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"James, may I have a word with you?" Mrs Hall stuck her head around the kitchen door.
"Yes, of course," he smiled following her into the kitchen, sitting down at the table when she motioned for him to do so.
"Cup of tea?" She asked as she started pouring it into the cup and saucer in front of him before he could respond.
"What did you want to talk about Mrs Hall?" James asked as he eyed the Eccles cakes that were sitting on the table in front of him.
"I'm going out this evening for a few hours over dinner. I was hoping you would heat the food I've prepared for Mr Farnon, Tristan and yourself."
"I'm sure I can do that."
"Thank you, James. Just make sure the chicken pot pie is piping hot before serving. The pastry would be better a little burnt on top than the chicken not heated the whole way through!"
"Hot the whole way through, got it." He smiled at her as she turned towards the dough she was kneading. "May I ask where you're off to?"
"I'm having dinner with a friend," she replied quickly.
"Dorothy?"
"No, another friend. I shan't be out very long."
"Oh. Have you told Siegfried?"
"No, I haven't had the opportunity but you can if I don't see him before I leave."
"Yes,” he conceded nervously, “but what should I tell him?"
"That I've gone out for dinner with a friend."
"This friend wouldn't happen to go by the name Gerald by any chance?" He asked tentatively.
"I never said that!" She shot him a stern look.
"No, I don't think you need to," he muttered under his breath as she turned back to her work.
"What was that?" She asked over her shoulder.
"Er, nothing Mrs Hall. I'll reheat dinner and tell Siegfried and Tristan if or rather when they ask." He nodded to himself and quickly drank the last of his tea before standing up to leave. "I better get on I’ve got five more patients to see this afternoon!"
"Thank you, James," she smiled at him, noticing his glance towards the Eccles cakes once more. "Go on then, take one" she rolled her eyes and nodded towards the plate. James grinned at her as he picked one and flew out the back door.
~~~
Siegfried Farnon was having a bad day. An unusually bad day. The sort that comes around once a year and then proceeds to be moaned about until the next occurrence.
He'd woken up half an hour later than normal, throwing his whole day off. He'd missed breakfast, hadn't had time to go back to Skeldale House for lunch and as a result had had to accept lunch from the wife of a farmer whose calf he'd been called out to. Tristan had abandoned him two hours before when they'd stopped off at Skeldale House mid-afternoon to pick up some supplies before heading out again. Then at the end of his last stop of the day, the rover refused to start. Fortunately, it got going after a little coaxing but that was a headache he could have done without.
Now he was looking forward to a hot meal, a warm bath and a soft bed.
He entered the house in his usual 'bull in a china shop' manner, throwing his coat and hat haphazardly onto the rack in the hallway, dropping his bag by his study door, projecting his voice as he went. "I'm sorry I'm late for dinner Mrs Hall, it's been an awful day. Not at all helped by Tristan leaving me to go to Dobson's by my," he stopped mid tirade at the sight of the dark and empty dining room.
"MRS HALL!" He yelled as he walked towards the kitchen. "Where's dinner? Surely I'm not so late that you've finished without me..." he trailed off as he surveyed Tristan and James sat at the table with their half-eaten dinners in front of them. "Where's Mrs Hall? She's not been taken ill has she?" He turned around as if searching the room for her.
"Er, no she's, er, gone out," James said disjointedly before shoving a large forkful of food in his mouth.
"Where has she gone off to at this time of night?"
"Actually, Siegfried I think she left an hour ago and as for where, well, Jim do you want to tell him or should I?" Tristan raised his eyebrows at James who immediately started shaking his head as he continued to chew his food.
"Where did she go Tristan?" Siegfried sighed tiredly as he sat down to help himself to some dinner. As if this day wasn't long enough he now has to play mind games with his brother.
"Out with a friend for dinner apparently."
"Dorothy? I didn't know she was back from Malta."
"No, not the delectable Dorothy I'm afraid. We believe this friend of Mrs H. to be of the male persuasion."
"What?!" Siegfried exclaimed before immediately choking on his food.
"What did you say his name was Jim?"
