"As if anything could tempt him from your side," Phryne murmured and let the matter drop. Constable Collins belonged to the pleasant, but increasingly distant past. Reminding herself of those they'd left behind and would see no more never boded well, and she could hardly encourage Dot to get over Hugh if she couldn't do so herself.

Jack's question was, by far, the more interesting bit of conversation and required careful consideration. With very little else upon which to spend her considerable energy, she could conceivably spend as much time with Jack as there was in the day. Eventually they might tire of each other's company, but her heart told her that wouldn't happen soon. Still, she might come to resent the constant presence of a man, when she'd formerly made it her business to prevent that from happening. Then there was the matter of Jack's need for privacy. After all they were both strongly independent people. No matter how much they enjoyed each other's company, she imagined neither of them would want it all the time.

"At very least, it should take up the rest of this evening," she replied smartly to buy herself a little space in which to maneuver. "As for tomorrow and the days after, any project worth my attention will naturally have rhythms of its own."