Chapter Text
Siegfried was able to arrange a meeting with the solicitor for a fortnight’s time. In the meantime, life at Skeldale continued as normal, at least on the surface. But Audrey felt subtle changes; Siegfried’s gaze on her as she moved around the kitchen, his hand seemingly accidentally brushing hers as she handed him his teacup, and twice, when they were alone in the evening playing Scrabble, he called her Audrey.
It was making it harder to keep her long-harboured feelings for him under lock and key, and she was beginning to wonder if, just maybe, he felt the same. The prospect of being free of her marriage made her feel light, carefree, less inhibited. Almost as though her life could begin again. And the electric tension that crackled between them whenever they were close just added to her sense of suspense. Something had changed between them, shifting boundaries, breaking down walls.
They had shared news of the solicitor’s appointment with James and Tristan, needing both to cover the practice for the morning, but they had been sworn to secrecy. “What am I going to call you when you’re not Mrs H?” Tristan had asked with a grin, before enveloping her in a hug of support.
On the drive to Brawton, Siegfried could sense Audrey’s anxiety. She spoke little, and he could see her left foot, crossed over her right at the ankle, jiggling nervously. He parked the car near the town centre and turned to her. “Are you alright Mrs Hall? You know you don’t have to do this?”
“I know…I want to,” she said, turning to face him. “Now I’ve got my hopes up I’m worried the solicitor will say there’s no chance.”
“Well, let’s see,” he smiled reassuringly. “Mr Baxter is a lovely man, don’t worry. And an excellent solicitor. He’ll put you at ease.”
Siegfried stayed in the waiting room while Audrey went in for the meeting. It didn’t seem quite proper for him to be involved when, to the outside world at least, he was just her employer.
When she emerged just over an hour later, the relief was evident on her face. “He says I’m going to need to gather evidence…but he thinks I’ve got a very good case,” she said, smiling at him with shining eyes.
“Well that’s wonderful news,” he grinned back, and for a moment they just looked at each other. “I thought perhaps we could go for lunch and discuss it. If you want to, of course?” He opened the door for her and she stepped out into the cold February air.
“You don’t think we should be getting back?” Audrey asked as they walked down the steps outside the solicitor’s.
“Oh I’m sure they’re managing fine. How much damage can my little brother do in half a day?” he chuckled. “Actually, don’t answer that,” he said, giving her a rueful look.
She smiled at him. “Alright, if you’re sure. Lunch would be lovely.”
They found a busy-looking cafe in the pretty town centre square and sat by the window.
“So,” he began, after they’d placed their orders, “he said you need to gather evidence?”
“Yes…Mr Baxter said I would need some kind of proof, witness statements and things, to back up the allegations I’m making. To prove a divorce is justified.”
“And can you get them, do you think?” he asked, fiddling with the salt cellar.
“Well, I can ask Dorothy. She can back up my statement about his behaviour, the extent of it, how long it went on for. She also…saw some of the bruises.” Her voice was quiet now.
Siegfried winced at her words.
“And there’s a pub, the Golden Lion,” she continued. “It was John's local. A couple of times I went in there looking for him when he hadn’t come home. The landlord saw him push me around a few times. He actually intervened once, and told him to leave me be.”
“Oh Audrey”. He reached across the table and took her hand. She saw the concern in his eyes.
“I’m sorry…” she said, looking down at the tablecloth.
“No, no, it’s alright.” His fingers linked with hers and his thumb gently caressed the back of her hand. She felt warmth spreading through her whole body at his touch.
“Not all men are like you, Mr Farnon,” she said, almost a whisper.
He blushed and turned to look out of the window, then seemed to gather himself, letting go of her hand and taking a deep breath. “Well…what’s next?”
“The solicitor is going to write to Dorothy and the pub landlord, to get statements. I’ll write to Dorothy too of course.”
She paused as their meals arrived.
“He’s going to formally write to John too. The best case is that he doesn’t contest the divorce - if he agrees to it the courts will be far more likely to approve it quickly.”
“And do you think he will?” he asked, cutting into his baked potato.
“That I don’t know. Maybe he’s a changed man and regrets…things. I don’t know,” she sighed.
“Well, Mr Baxter will do his best I’m sure,” he said with a reassuring smile.
As they left the cafe Siegfried offered his arm. Audrey placed her hand in the crook of his elbow and they headed for the car. She couldn’t help feeling the world looked different today; life seemed to have opened up and was full of possibility.
At the car Siegfried stepped in front to open the door for her, but she hesitated. Turning to face him, she spoke quietly. “I hope you know how much this means to me, that you’re making this possible, Mr…,” she paused, “Siegfried.” She grasped his forearms with each hand and leaned up, placing a kiss on his cheek. She felt the wiry hair of his moustache brush her lips for a moment before dropping back down and stepping back slightly. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
He just gazed at her for a long moment, and she thought maybe, maybe he was going to kiss her back. She tried to read his eyes and could have sworn she saw desire, and fear, in their depths. She felt her heart thudding as she saw him staring at her lips.
The moment was interrupted by a car horn beeping loudly in the street behind them. The spell broken, Siegfried resorted to his usual bluster. “Right, let’s get you back then,” he said briskly, marching round to his side of the car.