Apologies once more for the delay! Hope you're all enjoying the new series.

4 May 1932

"You're awful quiet."

Siegfried looked over to where Lily was sat in the chair opposite him in the morning room of Ashworth House, suddenly aware that his thoughts had been very far away, far removed from the woman sat in front of him. Her expression bore no rancour at having picked him up on his silence, but he felt guilty for it, and straightened up in his chair. "Am I? My apologies."

"You don't 'ave to apologise," she replied. "But I'd be a fool not to mention it. You've been like this the last two days, ever since I mentioned perhaps not going 'ome to Darrowby."

"Yes, I suppose so…" he mused, conscious that it was, indeed, a gross understatement. Her suggestion of them starting a new life somewhere else had been all he had been able to think about since she had first mooted it and he had barely slept as a result, nor been able to give her his full attention. It had been the last thing he had expected her to say, and his mind ran over and over it at every opportunity.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For mentioning it in the first place," she looked down at her hands. "I know it wasn't what you wanted to 'ear."

"No, I…I mean I…" he fought for the right words, wanting to placate her and yet also not wanting to lie. "No, I suppose it wasn't. Ever since we reconnected, taking you home is all I've thought about. It's been the future that has been in my mind; the joy of having you back in Darrowby and then, soon after, at Skeldale House as my wife. Your mobility improves every day and therefore there would seem no need for us to have to live elsewhere…" he trailed off. "But I'm sorry, if that's not what you want."

"Oh Siegfried…" she sighed heavily, shaking her head. "Sometimes, I don't know what I want. One minute I feel sure that being far away from Darrowby is what I need and then, other times, I feel as though I should go back to what I know. I swing from one to the other like a blooming pendulum."

He felt himself brighten slightly at her admission, at the possibility that he may be able to persuade her to come home as he wanted her to, and he sat forward in the chair. "There are so many wonderful things in Darrowby, my darling, and so many wonderful people."

"Like you?" the corners of her mouth turned up.

"Well, I couldn't possibly comment," he replied. "But as for you feeling as though people might talk about you…yes, they might, but that says more about them than you, and ever since we started our courtship, I've never considered you one to shy away from being herself."

"You mean, you think I were like that before?"

"Don't you?"

"I suppose," she nodded slowly, "Hiding away at Windy Hill, never thinking there was more for me out there than living with me father and never knowing love, not like I found with you." She held his gaze. "I just want to be 'appy."

"I want you to be happy too," he replied, rising from the chair and crossing towards her before crouching before her. "I want you to be deliriously happy and I will do whatever I can to make that happen." In Darrowby, he added silently to himself.

"You're a good man," she leaned forwards and cupped his face gently, her eyes roaming over him. "I 'ave missed you so. Being in your company these last few days has meant so much to me."

He took hold of her hand and kissed it, "And to me. How either of us ever considered that we'd be better off apart is beyond me."

"I…um…" her face flushed slightly, and her voice dropped. "I took the liberty of making an arrangement."

"What sort of arrangement?"

"I booked an 'otel."

He blinked, somewhat uncomprehendingly. "You booked what?"

"An 'otel."

"Why?"

"Why do you think?" she smiled mischievously. "So we could be together, of course."

He got to his feet and glanced around to ensure they were alone. "Together in what sense…exactly?"

"Come on now Siegfried," she looked up at him and laughed, "What sense do you think I'm talking about?"

His body jangled at the very idea. "You mean…?"

"Yes."

"But…how?"

"Well, I 'ad a little 'elp," she revealed. "Believe it or not, we're not the first couple to find ourselves in this situation, you know. Betty told me it's a fairly regular occurrence and the 'otel in question are very discreet…"

"Betty?"

"The nurse."

"Lily…"

"Oh, she won't say anything to anyone, of course she won't," Lily waved her hand dismissively. "She were very encouraging in fact." She smiled up at him. "Don't you want us to be together?"

"Of course I do but…taking opportunities at the farm, or in the cottage or even in my bedroom is one thing, but a hotel is very…public."

