Housekeepers & Butler/Vet

Audrey meets Tristan.

She hesitated only a moment before claiming the space he’d offered and hugging her son for the first time since he was a week old. The baby she’d once held in the crook of a single arm filled both her arms now. He’d become a young man without her, and while she nearly cracked beneath the weight of all she’d lost, other broken parts of her seemed to knit together with his embrace.

Summary:

In 1913, Siegfried Farnon, a boarder at Scarborough College, meets Audrey Adamson, the groundskeeper’s daughter. Young love blooms.

Everyone is sitting around the breakfast table, Mrs. Hall hovering near the stove.  She brings the rack of toast to the table.  Helen looks up, trying to make eye contact, "Everything alright, Audrey?" "Of course," Audrey retreats back to the stove. "You've been very quiet," Helen continues. "Didn't sleep well," she gives the pan before her a quick stir.  "I'll be fine tomorrow." Tristan leans across the table, snagging the last piece of toast. "Looking forward to the Daffodil Ball, big brother?". He grins as he leathers butter on his toast.  "A chance to show the delectable Dorothy your dance prowess." Siegfried glares at him, "I won't be attending." Audrey has moved to the sink. She spins and stares at him.  Siegfried clears his throat, "Dorothy and I are no more."  He states this a little louder than he should but he doesn't want to repeat himself.  Audrey makes eye contact with him. He subtly nods.  She turns back to the sink, a small smile on her lips. "What happened?" Tristan laughs, "did you correct her grammer, curse her dangling participles?" Then seeing the look on his brothers face, his grin disappears.  He reaches over and pats his brother's shoulder. "tough break, Siegfried", he says, " I thought you'd finally snagged a good one, maybe the next one won't get away." Siegfried shurks his brother's hand away, "what makes you think she was the one to end it?" Tristan's eyebrows shoot up, as do all the adults at the table. "Sometimes you just know," Siegfried states softly, hoping Audrey hears. "You just know when something is right and when its not." He pauses before continuing. "it was kinder to end it now."  Audrey stands with her hands in the sink.  She begins to tremble. "The right one is worth waiting for," he continues.  Almost under his breath, "I'm going to wait for the right one." Audrey dries just hands and quickly moves to the hall, "I have laundry to collect," she says to no one in particular as she flees the room.

He is heading up, as she is coming down the stairs with a bundle of laundry in her arms.  They meet half way. "Is she alright?" Audrey searches his eyes. Siegfried nods, "we both knew it wasn't right." He steps up to join her. "It could never work." Audrey steps down to the step below him and nods, "best to end it now, then."  She continues down the stairs willing her shaking legs to carry her away.

Audrey sits on the end of her bed, Rosie in her lap.  She is combing through the child's damp hair.  She smells of lavender bath salts.  Audrey smiles over at Jimmy, tucked into her bed, pillow under his head, starring at the ceiling, picturing the words read to him by his Uncle in the chair nearby. Swashbuckling stories are his favorite, and Uncle Siegfried's reading is especially dramatic. Audrey finishes the two braids she's made in Rosie's hair.  The toddler is nearly asleep.  She gently lifts her and places her next to her brother. Both heads resting on the same pillow.  Siegfried finishes the chapter and quietly closes the book. Rosie sleepily says, " I dance", as Audrey brushes a kiss on  her foreheads. "I know you do, and someday you'll dance at the Daffodil ball" she returns Rosie's smile, "until your feet are sore, just like mum and dad." Rosie whispers, "Aunty Audrey, do you dance?" "Oh, I can't remember the last time I danced." Audrey shakes her head, "I would probably be the one making my partner's feet sore," she grins. "But Uncle Siegfried is wonderful, I hear." Siegfried smiles sheepishly, "but tonight I'd much rather be here." He makes eye contact with Audrey,"with my three favorite people." He leans down and kisses two little foreheads. "Now, we'll be right down stairs, if you need us." The grown ups move to the door as the children's eyes close and their breathing settles.

