"What are you doing!?" James asked as he came up the stairs, only to be disgraced at the sight of Siegfried sticking his head in the door of Helen's wardrobe, fumbling through the clothes.

"Your room, what else?" Siegfried asked casually over his shoulder as he pulled out a lovely dress, covered top to bottom in a beautiful floral design. "Young Lucy is in the bath, I am simply offering her something to wear, I am certain Helen won't mind." He paused to look James right in the eye. "Can't have her running around in those mucky things can we?" He smiled halfheartedly and went to stroll past James to place the dress at the end of his bed for Lucy when she was done.

But James stopped him.

"Siegfried! That was the dress Helen wore on one of our first meetings." James said defensively as he stole the piece of clothing back, shoving it back into the wardrobe.

Siegfried huffed. "Really James! I would have thought I taught you better" He grumbled, almost disappointedly as he looked at James. "Now you know Helen to be one of the kindest, most accommodating people that I have ever met, I am certain she wouldn't mind." Siegfried lunged back forwards into the depths of the wardrobe much to James' dismay. He tried to wrestle the older man away before giving up entirely almost immediately, standing back, crossing his arms.

"How about this one James?" Siegfried pulled out another, slightly more plain dress, teal in colour. "I am sure Lucy would look ravishing in it, don't you think?"
Siegfried glanced expectantly at James and frowned for a second before giving a teasing smile. "Really James?" He laughed. "Are you about to tell me that this was the dress dear old Helen wore one week ago today on your very important case at quarter past five… No, was it six?" He mocked.

"Now Siegfried!" James began before Tristan finally emerged from his room, Jame's shoe in hand, a hand to his head.

"I think this is yours James." Tristan seethed as he pushed the shoe into James' chest.

James took it up in his hand rather violently before having to lean on the bannister to wedge it back onto his foot.

"What's that?" Siegfried asked.

"James' shoe." Tristan muttered. "Or rather his leather projectile." He rolled his eyes.

"Beg your pardon?" Siegfried glanced between the two men.

"Siegfried, he threw it at me!" Tristan exclaimed, sounding a bit like a toddler as his voice went up a note in panic.

Siegfried faltered for a moment before pointing an accusing finger at James "expect better from you James." He snapped before the ill ringing off the telephone sounded. "One of you. Please." Siegfried said as both James and Tristan raced downstairs like a couple of young boys in their family home.

"Lucy!" Siegfried called out as he rapped on the bathroom door. It startled the poor girl but she soon replied. "Yes!?"

"I've left some clothes out for you at the end of the bed!" Siegfried yelled.

"What!?" Lucy called back, it was a wonder that she'd failed to hear him the first time.

"I've left some-!.. Oh never mind you'll find them." Siegfried sighed tiredly before he wandered downstairs.

"Who was it?" Siegfried approached his younger brother as the blonde boy set the phone down.

"What?" Tristan asked.

"Oh my dear boy. The PHONE! Who was on the phone?" Siegfried exclaimed, frustrated.

"Oh! That was Mrs Hall, she said she was prolonging her visit to her cousin" Tristan said, almost fearfully. Siegfried never took his anger out on women, and so, it would be out on Tristan if the man was angry at all.

"Oh blast!" Siegfried muttered as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Something the matter?" James asked, popping his head out of the surgery door.

"It's Mrs Hall, she's not coming back tomorrow." Tristan informed as it still seemed that Siegfried was too busy processing everything to be able to speak.

"Oh." James said promptly before taking a pause. "What about Lucy?" He asked suddenly.

"Hm?" Siegfried only just took in James' presence.

James stepped completely out of the surgery and stood beside Siegfried and Tristan. "Oh well, I was thinking that perhaps Lucy could take up Mrs Hall's job while she's away. You know, give her a little so she can get her life started up again." James smiled.

"Excellent idea James!" Siegfried exclaimed with a smile. "Absolutely splendid- Ah! Lucy!" The man shouted, spotting the girl coming downstairs now.

There were a few reasons that Lucy disliked the idea of dresses so much. For one, they weren't very practical, though living in a house might've made getting around in a dress far easier than 'being in the wild' as most people seemed to put Lucy's situation.

Still, they were difficult to breathe in and all round, an inconvenience.

"Yes?" Lucy asked, reaching the men at the bottom of the stairs.

"I could do with a nice pot of tea, you could do that couldn't you?" Siegfried asked with a smile. "Yes! Marvellous! James, surgery!" Siegfried ordered with a point of his finger before he and Tristan wandered into the living room, leaving Lucy quite clueless, by the phone.

"Tea? Tea-" Lucy scoffed thoughtfully before taking her to what she believed was the kitchen, thankfully, she was right. "I can do that." She sighed before staring blankly at the counter. There was a kettle, tea, sugar and some milk in the fridge.

Lucy started with boiling the kettle… Oh, that was easy. Now did she… Lucy sprinkled the tea leaves into a small cup of water. "Oh-" Lucy sighed. "That's not right." She frowned.

"LUCY!"

The girl jumped at Siegfried's thundering voice.