"I booked it under Mr and Mrs Farnon. I doubt anyone will be interested enough to ask for a marriage certificate." Her smile dropped slightly at his apparent hesitation. "If you don't want to, just say so and I can cancel it."

"I do…I do want to…" he crouched before her again, wondering how best to convey his feelings to her. "I just…you're still not completely well yet and I would be terrified of…of hurting you in any way."

"You couldn't, even if you tried."

"Lily…"

"Siegfried," she looked at him squarely. "The last few months have been 'ell for me, not knowing if I were up or down or whether there was any prospect of being able to lead a normal life again. Not knowing if we could be together or torn apart. We only have a few more days 'ere before you 'ave to go 'ome and I want to make them count. I want us to be something like what we were before. I want to touch you and feel you touch me. It doesn't 'ave to be rushed, we can take our time…" she reached out to him again. "I don't want you to leave me 'ere without us 'aving been able to be together properly."

His loins stirred at the very prospect, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. He wanted her as badly as he always had and the possibility of being alone with her, being intimate with her, was so tantalising. But he couldn't quite ignore the fear at the back of his mind and knew he would be no man at all if he didn't give voice to it. "If there's any pain, you must promise me that you'll order me to stop, insist, physically push me away, anything. Please promise me that, Lily. I don't want to be responsible for hurting you."

"I promise," she replied, stretching forwards to brush her lips against his. "But I know that I won't have to."

He let out a shuddering breath. "When is this assignation due to take place?"

She smiled at him again, "Right now."

XXXX

The hotel was well-appointed; fashionable without being ostentatious and not a place one would be ashamed to be seen. She could tell he was nervous as they made their way into the main reception, and she wasn't entirely sure if it was because of the deception or the fact that they were about to become one again. The man at the desk barely batted an eyelid when she gave their names, nor made any comment about the lack of luggage. He simply passed them the key and directed them as to where to go and, as they made their way along the corridor, she felt butterflies career around inside her stomach.

"Number six," she said, when they presented themselves at the door and she watched as he slid the key into the lock with trembling hands. Once inside, she could see that the room was basic but clean and there was an air of homeliness about it that appealed to her; from the paintings on the wall, to the cheerful bedspread, it was certainly a nicer environment than the clinical sterility of Ashworth House.

The window had been left open, the net curtain blowing slightly in the breeze, and she crossed the room towards it, glancing briefly at the view before pulling it tightly closed and then turning back around to face him, standing as he was just inside the door, his hat in his hands, looking nothing short of terrified.

"Siegfried…" she walked slowly back over to him, gratified that she had felt able to come without the need for her stick, despite the obvious limp in her gait. "You look as though you'd rather be anywhere but 'ere."

"Do I?" he replied, his voice slightly high pitched. "No, it's not that at all, I suppose I'm just…well it's all just a bit unexpected."

"'ow the tables 'ave turned," she laughed, reaching out to loosen the buttons on his jacket. "The first time we were together at Windy Hill, I were the one with all the fear and you were the one with all the confidence." She slid the jacket from his shoulders and tossed it somewhat recklessly onto the nearby chair before moving to his waistcoat. "You still 'ave the advantage on me in terms of experience."

"Yes, quite," he replied softly, offering no resistance as she continued to disrobe him down to the bare flesh of his chest and shuddering as she moved in closer to him, her lips finding his. His hands moved almost instinctively to her hair, deftly removing the pins she had inserted that morning and allowing her locks to fall down her back. "Just as beautiful as always," he murmured.

She stepped back from him and slowly began undoing the buttons of the blouse she had selected to wear that morning, her gaze never leaving his. He watched her as though transfixed, as though it was something he had never seen before until the last button had been slipped and the material fell to the floor. Next to go was the button on the back of her skirt, the garment sliding to the floor and puddling at her feet, leaving her in her brassiere and stockings. As she watched, she could see him almost become tightly coiled in front of her, his hands balled at his sides as though trying to restrain himself from acting in the normal, natural way that she wanted him to.

"Siegfried?" she said softly, and he blinked rapidly, as though bringing himself back from somewhere far away. She held out her hand and, after a moment's hesitation, he moved towards her, his hands sliding onto her waist, the heat from his hands causing her to gasp slightly.