"I didn't! That's to say I don't know, she didn't tell me who it was exactly but," he paused for a minute wondering how wise it would be to share his suspicions with the Farnon brothers. "I think, well that's to say it could have been..."
"SPIT IT OUT, MAN!" Siegfried bellowed between coughs, the little patience left within him wearing thin.
"There was that emergency case a couple of weeks ago, a dog that had its back leg stuck in a trap all night and his owner was very worried so Mrs Hall did what she usually does, offering him a cup of tea and chatting to him to keep his mind off it. Well, I think they took a liking to each other. In truth, I'm pretty sure he asked her out when he picked up his dog the next day but she turned him down. They must have bumped into each other at some point in the last few days I suppose."
"What's his name, Jim?" Tristan asked with interest.
"Gerald I believe."
"Do you know anything else about this Gerald?" Siegfried asked tensly.
"No, that's everything. He seemed a nice enough man I suppose, polite," he shrugged pointedly turning his attension back to his last mouthful of dinner.
"Well, I say good on Mrs Hall, it's about time she got back on the horse so to speak!" Tristan exclaimed, as he stood to clear his empty plate. "I'm off to the Drovers for a pint. You interested Jim?"
"Wouldn't mind if I do," James relaxed as his turn in the firing line seemed to be over for now.
"Siegfried? We can wait for you to finish eating if you like?"
"No, no thank you. It's been a long day, a quiet night in will do me good. Not to mention the phone really shouldn't be left completely unattended."
"If you say so big brother," Tristan clapped James on the back. "Come along then! Those pints won't drink themselves! Bye Siegfried!" He yelled back over his shoulder as they walked out of the kitchen.
"Don't come back too late, either of you! I'm not doing the early morning appointments tomorrow. I've had enough of a day of it today, I am not going through the same again tomorrow!"
"Not too late, got it!" Came Tristan's reply, less than a second before the front door slammed shut behind him.
~~~
Siegfried let out a long breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding and leaned back in his chair. Absentmindedly he began pushing the food around on his plate with his fork. Out for dinner with a friend. A male friend. Whoever he was he couldn't be a very impressive man with a name like Gerald. He sounded like rather a dunce come to think of it. Leaving his dog in a trap all night. Siegfried shook his head as he stared intently at the ceramic pot in the middle of the table. Audrey could do much better, er-hm, Mrs Hall could do much better than a Gerald that was for certain.
The vindictive, easily irritated part of Siegfried was tempted to leave the dirty plates in the sink for Mrs Hall to find in the morning but he quickly realised the small twist of guilt he felt at the notion would only grow through the night, probably resulting in him sneaking downstairs in the early hours to do it anyway. It was easier to acquiesce now especially as there was no one around to witness it.
Once everything was washed, dried and put away he made himself a cup of tea and retired to the sitting room to read his book. Not that he read much, rather re-reading the same paragraph twenty times over. The tea had grown cold and he found his eyes flickering over to the decanter on the sideboard. He pushed himself out of his chair with vigour, stalking over to the liquor and pouring himself a glass. He knocked the first one back immediately before pouring himself a second. He dropped back down in his armchair with bounce. He glanced at the settee to his right, where she usually sat, curled up with a book of an evening.
Mrs Audrey Hall was on his mind. He wilfully admitted it. And the reason why she was, was obvious. He was concerned for her well-fare, going out with a man she hardly knew. A man he hadn't met. He couldn't be happy about her being off God knows where with God knows who. She is more than just the live-in housekeeper for Skeldale House, she is his friend. He has a right to be concerned about his friend. Doesn't he?
~~~
He spent the next couple of hours alternating between pretending to read, shuffling his papers around on his desk and pacing between the living room and his study. He had just returned to his armchair and picked up his book when the front door opened. He resisted the urge to jump up long enough to recognise James and Tristan's voices as they came clambering through the door.
They had their arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders, attempting to hold the other up. Both were laughing hysterically, as they fell through the hallway towards the stairs. James, between peals of laughter, kept shushing Tristan who was laughing much louder.
"You'll wake Siegfried if you don't shut up," James mock whispered before dissolving into laughter.
