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Why this song was playing he didn’t know, it wasn’t very Christmasy, but it was spot on and had been since he first heard it. ‘Can’t take my eyes off of you’ by Frankie Valli had become his own personal anthem. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. Not here, not at the practice as she checked the patients in and out, not when they shared an evening drink together as the only two who lived at the practice. Him because it was his house that had been passed down from his parents and her when her lodgings had fallen through the first week of her joining. He loved everything about her. The way she laughed, smiled and frowned. The way she was caring and patient, tender and kind with a wicked sense of humour and a touch of grace that only a true angel could fathom. He watched as she chatted with the locals who all had come to adore her, her dark curls hung to her shoulders, snuggled under an elegant beret. She wore a dark green coat that matched the dress underneath, long black boots and he caught just a glimpse of her stockened knees, a slither of orange, matching her hat, poked out. She looked stunning.
‘Why don’t you ask her to skate?’ Tristan appeared to his left as he stood at the fringe of the annual Darrowby Christmas Bonanza, affectionately known as the DCB, sipping his mulled wine. This year their hosts, The Beauvoir, or more specifically Tristan’s very sweet yet determined girlfriend Charlotte, had outdone every previous year and probably every year to come. The whole estate was like a winter wonderland, fake snow, giant candy canes and twinkling lights made it quite a sight, but the main attraction was the enormous ice rink.
‘You heard her last week, she can’t skate.’ Siegfried didn’t turn his head to his brother, didn’t deny that he wanted to be close to Audrey because he could no longer deny it. He loved her. Pure. Simple. Scary as hell. At almost 50 Siegfried never thought he’d find love again but many years ago the incomparable Audrey Hall turned up at his door and changed his life. Over the years she chipped away at the walls he had erected after the loss of his wife, Evelyn. Audrey had weathered his tempers, his dramatics, him. Then not many years ago he almost lost her and he knew then that he loved her endlessly, that he would do anything for her so for three years she was away looking after her injured son. It was devastating. His life filled with grief once more, then one day he walked in and she was there. She was home. Now months later he was done denying everything, he was ready to take the next step and he hoped she was as well.
‘That may be big brother, but you are an excellent skater. The best in fact.’ he could hear the smile on his brother's face. ‘And’ a voice appeared to his right ‘nothing more romantic than having to hold her close to help her on the ice.’ Charlotte smirked. ‘Go on.’ Charlotte took the cup from his hand as Tris gave him a slight shove forward. Siegfried chuckled at their ridiculous behaviour but he was grateful for the nudge, both physically and verbally.
‘Audrey’. She turned at her name, he never called her that. It had always been Mrs Hall and Mr Farnon. Well almost always, there were times when soft ‘Siegfried’ and ‘Audrey’ were uttered, but he had wanted to keep a line between employer and employee, why with her and not the others she didn’t know but it hurt in a place that she didn’t bring out into the light. Hearing her name from his lips, clear, gentle, hopeful set her heart racing. Helen gave her a knowing look as she dragged James away leaving Audrey and Siegfried alone.
‘Hello’ Audrey chuckled at Siegfried’s awkward greeting. ‘We came together you fool.’ she laughed, glad to see him relax with a laugh. ‘You’re right, sorry. Are you enjoying yourself?’
‘I am. It’s quite the thing, I feel sorry for whoever takes on next year.’ Her tinkling laughter touched his heart as he stepped closer letting people pass. ‘Though I do very much enjoy our Skeldale Christmas parties each year.’ Siegfried melted how she referred to their annual open house party as ‘our’, it meant everything to him and it was only because of her that they happened. ‘I quite agree,’ he said softly. ‘I came over to ask you if you’d like to join me on the ice?’
Audrey looked at Siegfried, his eyes were hopeful, his smile small but just for her and his hand was outstretched for her to take. ‘You know I can’t skate.’ She desperately wanted to take his hand. The thought to be with him anywhere thrilled her, he was the reason she looked forward to every day. The way he would whistle as he worked on the accounts, the way he would slide a cup of tea onto her desk when the phone wouldn’t stop ringing. The way he would open up to her about hard cases as they played their word game. She loved him most the way he cared, for his brother, James and Helen, the animals and for her. She knew she loved him the night she got the call, the night her son’s ranking officer called to say he had been badly injured whilst serving. He had held her in his arms as she cried, as she made the heartbreaking decision to go to be near Edward in Devon as he recovered in hospital leaving behind her home. Her home wasn’t a place but a person, her home was Siegfried. She wanted this, him, to take his hand but she was scared of falling, of failing, of not being good enough.