"I haven't…I mean…"

"No," she reassured him softly. "It's just been so long, that's all." She would have been lying if she had said that she felt no discomfort, her back still slightly pained, a sensation she welcomed after weeks of feeling numb, but it was nothing compared to the joy of being close to him again, of smelling his skin and feeling it burn mere inches away from her own. Her fingers moved to the button on his trousers, slowly slipping it free and causing them to fall at his feet, as his own fingers slid between the cotton of her underwear and the flesh of her hips.

"Lily…" his voice was hoarse and, when he looked at her, she could see the trepidation in his eyes, aware that it wasn't because he didn't want her, but rather because he did. "Darling…I…"

She moved closer to him, kissing him gently and then more fiercely, feeling him begin to relax under her touch and kiss her back, becoming more forceful in his own right as his hands explored her. His fingers deftly unhooked her brassiere and pulled it from her, bending to encourage the flesh of her breasts into his mouth one after another, causing her to gasp again as pleasure long denied coursed through her.

In a sudden fluid movement, he scooped her up into his arms and moved to the bed, lowering her gently down onto it before sliding his body across her. Part of her had been slightly concerned that, with the limited experience she had, she might have forgotten what to do at this juncture, but the familiarity of him took over and she found herself pushing down his underpants, the true sense of his desire for her, pressing against her.

"Oh, my darling…" he breathed, moving down her body, across her throat and neck, down over each breast and then her stomach to the juncture of her thighs, dipping between them and wasting no time in finding her most delicate spot with his tongue.

His tongue!

She gasped and jerked slightly; the pain that momentarily shot through her being pushed away as she focused on the very pleasure of their being together. He hadn't done this before, hadn't used this weapon in his armour. Previously it had been his fingers that had brought her to the brink but now…now it was something more, something almost indecent, something she had never considered possible…

Just as she was convinced that she was poised to shatter, he removed himself from her, sliding up her body and gently moving her legs further apart so that he could slip inside her.

"Please tell me if I'm hurting you," he said somewhat breathlessly.

"You're not," she replied, "I swear you're not." Moments later he sank inside her, pushing deeply and then withdrawing before repeating the action, over and over in an intoxicated rhythm that she found herself joining. She could feel a slight protestation in her back, but she could live with it, could ignore it forever if it meant allowing them to be like this. The angle of his body against hers rubbed once more against that most treasured of spots and, as he moved faster inside her, she felt her breathing become more shallow and her body start to react with every delightful pleasure of climax. "Oh…Siegfried…" he continued to push inside her, and she heard herself cry out, over and over as the sensations coursed through her again and again, matched by his own joyful utterances as he too reached his peak. Hot breath, hands and bodies mingled together as they writhed and squirmed and arched against one another, neither wanting the feelings to subside and yet both well aware that they eventually would.

"Lily…oh my darling, sweet Lily…" he gasped, as he slowed inside her. "I have missed you so much…"

"As I've missed you," she breathed in reply. "More than you'll ever know."

"I believe I do know," he said, his voice muffled against her neck as he collapsed on top of her. "My wonderful Lily. There could never be anyone else for me but you, never." For the longest time she held him to her, as their bodies slowed, heartbeats rested and breathing returned to normal. Then he lifted his head and looked down at her, dropping a soft kiss on her lips. "It can be like this forever."

"Really? Forever?" she asked.

"Yes, my darling, forever and ever."

XXXX

The afternoon slowly slid into evening, and he found himself in a state of complete and utter bliss, lying with her in his arms, no fear of anyone interrupting them. Her body was still warm against his own and the only sound was the ticking of a clock in the corner and the strong beating of his heart in his chest. It had been wonderful. She had been wonderful. He wished they never had to leave the room.

"When are Ashworth House expecting you back?" he asked eventually, reluctant to hear the answer but well aware that obligations still existed out with their own bubble of pleasure.

"They're not, not tonight anyway." She turned her face upwards to his. "I'm yours for the entire night."

"What?" he felt slightly scandalised. "You mean that they take no issue with patients being out all night?"