"You're right Jim, we must not wake the honourable Siegfried Farnon, veterinary extraordinaire, Mr know-it-all! Except where it counts of course. With women!" They fell about in hysterics once more.
"You don't need to worry about that Tristan," Siegfried glowered. James turned a very white shade of pale at the sight of his boss standing in the sitting room doorway. Tristan on the other hand was unfazed.
"Ah, dear brother, see we came back early! Just as you requested," he clapped Siegfried on the back.
"Yes, I suppose eleven is early for you, Tristan, but you've both managed to come back smelling like a brewery."
"Jim here, is not drunk on drink brother! He is drunk on love! For Helen was also at the Drover's this evening."
"So that explains James's high spirits but what about yours?"
"He drank more than he meant to because Maggie's affection has found pastures new."
"Oh?"
"I don't care who Maggie talks to or shares affections with. Us no longer being an us was a mutual decision."
"Of course it was Little Brother but perhaps a little more mutual on her side than your's I should wager. Anyhow, off to bed with you, you have an early start in the morning. Both of you."
"Hang on a minute, what are you still doing up?" Tristan frowned in confusion.
"I was reading."
"What were you reading?"
"Er," Siegfried's eyes widened for a moment. "It's by C.S. Lewis, I've read it before but the name escapes me."
"Is Mrs Hall back yet?"
"No."
"Ah, I see."
"You see what exactly?"
"Nothing, I'm going to bed, goodnight!"
"What did you mean by 'I see'?"
"Nothing Siegfried! Now, I've got to go to bed because as you keep reminding me I have an early start in the morning. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," he grumbled as Tristan climbed the stairs.
"You'll be handling the clinic tomorrow, won't you?" James asked.
"Yes. There haven't been any additional calls while you were out so the list is unchanged from earlier."
"Great, goodnight Siegfried."
"Goodnight James." As James walked past him he seemed to shoot him a knowing look, almost as though he could picture how Siegfried had really spent his evening. It unnerved him but he shook it off.
~~~
The house returned to relative quiet then. The odd creaking floorboard could be heard as the boys prepared for bed but other than that Siegfried was back to the state he was in before their return. He had taken to staring through a gap in the curtains not long before he saw a car (or rather the headlights) turn the corner and stop a few feet from the front door. They remained on as both occupants got out.
He should turn away. He should give them privacy in their goodnights. But he couldn't. He had to see. Would she kiss him? Did he care if she kissed him? Well, that was a question he couldn't admit the answer to. If he stayed this close to the window any longer she'd be bound to see him. Did he want her to? Did he want her to know that he cared?
It was too late for him to decide one way or the other. Although he could only just make out her silhouette against the headlights he knew from the tilt of her head towards the house that she'd seen him there. His heart rate picked up slightly at the thought. He'd have to face the music now. If she's angry at him for spying. Which surely she will be. Unless she's not. He gulped and stepped away from the window. He didn't want to know what her goodbye to Gerald would look like. It was in that moment he realised he couldn't handle a peck on the cheek or a passionate embrace.
He stood behind his armchair, his eyes fixated on the ground in front of it. The door clicked open. A soft creaking noise as it was gently pushed open. The click made when it was shut sounded louder somehow. The anticipation in him grew and for a moment he had no idea why. Because you love her, a distantly familiar voice echoed in the recess of his mind. He shook his head and looked up as she stepped into the doorway.
"You're still up," it was a neutral statement.
"Yes, I was reading."
"You were watching out the window."
"Because I got up to go to bed and saw the lights through the curtain." He looked her straight in the eyes then, daring her to challenge him.
"Have you checked the locks?"
"I was just about to."
"I can do it."
He nodded in response as he contemplated his next move. He decided to bite the bullet. "Did you have a nice time?"
"Yes, it was a very pleasant evening, thank you."
"You're back late."
"We went to a pub a couple of villages away. At my request. You know how fast news travels 'round here. I have no desire to be the subject of idle gossip."
"Of course not." He took a deep breath. "Will you be seeing Gerald again?"
"How did you?... James told you didn't he?"
"Perhaps," he shrugged. "Well, will you? See him again that is."