"Just a moment!" Lucy called back.

"Everything alright?" James entered the kitchen, removing his gloves. He had come in after hearing all the commotion. "Oh Good Lord." James said, his voice filled with dread as he glanced down into Lucy's poor attempt of a cup of tea.

"What?" Lucy frowned.

"Everything going alright in there!?" Siegfried called.

"YES! Yes…" Lucy called before looking at James in panic. "What do I do?" She asked frantically as James went straight for the milk and sugar to try and salvage it. Well, it didn't look very salvaged. Oh well-

"LUCY!?" Siegfried called.

"Coming!" James called mistakenly before ushering Lucy in the general direction of the living room.

"Ah! Thank you Lucy!" Siegfried exclaimed as Lucy entered the room fearfully, the tea tray in her hands. Siegfried, who was very educated in the world of animals and humans alike. He could practically smell her fear.

"Are you quite alright?" Siegfried asked.

"Oh." Lucy said, realising that Siegfried would wonder why she hadn't put the tray down yet if she left it any longer and so, she nervously placed it down with a soft clink on the coffee table. "Yes" She replied promptly before stepping back, watching with uncomfortable anticipation.

Siegfried lowered his paper, seeing Tristan had already reached for a cup of tea. Siegfried however, hesitated. "Well Lucy… Perhaps it could do with a little bit of work." He shot her a smile.

Meanwhile Tristan had practically finished the entire cup!

"Very pleasant cup of tea Lucy!" Tristan grinned as he got to his feet, heading right for the door, almost getting smacked across the face by it as it swung open again. Tristan's smile widened. "Oh hello Helen!" He beamed.

Helen laughed "Hello Tristan, Siegfried" She said before catching sight of Lucy standing in the corner of the room. One of the first things Helen noticed about the young girl was that she was wearing her dress! "Who is this?" She asked just as James came walking up behind Helen to give her a peck on the cheek.

"Lucy… Helen this is Lucy" James said. "Lucy, my wife Helen." He announced.

Helen held her hand out for Lucy to shake, which the young girl did hesitantly. "Pleased to meet you." Helen said tightly as she kept her eyes fixed on Lucy's dress… which was in fact hers. James spotted this. Though Siegfried seemed to have gotten to it first.

"Yes, well, I took it upon myself to take the poor girl in last night." Siegfried announced. James looked stunned by that comment. It was very bold of Siegfried to say. "We have decided that she can stay temporarily, she may take up Mrs Hall's job while the woman is away visiting her cousin." He said.

Helen frowned and brought her brows together. "I thought she was returning tomorrow?"
"She prolonged her visit" Tristan announced as he reached over the table, picking up Siegfried's tea cup and quite happily drinking the concoction Lucy had stirred up inside much to his elder brother's disgust.

"Oh." Helen took a seat, she patted the space on the sofa beside her to let Lucy sit down, which the young girl did. "And you all agreed to this, yes?" She asked.

"Yes!" James grinned. "All agreed.

The phone rang again, this time Siegfried seemed quick to his feet to answer it, must've been one that he had been expecting. Something important.

"Oh! I'll get it, Siegfried?" James offered as he stood, but the older man was already halfway out the door by the time James had stood.

"No you won't!" Siegfried answered quickly, dashing out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

James sat down again.

Helen thought that with Siegfried being busy at the phone, it opened the opportunity for her to speak with Lucy a little more, perhaps get some more out of her. "Do you have anyone we can phone? Friends, family?" She asked softly.

James shook his head before Lucy had time to answer Helen. "No darling… I tried last night. Nothing." He sighed.

"Oh I'm very sorry to hear that" Helen frowned. "And, you've come all the way up from London? That's a long way, isn't it James?" She asked, looking over to her husband.

"Yes, yes, a very long way." James agreed.

"I hopped in a vehicle going out of London," Lucy shrugged. "I don't exactly ah- know where I ended up" She explained hastily.

"Oh well, welcome to Darrowby" Helen smiled.

"Thank you…" Lucy said gratefully.

"Will you be staying?" Helen asked curiously. "James, are there any spare rooms we could clear out for the young girl?" She asked.

"You'd have to ask Siegfried." James replied before letting out a laugh. "It wouldn't be like him to make her sleep on the couch now would it."

"Oh no no! Of course" Tristan waved a dismissive hand. "My brother is absolutely famous for his kind nature!" He joked just as the door swung open again. Stood in the doorframe was a rather frantic looking Siegfried as he slipped his coat on. "James- you're coming with me! Tristan, Surgery!"

"On it Siegfried" James stood and ran to get his coat, Tristan sighed and stood, slipping his white jacket back on over his jumper as he trudged along to the Surgery. It was packed.

"What is it?" Helen asked worriedly.

Siegfried quickly tracked back his steps so that he could see Helen as he was speaking to her. "Wild Dog attacks, already struck down Mr Marshall's cows now we really must be off!" And with that, the front door opened, then slammed again, both men had left.

"Don't worry." Helen said reassuringly, glancing quickly to Lucy "James is the best vet in the business" She smiled.