"Only in exceptional circumstances. We're just around the corner, my mobility's good, they know where we are…oh I assume if we didn't return tomorrow, they might call out a search party but tonight…" she stretched to kiss him. "It can be just us."

"I should call Mrs Baxter."

"In bed with me and thinking about another woman? Siegfried Farnon, I'm offended."

"I'm hardly thinking about her in that context," he replied, "but she might be concerned if I don't return for supper."

"Well, if you must…" she slid away from him to the other side of the bed, and he found his eyes drinking in her naked form once again. "I only 'ope speaking to 'er doesn't put you off."

"Put me off what?"

"'aving another go," she grinned at him. "We'd best not waste the opportunity."

"You are quite wanton," he slid towards her and kissed her again, his fingers straying between her legs, causing her to shudder slightly under his touch. "I'm not sure you're quite ready yet."

"Make your telephone call and come back to find out," she replied breathlessly.

Somewhat reluctantly, he rose from the bed and retrieved his clothing, dressing as much as he felt was decently required under the circumstances before moving towards the door. "Don't go anywhere."

"Don't be long."

Smiling, he unlocked the door and let himself out into the corridor, being careful to pull it closed behind him. The last thing he wanted was anyone else thinking that the beautiful woman in room six was in any way available. His beautiful woman. His fiancée, His love. With a newfound spring in his step, he made his way back to the reception and placed a quick phone call to his landlady.

"You never said anything at breakfast time," she said, when he delicately advised her he would be staying elsewhere that evening. "It's highly irregular."

"My sincerest apologies. I mean no disrespect at all. I will be back tomorrow."

"Hummmph…most irregular."

Reluctant to get into any kind of debate with her, he wished her a cheery good evening and then replaced the receiver, almost running in his haste to get back to Lily. Opening the door, he immediately caught sight of her standing by the window, completely naked, gazing out through the net curtain. "Lily!" he exclaimed, causing her to jump. "Anyone could see you!"

"No, they couldn't," she laughed, stepping back. "Did you call your Mrs Baxter?"

"Yes, she was most aggrieved," he moved towards her again, pulling her into his arms and luxuriating at the feel of her against him. "I think I may be in for a stern talking to tomorrow."

"Oh dear…we'd best make the most of tonight then, hadn't we?"

It almost seemed like a pointless remark. What else could they possibly do except make the most of the night together? What else was there to do except delight in one another over and over again until he felt as though his body was but a shell. In the pitch darkness of the enveloping night, lying listening to her breathing softly in the bed beside him, he had never felt more peaceful, more content. This was how it would be every night of their lives together. Oh, he knew that passion would wax and wane, but the complete feeling of belonging that threatened to drown him was a powerful drug. Rolling over onto his side, he kissed her bare shoulder and slid his arm around her body. She stirred but didn't awaken and as he buried his face in the cloud of her hair, he knew that nothing in the world could ever come between them.

When he awoke the following morning, Lily was sitting at the bottom of the bed, not doing or saying anything, simply in thoughtful repose.

"Good morning," he greeted her, causing her to start suddenly and turn to look at him. "How are you?"

"Very well," she replied, slowly manoeuvring herself back up the bed towards him, her face pinching slightly as she did so.

"You're in pain."

"No, I'm not."

"Lily…"

"Maybe just a little, but it's better than feeling nothing at all."

"You should have said," he felt guilt creep inside him. "We didn't need to do...all that last night."

"Yes, we did," she pushed herself close to him again. "It were the most wonderful night. Perhaps we could do it again before you leave."

"Perhaps we should just wait," he chided her gently.

"Are you concerned in case people should talk?"

"No, I couldn't care less what people think. I just don't want you to overexert yourself and…well…there are other considerations, such as what we talked about before."

Her smile faded slightly. "You 'eard what the doctor said in York. Chances are, I can't 'ave children now. There 'ave to be some advantages to that, don't you think?"

"Yes," he brushed his lips against hers. "I do. I love you so much, Lily, more than I ever thought it possible to love someone. I wish I could marry you now, today."

She laughed and sat up again. "We'll be married soon enough and able to start our lives together."

"Yes," he mused, watching as she dressed herself. "Wherever that might be."