Work Text:
Audrey loved weddings. The beautiful flowers, the church, the hats. The dashing groom and the blushing bride. Feeling the love coming out of the happy couples every pore. She always left the church filled to the brim with gratitude that she was lucky enough to be included in such a special day.
Now she was going to be the blushing bride, surrounded by people she loved and considered family, even if they weren’t blood. She was overflowing with happiness.
After all the years married to Robert, the separation and subsequent divorce, Audrey never thought she would marry again. What she had at Skeldale, the community, the friendship, the love, was enough for her.
When she had met Gerald, it was a welcome change to have a relationship that was outside of the parameters that she was used to. He was lovely and nice and she would be forever grateful to him for opening her up to the possibilities she had shut herself off from and helping her realise what she wanted for her life. But when it came down to it, what she wanted wasn’t him.
Siegfried had confessed his love not long after her broken engagement, an ‘I love you’ escaping his lips so casually she had been sure it was an accident. She had kissed him unexpectedly, a reciprocation so enthusiastically received that when James and Helen came home they had to quickly make themselves presentable.
Nothing had really changed after that. The physical aspect of their relationship had come naturally, years of repressed urges coming out in hand holding and kisses in the kitchen. When they eventually made love, she had felt frantic, fingers fumbling with buttons, quivering as his mouth reached her neck, her chest. She felt sick with it, this need for him, the fire becoming more powerful each time he rolled up his shirt sleeves, helped her in the kitchen or showed compassion for every animal that came through the door. She was only human, after all.
They hadn’t spent a full night apart since, except tonight.
Taking part in tradition, currently Audrey was at Heston Grange with Helen, Jenny and Dorothy, who had returned especially for the occasion, as had Tristan, who was at Skeldale. Mrs Pumphrey was to meet them there in the morning, wanting to take part in the festivities but not wanting to leave Tricki for too long.
Siegfried had been terse to everyone that morning, not looking forward to an evening without her but had eventually softened, giving her a breathtaking kiss and a cheeky smile as she left.
In solidarity, the men (namely James) had decided to forego their partner’s company for the night, while Audrey and the girls were up at the farm, making last minute preparations.
“It’s gonna be strange calling you Mrs Farnon,” Jenny said as she polished her shoes.
“I suppose it’s gonna be strange hearing it as well,” Audrey smiled.
“We better start practising now then, ‘aven’t we, Mrs Farnon?” Helen chimed in, smiling as she rose from her chair to wash her hands before beginning to prepare dinner.
Audrey laughed, a blush forming on her cheeks. It felt different, in the most wonderful way. Siegfried was the type of man she had prayed for when she was a little girl. He was reliable and honest and strong and above all, he was good . She couldn’t help but smile as the sheer… rightness of it all settled in her chest.
She was a quite a light sleeper so when she heard a noise outside, she sat up straight in bed and checked the clock. 2 o’clock in the morning. Audrey thought about the possibilities. Maybe one of the animals had escaped? Maybe Jenny or Helen had gone to check on the pregnant cow that was currently in the barn after a particularly scary bout of illness.
Getting out of bed and putting on the dressing gown and slippers she’d brought, she suddenly realised that the noise was a weird… clinking sound? It was coming from the window.
As she lifted the net that normally shielded the room from the magnificent view of the surrounding fields, she could see the bent over figure of her fiancé trying to pick up a sufficient stone to throw at her window again.
As Audrey opened the window, she couldn’t help but smirk.
“Damn and blast!” Siegfried felt around the ground, clearly exasperated the moon was his only guiding light.
“What are you doing ‘ere?” she whisper-shouted down at him.
He spun round, clearly not expecting her to be there. “I wanted to see you!”
“Be quiet, you’ll wake up the girls!”
“What do you suppose they’d do about it?” he said defiantly, even as he lowered his voice.
“Nothin’, I’m more concerned that they won’t let you live it down. I’ll open the door.”
Audrey shut the window and tightened the belt on her dressing gown as she made her way downstairs. He really was the most ridiculous creature.
Opening the door gently, it was barely halfway open before he was across the threshold, the door nearly banging into the wall as his hands found her waist and his lips found hers. It was over too soon, but she soothed herself with the thought that more was to come after they were officially husband and wife.
“Siegfried Farnon, you’re seein’ me in less than twelve hours. What ‘appened to patience being a virtue?” Even as she said the words she couldn’t be mad at him, she had missed him too.
“I’ve always had trouble sleeping without you since we’ve been together, you know that.” He closed the door, stepping inside.
She did know that, even if he’d never admitted it out loud before. They’d never had much reason to sleep without each other. There were the occasional callouts in the middle of the night, of course, but he would always be the one leaving, the scent of his aftershave on the sheets enough to get her through to the morning.
On the rare occasion that Audrey retired to bed later than he did, Siegfried would be down soon enough, making up an excuse as to why he was awake. He would never go back to bed without her though, staying and following her from room to room until she’d finished.
“Yes, well, that’s very sweet but it’s tradition, int it?” she said, making her way to sit down.
“It’s a bloody stupid tradition!”
“Come ‘ere, you daft apeth,” she whispered, arms outstretched, coming up to wrap around him as he melted into her comforting embrace.
She could sense him become more relaxed by the second, as she slowly played with the strands of hair at the nape of his neck, moving her fingers in slow circles.
“I plan on spending every night with you for the rest of my life, I don’t see why I shouldn’t start doing that as soon as possible,” he whispered into her neck.
“You do make a good point sometimes.” She smiled as she closed her eyes, feeling the gentle tug of sleep overtake her senses.
“Only sometimes?” She knew he was smiling too.
“Get some sleep, we’ve got a big day tomorrow, y’know.”
As she drifted off to sleep, she felt him nuzzle into her and whisper sleepily, “I love you, Mrs Farnon”.
She had a feeling she’d get used to it very quickly.
If Helen found them the next morning, cuddled up asleep on the settee together, well, she didn’t say a word.