Chapter Text
With her spirits at their lowest and a headache pounding behind her forehead, Audrey Hall was sitting in the narrow sitting room she shared with her son, his wife and their four-month old daughter Mary. Some months ago they had moved into the boarding house and although they had settled in, she sometimes wished for more space to breathe. It was November now which meant she spent most of her time on the inside of the house, since there was no garden to use or to tend to. In a city like Sunderland the long winter months were the darkest time of year only lay ahead of them.
In her mind she already tried to wonder where and how they would put a small Christmas tree, but they would have to move some of the furniture and she had an inkling that their landlord wasn't too fond of the idea. He was a good man, but he hated being bothered and wasn't fond of suggestions. When Audrey had gently tried to improve the kitchen situation by bringing some more structure to the cupboards or the pantry. More than once he had informed her that she wasn't in charge of the house. Afraid they could lose their newly found accommodation that was conveniently close to Edward's workplace she had naturally yielded and allowed the chaos in the kitchen to continue.
As she was looking outside the window now, she felt a real sense of dread and helplessness. The fog that had claimed the town a couple of days ago just wouldn't leave and the looming darkness of these fall days got to her. She felt drained and lost. There was no cup of tea that could warm her up, no fire allowed her her to feel comfortable, and there was no song played on the old wireless that could make her heart swing.
Near the old oven her dear sprinter spaniel Dash was sleeping. He hadn't moved for hours now and every time she looked at her beloved pet, she felt her chest tightening with fear for him.
A couple of days ago Dash had suddenly stopped eating and refused to go out. On the rare occasions when she took him outside for a walk, he only followed along until he had finished his business and then he turned around, insisting on going home where he practically collapsed on the steps at the front door.
On the second day Audrey had decided to see one of the local vets to see what was going on with him, but the man, young and chatty as he had been, couldn't find anything wrong with Dash. He suggested a change of diet and more water, but Dash wouldn't eat, and if he did he became violently sick a short time later.
The longer Audrey watched Dash suffering, the more desperate she became. She tried to remember all the things she had caught up with during her time in Darrowby. The many tales of sick dogs with similar symptoms like Clancy, the rough but albeit tender shepherd dog for example. Mr Farnon had given him different food, which had more or less done the trick for Clancy, but wouldn't work for her Dash.
For days now she had gently been touching the spaniel, trying to detect any lumps or to see if he was in pain, but she never found nothing unusual. And in the meantime her dog became thinner and thinner and more listless. Out of her wits, Audrey consulted the newspaper to find an advertisement for another veterinarian practice, but deep down inside she knew she was wasting her time. What Dash needed, whom he needed, was Mr Farnon. Mr Farnon who had taken Dash in just like he had taken her in… He would know what to do. He always did when it came to animals and he knew Dash.
More and more often she wondered how her former boss was getting on. Helen barely mentioned him in her letters and left questions Audrey asked about him unanswered. Mr Farnon himself barely wrote to her. There had been a Christmas Card last year and an odd birthday card this spring. His hand writing had even been worse than usual, but the scent of his cologne had been there, reminding her of old times. The smell and his handwriting had strangely caused her to feel homesick for him, but her heartfelt reply had never been answered by him, and so their contact had broken off again. He, who had been such a vital and big part of her life, had simply vanished from it.
Mr Farnon never answered the phone when she called. Since she had moved to Sunderland she had called Skeldale House a couple of times, but her old employer never seemed to be home. Every call was met with silence or the one time he had actually answered the phone he had been so busy with something else that their conversation had only lasted a minute before he had hung up, of course not without wishing her "The very best, Mrs Hall."
Another time James had taken her call, but Mr Farnon had been out, visiting a farm - only that she was quite sure to have overheard his barking voice somewhere in the background. His rejection of her was painful, since she missed him and not only because she was in need of a vet to treat her sick dog.
She missed Siegfried Farnon in all of his boisterous, egocentric glory. There had never been a dull moment with him. As exasperated he could leave her with his behaviour as much he had made her laugh and she really needed a laugh right now.
With her fingers cramped around her mug, she looked over her shoulder into the misty afternoon and decided it was time to light a candle. Then she rose and went over to Dash who was lying on his side. The spaniel was awake and gently licked her hand, before he yelped.
"Oh poppet," she whispered. "You're really not well, are you?" As if he wanted to confirm her inkling, the dog closed his eyes and with him looking so very poor that it was tearing at her heart's strings, she made a decision.
Mr Farnon may not answer her calls, but a cable could probably get his attention. It would probably bring back bad memories of anxious times, but maybe that was it needed for her to get through to him.
