you must go and tell your mother I am taking you away. If ever you want to come back I will pay your passage," Phryne smiled, "I couldn't have got this far without you or your mother."

"We are happy to have helped, Miss," Ellen smiled back, she was really quite excited, "now shall I start the packing?"

"You better had, if I know Jack he will get us on the first available ship and if that's tonight we'll have to hurry."

"Well, mine won't take long," Ellen laughed.

"And you can stop wearing a uniform," Phryne pursed her lips, "my companion at home doesn't ..."

"Well, once we leave here ..."

"As you wish."

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Jack made haste to get to the shipping offices to book the accommodation as Phryne had asked. The first passage he could get wasn't for two days and was from Southampton, but that gave them time to get to the port. He found an agent who could book them into a hotel for the night and bought the train tickets. They would leave first thing in the morning so he arranged a taxi to collect them and take them to the station. He went into a post office and sent a short telegram to the Collins' and one to the Commissioner then went to his hotel paid his bill and headed back to the Fisher residence. Given that he had not been able to gain entry through the front door he went to the kitchen where he found the staff huddled in groups whispering. They immediately pulled apart and tried to look like they were busy.

"Doesn't work, ladies and gentlemen," he smiled, "I'm a police detective. Now, any chance of a cuppa?"

All anybody knew was that a man had called to see Miss Phryne and that Godfrey had not let him in. Then Ellen had run through with this man, this one standing in front of them carrying two suitcases and asking for tea, so there was something going on.

One of the maids poured him a drink from the pot on the table and slid it over to him.

"Thanks, dashing around gives you a thirst," he took a mouthful of the hot brew, "lovely, just how I like it."

He looked around at the expectant faces, how much did they know?

"Dreadful case," he shook his head, "illegal imprisonment. Still all well now, I hope." Nobody spoke, they just looked at each other. "Well, thanks for the tea." He stood up, lifted his cases and headed up the back stairs to Miss Fisher's rooms.

The kitchen erupted in chatter. They had been sworn to secrecy about Miss Phryne, by the mistress but illegal imprisonment? Had this detective come all the way from Australia to find her? Ellen spent most of her time with Miss Phryne and only came down to get the meals and tea, she even attended to the Miss's laundry herself, so all they knew was she had got herself into a predicament and had been told that she would be retiring from society for a while. The Baroness had made it sound like Miss Phryne's exile was self imposed, through embarrassment. Though, from what they had seen of the young miss when she brought the Baron back, embarrassment wasn't something she suffered from!

Before Jack had entered the kitchen they had been huddled around discussing the heated conversation in the parlour that Boots had 'happened' to overhear. In fact, when he saw Phryne and Jack go into the room he had lingered outside and listened. At first cook had boxed his ears for such impropriety but the story he brought back had had them wondering, and then Jack and his little mention of illegal imprisonment ... well it sounded like something out of a novel. It also explained the Baroness' insistence that a fire be lit in the parlour every day, regardless of the weather.

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Phryne was asleep when he slipped into the suite, Ellen was placing clothes into a trunk and suitcases.

"That's for Bab," she whispered pointing to one suitcase, "this is Miss Phryne's, I should be able to get everything in."

"Right, good," Jack nodded, "we leave in the morning, a taxi is coming at seven to take us to the station. We take the train to Southampton and a hotel is booked for the night. Then ship to Australia. Phryne hates early mornings so getting her up isn't going to be easy ..."

"...if it means getting out of here I'll be up," a sleepy voice from the bed floated over, "anyway, Bab has a feed about six."

"I thought you were asleep," he stepped over to the bed and looked down at her.

"Light sleeper," she smiled.

"Liar," he bent down and kissed her. "So, you heard?"

"Yes, sounds good."

They sent Ellen to speak to her mother and pack her things and spent the time talking. Or rather she talked and he listened as she told him all that had happened and how she had decided that she couldn't leave the house at five months pregnant and relied on Ellen to see to everything she needed.

"I only go into the garden when mother's out, which she is most afternoons ..." she was now sitting up feeding Bab, a sight he never though he would see. "It never occurred to me she would scrutinise the outgoing and incoming post which is why I thought you had stopped writing."

"And I thought you had, but I knew that even if you wanted to cut ties you wouldn't be so cruel as to not tell me," he slipped his arm round her.

"I hope I'm not cruel, Jack, ever," she leant her head on his shoulder.

"You are the most generous person I have ever met," he put his hand gently on Bab, "I've sent a telegram to the Collins', I promised to let Dorothy know what is happening. She didn't get any letters either."

"I wrote to her, every time I wrote to you I wrote to her and I never received a reply."

"She wrote, she'd expecting her first, and wants you to meet it," he smiled, "even though she says you don't like babies."