‘I’ll hold you close, I won’t let you fall.’ he whispered as if reading her thoughts. Audrey slipped her fingers into his hand, ever grateful that she had removed her mittens as she had held her hot mulled wine, she decided Siegfried must have done the same as his gloveless fingers still lingered extra warmth.
‘Alright, just hold on to me.’
‘I promise to never let go.’ Blush crept up Audrey’s cheek at his words, his gaze never wavered from hers and the words felt much greater than just holding her on the ice.
‘Now, carefully step on to the ice and glide.’ Siegfried stood by her side holding onto one of her arms as they entered the rink. Christmas music once again played as people of all ages glided, slipped, spun and crashed on the ice. ‘Arghhh.’ Audrey’s legs splayed as she tried to move forward. ‘I feel like Bambi!’ she laughed. Siegfried spun in front of her and took both her arms holding her up. Siegfried laughed at her shocked but gleeful face. ‘Keep your head up and take it easy.’ Audrey gripped his arms tightly as he started to skate backwards, watching her feet she slowly found a haphazard rhythm. ‘That’s it. Eye’s up.’ She could hear the pride in Siegfried’s voice and after what felt like a lap of the rink Audrey lifted her gaze to his.
He looked at her like no man had really looked at her before, it was magical and scary and perfect. ‘Show off’ not able to address all her feelings at once Audrey opted for witty banter, something she and Siegfried excelled at. ‘Only for you.’ he winked. Winked! ‘Cheeky beggar’ Audrey laughed. ‘Ready to go a bit faster?’ All she could do was nod because the last thing she wanted to do was stop. ‘Ok, hold on.’ Siegfried took her hands and repositioned them on his shoulders, his own hands moving to her waist. Her eyes shot to his as a spark shot through like a firework on 5th November. He must have felt, Audrey thought, because his hands tightened at her waist.
‘Audrey’ his voice was soft, almost a whisper yet so clear as the canopy of noise around them faded away. Their pace slowed, Audrey's feet no longer moving, only gliding as Siegfried steered them with no effort round the edge of the rink. Still moving like a gentle stream Siegfried pulled her closer, ‘Audrey, I hope, well..I hope I’m not overstepping but…’
‘SIEGFRIED! MOVE!!’ A booming voice called to them as a blur raced towards them, arms flailing out wide, no ability to stop. Siegfried pushed off the ice hard, lifting Audrey up with ease to narrowly avoid the lumbering carnage of Gerald Hammond. The man crashed into the barrier and fell in a heap. Tristan and Charlotte sped over and dragged the crumpled Gerald to his feet, ‘What on earth were you trying to do?!’ Charlotte clearly annoyed at his action, you’d think because he had made a spectacle of her DCB but in fact it was for a very different reason.
Gerald stumbled to his feet as he held on to the barrier, ‘sorry, I just wanted to say hello to Audrey.’ Gerald turned looking for the woman in question but he was blocked by both Tristan and Charlotte. ‘You should not be on the ice if you can’t skate Mr Hammond, it is not safe.’ ‘She’s right.’ ‘But Audrey can’t skate either, I overheard her telling Mr Farnon last week.’ Tris glared at Charlotte, this man was relentless. He had to be the most unwelcome visitor the practice got, always trying to find a way to see Audrey despite her flat out refusing his offer for a date.
‘She’s busy Mr Hammond, now off the ice.’ Tristan all but dragged the man from the rink trying to block his view of Audrey as he did so.
In the middle of the ice Siegfried gently lowered Audrey back to her feet, her arms stayed tightly round his neck as his held her close. ‘You didn’t let go of me.’
‘If you let me, I’d never let you go again Audrey.’ Siegfried let his words settle, he saw her mind working a mile a minute as she contemplated what he had said. His own heart stopped, breath held as he waited. Suddenly a broad smile broke across her face, ‘I love you Siegfried Farnon!’ Her voice was loud, it was almost a shout. The ice rink stilled, the music faded as the villagers of Darrowby watched as Siegfried Farnon leaned forward and spoke - they couldn’t hear his words but Audrey could; ‘Thank god, because I love you too.’ Then he kissed her, soundly. The cheers were muted by the next song, At Last by Etta James, crooned over the speakers. ‘Who’s in charge of the music?’ Audrey chuckled as she leaned her head against Siegfried’s cheek. He started to sway them slowly, turning as he held her like he had been dreaming over for so long, his eyes caught a couple clinking glasses of bubbly.
‘I have my suspicions but it’s very fitting. At last indeed.’
Audrey lifted her head and smiled, ‘but just the beginning.’ Brushing her nose against his she enticed him into another kiss, long, soft, pure.