~~~~~A&S~~~~~
Audrey's telegram reached Siegfried in the early hours of the next morning. In a haze of whisky and the smell of burned wood he woke up on the sofa in living room. In the armchair across he spotted the figure of a woman, covered with a blanket. Her shoes were lying near the fireplace and apparently Jess had been chewing on one of them. The golden retriever was lying nearby and he felt her accusing eyes on him. She wasn't pleased, probably needed to go out. Once again he looked at the strange woman whose heavy perfume hang in the air and added to his headache. He somehow remembered that he had met her at a dance during the night before, although her name slipped his mind at the moment. Her dark hair was astray and the lipstick smeared over her from sleep distorted mouth. Was she drooling in her sleep? Apparently so.
The insistent ringing of the doorbell reminded him to get up and he felt a wave of nausea hitting him as he stood up. Jess barked but he shooed her and she left the room, complaining with a groan. His whole body ached and he was sweating like a pig, most likely from the excessive amount of alcohol he had consumed the night before.
"Coming!" He barked as he tumbled into the hallway on socked feet and tore the door open.
"Telegram for Mr Farnon," the boy in the uniform that seemed way too big for him, said and pushed the small envelope straight into Siegfried's face.
"Thank you," Siegfried mumbled but the boy was already gone. He brushed back an annoying curl that had fallen into his forehead and thought even that little gesture was adding to his headache. Without even looking for a paper knife, Siegfried opened the suspicious looking message with his index finger. His sight was still blurry though and he rubbed his eyes. Eventually he found his glasses in a used mug in the exam room and after blinking several times the letters finally began to materialise.
"DASH ILL STOP NEED YOUR HELP STOP CANT TRANSPORT HIM STOP YOUR MRS HALL STOP"
For a moment his mind went completely blank and without another forewarning he felt the bile rising in his throat. He made it to the sink just in time before he became sick and his body proceeded with the necessary detoxing.
His overnight visitor finally woke up from his excessive vomiting and peeked into the room, disgust and confusion being the two battling emotions that were expressed on her tired face. Using both hands to splash cold water over his features, he frowned upon the pain it caused.
"Are you alright?" She asked as she tried to pull her dress back into place.
The question itself was beyond stupid and annoyed him as he looked up to her. Her complexion was grey and he realised that in this dark morning light she looked nothing like he had imagined the night before. Her eyes weren't this mysterious mix of blue and grey and her dark hair wasn't so dark after all. He couldn't even remember how they had gotten back to Skeldale or if he had shagged her or not. If he had, it hadn't probably been not one of his finest hours - at least she didn't look as if she was enjoying the situation.
She answered his question by pulling the keys for the Rover out of the small handbag she was carrying. "Care to drive me home?"
"Of course," he said, grabbing for a towel to wipe his wet face. Somewhere on his messed up desk there had to be one of Mrs Hall's letters with her address in Sunderland.
"Do you have coffee in the house?" She asked, interrupting his thoughts. She was rubbing her temple and he was sure her next question would be if he had an aspirin somewhere.
He had. Somewhere in his kitchen. He was sure of it.
"The bathroom is upstairs. The only door on the left side," he explained, hoping she would grant him a couple of minutes for himself. He needed to think, but he couldn't do that with her eyes glaring at him. "I'll make some coffee for us… do you happen to know when I can catch the next train to Sunderland?"
The look she gave him was scathing. "Do I look like a timetable to you?"
~~~~~A&S~~~~~
With Jess in the back of the Rover and his last night acquaintance in the passenger's seat Siegfried pushed the engine as hard as possible. He had a train to reach after all. She, who had bluntly told him over the rim of her coffee cup that she wouldn't give him her name if he paid her for it, stayed silent and didn't say goodbye when he dropped her at her house. It was a misty November day that perfectly mirrored Siegfried's own circumstances and he hated how the weather seemed to mock him. His next stop would be Heston Grange, because he would have to ask James to look after Jess for a day or two.
"Urgent business. I'll be gone for a day or so. The rats need some water and food, too, if you would be so kind…"
"A day or so?" James asked in disbelief as Jess sniffed around his legs. "What do you mean? What about your appointments? What about Jenkins horse?"
Siegfried ignored every question, although he knew he was behaving like a cad. But Audrey Hall had asked for his help and that was the only thing he could think of. "There's a problem I need to fix," Siegfried said. "I'll be in touch." The last promise was a blatant lie as they both knew. A couple of seconds later Siegfried was gone again and James looked at the sandy-coloured retriever and patted her. "You look like someone who's hungry," he said and Jess barked in agreement. "Come on then, old girl. Let's get you inside."