"I can't promise to like all babies," she lifted Bab over her shoulder to wind her, "but I expect I shall like Dot's well enough." She turned her attention to Bab, "done, Bab?"

"Susie," Jack said, "Susannah, I like Susie, she looks like a Susie," he nodded firmly.

"Susie it is, then," she smiled, "lovely. Though, how many Susie's have you known?" She frowned.

"None, it just seems like it suits her," he laughed.

While they waited for Ellen to return Phryne continued to tell him all that had happened after she had landed. All about the mess the finances were in, all about how her mother was as much to blame as her father and then how she had managed to stay sane while waiting for the chance to leave and return to Melbourne.

"Once I had decided to keep Ba ... er Susie, I started to work on a plan to leave. Having got mother to reluctantly agree to let me keep her for my lying in period, heaven knows who thought of that," she rolled her eyes, "I was going to try to arrange to leave at either some ungodly hour of the morning, with Ellen or wait until they were out at a dinner party. Of course it would mean we could only take the bare essentials, but I'm sure we would get through, Ellen is rather resourceful."

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Ellen returned with her mother.

"So, Miss Fisher," Mrs Reed smiled, "you're takin' my Ellen on an adventure I hear."

"I do hope you don't mind, Mrs Reed," Phryne sat up and smiled, "you have been so very good to me it does seem a little ungrateful."

"I don't mind at all," Mrs Reed sat on the bed, "Ellen'll look after you, both of you, and I'm happy for her, she's always had a hankering to travel though as a maid it weren't likely to happen."

"This is Inspector Robinson, Mrs Reed," she introduced Jack, "he is Susie's father and he came all the way from Australia to find me. Seems my letters didn't get through," she scowled.

"Susie, eh?" she looked at the baby now safely sleeping in her father's arms, "your choice, sir?"

"I hope it meets with your approval, it's short for Susannah," he smiled and she noticed his hold on the baby was sure and practiced.

"You seem to know what your doin'," she mused.

"Nephew and niece," he explained, "though they're too old to be cradled by their uncle Jack now."

"Well, if you're going away Miss, best I give you the once over, just to be sure," Mrs Reed rolled up her sleeves, "hot water, our Ellen," she ordered.

"Yes mum," Ellen went into the bathroom and drew a bowl of the hottest water she could and brought it back, "come on Inspector, you're not needed for this." She pulled him to the small sitting room adjacent to Phryne's bedroom.

Phryne laughed at the way Ellen bossed Jack about, she was remarkably like Dot, she thought.

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"Well, Miss," Mrs Reed washed and dried her hands, "you'll do, though you need to take things easy for the next couple o' weeks, no heavy liftin' or runnin' around. There is something I should tell you, though it should be your doctor, really, but you shouldn't be intimate just yet, another month, perhaps, give yourself time to heal."

"After ten children, Mrs Reed, I bow to your experience," Phryne smiled. "We shall be at sea for a month and when I get home I shall see my own doctor, she will advise me on protection, my device I usually use ..."

Mrs Reed pursed her lips, "I see, Miss," she hummed, "glad to know you usually take precautions."

"Don't worry, Mrs Reed, I shan't lead Ellen down the wrong path, and my companion in Melbourne will see that she doesn't get into trouble, she's be trying to keep me out of it."

"Oh, my Ellen knows her own mind, Miss, I'm sure you've noticed, she'll give any young man whose too forward short shrift."

"Mum!" Ellen was shocked.

"It's alright Ellen, she is only making sure I keep you safe," Phryne smiled, "and I will."

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Phryne stood in the room, Ellen and Jack had taken the luggage down to the taxi all she had to carry was Susie. She looked round and sighed, she wouldn't be back. She placed a letter on the bed and left the main room door open in the hope that her mother would go in. She had spent some time the previous evening, with Jack, composing a sort of farewell letter to her parents. She thanked them for allowing her to stay for her confinement, "... though I know you would rather I hadn't ..." but said that she had to think of Susie and knew that she couldn't send her off to someone she didn't know to a life she wasn't sure was right. Jack had suggested she was a guardian angel to Jane when Mrs Ross had turned up, now she had to be a mother to Susie. "I'm sorry you feel I am a disappointment to you, so I fear it is best we part. Your daughter, Phryne."

She had shed a few tears on Jack's shoulder. "Perhaps if we send a photograph, when she's a year old, your mother will realise what she is missing, what she has lost," he kissed her.

They slept in the same bed that night, kissing and cuddling before falling asleep until Susie woke them for a feed. "So, this is our nights for the next year?" he asked, watching her tenderness with the baby.

"Well, not a whole year, once she sleeps through ..." Phryne winked.

"As long as I can be here, that's fine by me," he smiled and took the now satisfied child and placed her gently in her bassinet.

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