They each sit in their arm chairs with a book in their hands.  The phonograph plays as their stocking toes touch on the shared ottoman. Audrey has read the same three lines over and over again. She drops her book into her lap and leans back.  Absent mindedly her hand reaches out until it comes to rest on the arm of Siegfried's chair. The back of his hand turns and their fingers intertwine.  They sit in silence for a long time. Slowly Siegfried releases her fingers and rises.  He move to the phonograph and places a new disk. Audrey watches him move around the room. He stands before her and bows slightly, holding out a hand to her. Her feet hit the floors he takes each hand into his and helps her stand. One arm wraps around her waist, the other hand remains in hers, as she places her free hand on his shoulder.  Their feet move to the slow waltz. Audrey surprises that her feet have not once stepped on his. She leans her head on his shoulder, as he releases her other hand, which naturally wraps around his neck.  Both his hands now rest at her waist. "This is..." he begins. She hushes him by placing a finger on his lips. "No words, just actions," she leans into him as they continue swaying to the music.

Siegfried lights his pipe as he sits back in his office chair. Audrey steps into the doorway smiling,  shuffling footsteps above their heads. "Now that my bed is unoccupied, I think I'll turn in." He smiles as he removes the pipe from his lips and stands. "Tristan is still out," he steps towards Audrey. "I think I may wait up awhile." Audrey leans towards him nodding, "thank you for the dance." She lifts onto her toes and places a soft kiss to his lips. He reminds himself not to be needy, so his hands remain at his sides.  He smiles, "anytime," then nods, "sleep well." She turns and slowly climbs the stairs.

I just made the most INSANE discovery… The music playing on the radio in S6E4 in the sewing scene is the SAME music playing in S6E7 with the soulmate speech 🥹 I put bits of the scenes together and amplified the music so all of you can hear. I am wondering if they play this tune in some other scenes as well.. Keep an ear open during your rewatches 😃

It has to mean something, right??

Does anyone know what the song is called? 🤔

I was trying to be chill about it, but it happened. I've decided to restrict replies, because I'm finding the instinct some people have to crush the ship joy really frustrating. I know some of you are anxious about the CS, but it's a real downer for those who are trying to enjoy the show when you land on their posts and try to explain all the reasons it's not going to happen.

This is shipping. WE KNOW THE RISKS. We've all been disappointed before, and we've all come back for more. (The high hopes and the deep despair.) We're trying to enjoy the ship anyway, and delight in what we are being given. So, please, I'm going to kindly ask you not to engage with me if you are going to be negative about the following things:

The writers of the show.

The speed of this slow burn.

The way the showrunners are teasing us. (Literally their job.)

The way the characters are being characterized. (I like that they're working through a million obstacles in all sorts of ways.)

I am really a fan of speculation and character analysis and tearing a trailer to shreds for clues, but I can't do that when everything I post comes back to: "Don't get your hopes up. The writers will probably screw it up at Christmas. It's not happening. Just accept it."

I have always enjoyed James Herriot’s stories based on the writer’s actual life as a vet in Yorkshire Dales. They are funny, with farm-animal drama, and quirky observations about small-town life.

The latest books-to-screen adaptation is a worthy watch just for its stunning pan shots of the Dales, Surely, there is no other countryside as gorgeous. Season 1 starts with a young Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) finding a position as a vet in Siegfried Farnon’s firm (an utterly delightful, scene-stealing Samuel West). The young vet works hard to gain acceptance in the local community, where he is initially seen as little more than a wet behind the ears rookie from the city.

He is joined by Siegfried’s younger brother, Tristan (played by Callum Woodhouse, who you might remember from Durrell’s in Corfu) another vet-in-making who, while loved locally, is constantly struggling under his brother’s exacting and demanding gaze. Mrs. Hall, played wonderfully by Anna Madeley, is the housekeeper who runs this bachelor pad.

It really is an ensemble show, and ACAS successfully gives each of these characters’ distinct personality and life stories. Each episode deals with a couple of distinct veterinary cases, glimpses of the farming life in the Dales and the goings about in the eccentric Farnon household.

The show is set in the 1930s, so the memory of the first war is still large, and another one looms on the horizon. But life in a little village in England goes on. The three bachelors even find some time for romance. Every episode is like a comforting cup of hot chocolate, making All Creatures Great and Small the perfect Christmas watch.