~~~~~A&S~~~~~
The trip to Sunderland was a nuisance. He made it in time to station in Keighley but as soon as he noticed he had to change trains twice before he would reached his destination he groaned in exasperation and annoyance. Realising he should have taken a newspaper or something else to read to make the time pass quicker, he pushed his medical bag into the net and dropped into the seat underneath. The train was crammed with people and he did his very best to ignore the family with the crying baby that joined him in the compartment. The parents, a daughter of probably five, and a screaming infant that added to his simmering headache.
The hamper the woman unpacked reminded him of the ones Mrs Hall used to prepare for him and for a moment he doubted the journey was a good idea. How would it be? Seeing her again after almost two years of no contact?
Well aware that she she had only reached out to him because her dog was ill, he told himself that this was going to be a business transaction, like one of his farm calls, really. She needed a vet and he happened to be the best, so she called on him. There was no big deal about it.
As he watched the father of the crying child he thought of Audrey Hall and he granddaughter who was now a couple of months old. He knew she had sent Helen a photograph of the little one, taken on the day of her christening. Helen hadn't offered to show it and he hadn't asked to see it. He knew better than dwelling on the things he couldn't change.
The path he and Audrey Hall had shared for so long had parted after her son had been in need of her help. She lived her own life now with her family, and he had to live his own. Without a doubt she was doing better than he was, but that wasn't the point, was it?
"For heaven's sake, man, stop rocking the child like this!" He shouted at the overwhelmed father. "Be more gentle and less stiff! It's not a stone you want to throw, is it?!"
The father and the mother both stared at him as if he were mad, but the girl on her mother's lap giggled. After almost a minute of more wailing from the child and silence from the parents, the father eventually followed Siegfried's order and the noises coming from the new born subsided. Soon both, the baby and Siegfried, had fallen asleep.
~~~~~A&S~~~~~
Audrey Hall was sitting with Dash on the bench near the window while the day outside came to an end. A couple of days ago Edward, Betty, and Mary had gone to visit Mary's parents and would stay with them for the rest of the week. After many months without a break Edward had taken a couple of days off and now Audrey was all alone with a shaking dog snuggled up against her. She couldn't say whether he was frightened, in pain, or both, and it not knowing what it was that bothered her little companion was the worst of the situation.
She sat by his side stroking his silky fur and was glad for every regular heartbeat or breath she detected. All day long she had been waiting for a message from Mr Farnon and her agony had grown with every passing hour. What if her telegram hadn't reached him? What if he ignored it on purpose? FRom experience she knew with him everything was possible and the idea that he couldn't even open it as soon as he registered where it came from, pained her. Not just because Dash needed him; as hard as it was to admit she needed him, too.
Next to her Dash yelped and she tightened her grip, realising she was adding to his discomfort. Then the doorbell rang and she heard an impatient knock. Most likely it was her neighbour, the nosy widow from next door who wanted a natter or her landlord who wanted to complain about something. Well, she wasn't in the mood for any kind of visitor.
With a woollen shawl wrapped around her shoulders, Audrey went into the draughty hall and opened the door. Expecting to find an annoying old woman a fitting greeting was tumbling from her lips, before she even spotted her visitor. "I've got to warn you I'm…" Then his brown eyes found hers. Brown eyes she would recognise anywhere and any time. She even stopped breathing for a second. "Mr Farnon…" There he was in his tweed and coat, his fedora on the head. Dashing as always. She instantly spotted small signs of weariness on his face, and wondered if he ate regularly and healthy enough. It wasn't her job to care for him any longer, but she instantly found herself worrying about him.
"Mrs Hall."
"Come in!" Realising it was drizzling outside, she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. He almost bumped into her and she held her breath when his face levelled with hers. His sudden nearness, longed for and yet so unexpected, was almost too much for her to bear. Even after all these time he was still a force of nature that got to her.
"I'm so glad you're here…"
"I hope I'm not disturbing…"
Realising they were talking unisono,both paused for a brief second and then made another attempt to start a conversation.
"I'm glad…"
"I hope…"
Her chuckle was nervous, his reaction earnest. "Please, do come in." She was still holding his arm and only now noticed his medical bag dangling next to his leg. "I came as quickly as I could," he said, referring to his bag and Dash. "Where is he?"
"He's in the sitting room," she mumbled coyly and led the way into her humble refuge.
~~~~~A&S~~~~~
Siegfried found the room to be pleasantly warm, which was a relief after the agony of the cold train trip and his experience with the tram. The latter had absolutely horrified him. In this alien, moving vehicle he had felt like an out-fashioned old sod who had never left his backwater town. Thankfully the directions he had been given by the conductor had been correct and so he hadn't got lost on his way to the boarding house where Mrs Hall and her family had found a place to live.