"Perhaps."
He nodded more in defeat than acceptance. "I'm glad you had a nice time... and that you got home safely." He didn't dare push further than that. Not tonight at any rate. Not without cause.
"Were there any phone calls while I was out?"
"There weren't any."
"Not even from Diana?" His head shot up, meeting her gaze full force.
"No, why would there have been?"
"She seems very keen is all."
"Who's to say I am?"
"What's to say you're not?"
He wanted to kiss her. For the first time in a long time, he longed to kiss a woman and that woman was Audrey Hall.
"I contemplated it this evening in a rather roundabout way and I'm not interested. Not in her at least."
"But you are in someone?"
"Perhaps." Just from looking at her as her gaze flicked away and her face grew pensive, he could tell she was dying to ask but something held her back. He took pity on her at that moment and continued. "Is it wise to show interest in a woman who is not interested in me?"
"Why do you say she's uninterested?"
He took a calming breath, this was it. Without fear, there can be no courage, a different but equally familiar voice resonated through his mind.
"She spent this evening in the company of another man." Quick but not altogether painless.
Her mouth fell open ever so slightly. An outward display of the great shock that overwhelmed her. It couldn't be a good sign, could it?
"I-"
"Don't, you don't need to say anything." He shook his head sadly as he glanced towards the stairs, planning his escape. "I should be going to bed if you're still willing to check the locks? Goodnight Mrs Hall."
"No."
His heart and stomach dropped to a place somewhere below his knees.
"You want me to check the locks?" He kept his eyes fixed on the stairs, too scared to look directly at her now he'd almost certainly ruined everything.
"No."
He swallowed nervously, his eyes flickering between her handbag which she held tightly in her right hand and the stairs.
"Did you mean that the way it sounded?" She whispered breathlessly. He couldn't respond in any way other than nodding. "Gerald was nice but I won't be seeing him again," she spoke quickly with a sharp intake of breath at the end.
"Really?" He tried to mask the joy but failed miserably as his eyes connected with hers for the first time in several minutes. She nodded this time.
He couldn't predict the further elation he felt at the sight of the gesture. Nor could he predict what he did next. He didn't register his legs propelling him across the room towards her. He didn't consciously tell his arms to wrap around her waist. But once he stood there with her in his embrace his subconscious flipped from automated to instinctual. Her eyelids fluttered closed just before his did and although everything was moving very fast he took that as a sign, she wanted this just as much as he did.
Their lips touched in a slow, sweet caress. He meant to pull away at that point but then a gentle thud of her handbag falling to the ground followed by her hands sliding up his arms held him in place. The warmth radiated through his shirt sleeves as they reached his shoulders. They leapt towards passionate when her arms wrapped around his neck, his grip on her waist tightening further.
They broke apart when their need for air grew too great. Gasping they remained intertwined, gazes locked. "Will you go out with me for dinner?" "What?" She hadn't been expecting such a question from him, even after the events of the last few minutes.
"Anytime, any place, just come with me for dinner, please?" If it sounded as though he was begging, he was.
"Yes," she smiled somewhat bashfully.
"Brilliant," he kissed her again, this time with a little more restraint.
"I suppose we should go to bed," she murmured when they parted for the second time. He raised his eyebrows at her as a pink blush spread across her cheeks and down her neck. "Not- I didn't mean it like that."
"I know you didn't," he pecked her on the cheek. "But I think I'm going to enjoy seeing you flustered when I am the cause of it. You are right of course. We should retire to our separate bedrooms." He smirked. "I'll lock up and turn the lights out."
"We need to be careful. Gossip travels fast in Darrowby." What made her mind wander there, he couldn't tell.
"We can discuss it in the morning. I've sent the boys out on the early morning rounds tomorrow."
"All right, I suppose I'll see you at breakfast." He hummed in response and leaned in for one last gentle kiss before pulling away completely. "Goodnight Mrs Hall, sleep well."
She took a couple of steps up the stairs before turning to face him, her eyes shining in the semi-darkness. "You should probably start calling me Audrey."
"Goodnight Audrey."
"Goodnight Siegfried."