Everything was narrow and the furniture felt as if they were too big for the small room, and the hallway had smelt damp. Still, she had made this place a home, just like she had turned his own house into a home many years ago. She had this marvellous energy to create something out of nothing and he still found himself in awe of her endless abilities to produce beauty where there was none.
He also noticed the little changes in her appearance. Her formerly rather severe hairdo had changed. She now wore her hair more openly, only secured by some hair pins and her dark curls fell now freely over her shoulders. The blouse and the cardigan looked fresh and he wondered if she had sewn the clothes herself. The dark blue skirt underlined her graceful legs, a thought he didn't want to dwell on for too long, because it was distracting him. Seeing her shouldn't affect him as much as it did, but he found her more beautiful than ever, and her sight send shivers over his spine.
"You must be frozen," she said as she took the coat from him and ran her hand over the wet fabric. "I'll fetch you a brew."
"No fuss," he said quickly and asked where Dash was. He wanted to concentrate on the dog now. Dash needed help. This was a business call after all, not a social gathering.
The spaniel was lying on a bench by the table and when he spotted the weary bundle, he instantly understood Audrey's worry for the little beggar. He was truly only a shadow of himself. As he looked around to find a spot where to put him to start a proper examination, Audrey instantly suggested the table and quickly removed the small candle holder, her own mug and the book she had placed on it.
Siegfried also put away the neatly ironed table cloth and placed the little dog in the middle of the top. "Can you switch on the light?" He was referring to the lamp hanging over the dining table and she did as asked and quickly vanished down the hallway where the kitchen they shared with the other residents was located. With shaking hands she put the kettle on. As she filled a small tray with cups and plates, she was silently willing the water to boil, but ages seemed to pass until the awaited whistling finally sounded across the walls and she could pour the water over the leaves.
When she returned to the sitting room Siegfried had put on his spectacles and gently ran his hands over Dash's body.
"He hasn't been eating properly for six days now," she said as she planted the tray on the half empty shelf at the wall. "He refuses to go out and is always exhausted when we get back."
"Is he drinking?"
"Yes, but often it comes out again."
Dash who was unwilling to lie down much longer sat up and looked listlessly up to Siegfried.
"We've seen another vet," Audrey added in a low voice. "He suggested a change of diet, but he's been eating even less since then."
Siegfried took the news about her consulting another veterinarian without further comment. Instead he went on about his work and checked Dash's temperature and his ears. "He's got fever," he reported as he checked the thermometer.
"Give me something of his normal food, will you?" She rushed out and when she returned she presented him with a handful of the dry food she used to give him. "Not even adding a potato or an egg does the trick," she reported while Siegfried tried to lure him with the feed. Without showing any interest in the offer, the spaniel turned his head away.
"Could it be….cancer?" She finally voiced her biggest fear.
"It is possible…" He answered unmoved and she swallowed hard.
"But I think…," he continued and opened Dash's mouth to have a good look at his set of teeth. "Ha!"
"What is it?" She asked, alarmed.
"I think we have the culprit right here," Siegfried said, staring down Dash's mouth. "Come over," he said and Audrey stepped next to him. "Can you smell that?" He asked, encouraging her to take a sniff from Dash's mouth.
"Blimey!" She exclaimed, taking a step back. The stench was disgusting to say the least and she had to swallow hard because she feared she could get sick any moment.
"It's one of his teeth. It's basically rotting in his mouth. I assume the bacteria has reached the blood stream, which is causing first signs of poisoning."
Aghast, she stared at him. "But what does it mean…?"
"It means we should remove the tooth as quiclkly as possible and give him antibiotics to fight the infection. With any luck he'll be fine soon."
Unable to feel relief because the shock was too big, she just nodded. "Can you do it here?" She wondered, wondering if the sitting room could suffice as a replacement for the examination room in the practice.
"Yes, but I need you to heat some water to sterilize my instruments. I also need fresh towels or linen, whatever you can spare." He rummaged through his medical bag and found he had no brown or white coat with him but only a set of fresh underwear and his tooth brush. He was always behind with the laundry and in the morning he had spent five minutes under the cold shower, before he had shoved his overnight visitor into his car. His equipment looked accordingly and he wished he would feel more prepared for the task ahead. He hadn't eaten anything substantial all day, and although his nap during the trip had helped him to restore him physically, his hangover wasn't entirely gone.
"And an apron if you have," he added.
"I'll be back in five," she promised and pointed to the shelf with the tray. "Be my guest," she said and he felt he had never been more grateful for a pot of steaming hot tea in his life.
~~~~~TBC~~~~~