Right. So, in the last few days I’ve managed to binge watch all 5 seasons of The Doctor Blake Mysteries (thanks @lor-a-loo!), because I’ve been/still am stuck in bed with covid, and now I come to you, newbie fan calling upon the veterans - please help this girl out with a link to Family Portrait! I’m in the UK, and the only channel that has the show doesn’t have any episodes after 5.8, so I’m left without Lucien and Jean’s wedding! That simply won’t do.
I’ve been so sick, please help me with more murder and romance 🙏🏻 Via a simple “click to watch” link if possible because I’m seriously lacking brain power at the moment, I’m that poorly. Thank you!
Merry Christmas to my @blakesecretsanta2021, the amazing organiser of our wonderful event @doctoraliceharvey! She was extremely patient as I reacquainted myself with writing for this adorable pairing. I hope you had the most amazing and lovely Christmas day filled with family and friends and that you enjoy this story.
My prompt was ‘Matthew has a secret hobby and Alice finds out’
This was the perfect time of the year to be sitting out in the sunroom. Despite it being December, summer hadn’t quite set its sights on their little corner of the world, and so it wasn’t overwhelmingly hot. Instead, a gentle breeze danced around Matthew as the light of the day slowly faded away, being replaced by the moon’s shimmering light, which had been concealing itself behind a cloud. But it wasn’t the beginnings of the celestial patterns that had captured his attention; it was the rich yellows, oranges and reds that painted the landscape, their deep colours tainting the light of the sunroom. It was a good sign for the coming day his mother had once told him as a boy.
‘Red at night, shepherds delight. Red in the morning, shepherds warning.’
Which was a good thing considering that tomorrow was Christmas, and Jean had practically invited the entire station for the occasion, giving those without a place for the day somewhere to call home. Lucien was a little puppy dog when it came to his wife’s requests as he brought every whim of hers into fruition. As a result, the folding tables were already leaning up against the side of the house, waiting to be set up out in the garden and adorned with centre pieces and place settings. Additionally, the plates had been unwrapped from their bubble cocoon after being pulled out of the attic and were sitting out on the dining table.
He tore his eyes away from the beauty dancing across the horizon as his mind was consumed by thinking of another. Then, turning his sights back to her gift, he switched the large carving knife out for a smaller one to finish the more ornate and delicate patterns of the box. He preferred sitting out in the sunroom to do his carving; while the house knew about his hobby due to him gifting many pieces to its members, he didn’t like being watched. It was distracting, and that often meant that he injured himself or made a mistake on whatever he was working on. So, when he retreated into the sunroom, they tended to leave him in peace. Jean let him keep his tools with her gardening stuff, meaning that they were out of the weather but not taking up space in the house. This piece, however, was possibly the most detailed he had ever undertaken, and to complete it, he had pulled out his magnifying glasses. The number of times he had done this, he could count on one hand, but he had to get this one absolutely perfect. I was for her, after all.
A fresh breeze danced around him, gently caressing his skin, causing him to pause in his task as a memory he hadn’t thought about for a long time came flooding to the forefront of his mind.
‘You know, I think I understand this all a little better now. The big wedding. All of these people celebrating together.’
‘Well, how about we go outside and get some air.’
‘Oh God, yes.’
It was one of the first occasions that he had realised that he felt something more for her than simply friendship, or maybe it was when he stopped denying it to himself. He had fallen in love with her, not in that moment; it had started long before that he probably should have realised it when he came to her defence or that sparkle in the other’s eye when they met each other’s gaze. She looked lovely, and she was trying her best to understand this concept that brought her closest friends so much happiness but made no sense to her. And so, he offered her a reprieve, giving her a way out for a little while.
They had been taking their relationship slowly, so they didn’t stuff up one of the best things that had happened in their lives. However, now he was ready to make some significant steps to move into the next stage of their relationship, and hopefully, this gift would help in that effort. Returning to his work, Matthew resolved to give his full attention to the wood to finishing the final details so he could varnish it before heading to bed and wrap it before the festivities the following day.
That’s how she found him; focus etched into his features. As she rounded the doorframe, she went to call his name but stopped up short at the sight in front of her, her pace coming to an abrupt halt, almost spilling Jean’s famous lemonade from the full glasses she was carrying in each hand. He had pulled one of the small side tables closer to the wooden chair he had set up shop in, his tools splayed across the table with the small knives out of their compartments. Adjusting to the sight, she leaned against the door frame; a small smile graced her face. He looked a peace; actually, he looked pretty handsome if she admitted it to herself. Matthew had shed his work attire, instead replacing it with a cosy v neck black diamond check jumper and open collared shirt. The jumper was clearly a well-loved piece due to the fraying sleeve hems; it was hard to believe that she could make deductions like that from the most minor of things but hadn’t realised this hobby of his. It had completely thrown her.
Quite similar to the path she had taken in realising her feelings for him. They had just hit her from nowhere. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Admitting her blossoming feelings to not only herself but to Matthew as well had been a long struggle. However, once she finally came to terms with the concept, it hit her like a ton of bricks how deeply she cared for this man. She had fallen head over heels in love with him, and yes, they had decided to take it slow to respect the emotional baggage that they each carried, but in the back of her mind, it sat there that she was pretty sure this is what I felt like to be loved and be in love someone.
She didn’t know he was a woodcarver, but it made sense, the small scars that laced his hands from when the tool must have slipped, and he had the calloused hands of a woodworker. She’s surprised that she didn’t put it together sooner, having most of the clues in front of her. Observing him for much longer was out of the question; he was head of the police, after all, he had to notice the surveillance sooner or later.
He had felt her presence the moment she had stepped into the sunroom; he’d become quite attuned to it over the past year. But, nevertheless, he was grateful that she hadn’t spoken up and waited for him to acknowledge her as not to injure himself.
‘Are you planning on sitting down or spending the rest of the evening attached to that door frame?’ he asked as he placed the wood and tools to one side to accept the drink in her outstretched hand.
‘I didn’t want to disturb your work’, she asserted as she gestured towards the table, sitting down in the closest chair. ‘How long have you been carving wood?’
‘It was something that I picked up during the war after sitting in the trenches waiting for events that never happened. And so, I found something that occupied my time and kept my hands busy…’ he paused, unwilling to dwell on the horrors of his past for longer than truly needed or warranted, especially on Christmas Eve.
‘Despite it being such a traumatic time for everyone, it did teach me one of the most important lessons about art.’
Alice tilted her head in question, gently pressing him to continue without interrupting his flow, allowing him to move away from the trauma tucked away in the darkest corners of his mind.
‘That you have to be able to let go of all your art when it’s done… and for me, that meant destroying it.’ he finished to Alice’s gasp.
‘You have to remember we were in a war, and that meant we sometimes we need the wood for warmth or spikes. It allowed me to develop my skills without getting too attached to my work.’
‘Doesn’t mean it isn’t sad to hear.’ She replied, placing her drink on the nearest table before laying her hand on his dodgy knee.
‘It’s also why these days I only tend to carve for other people.’
Alice mind floated around the Blake house, attempting to figure out which pieces he had contributed when she finally landed in the waiting room.
‘You carved that wall piece? The one with the tree and the garden with the animals? That must have taken you months!’
‘Yeah, it did, but it was worth it to see the look on Lucien and Jean’s face when I gave it to them as their wedding present when they returned from their honeymoon. They loved it.’
‘What other things have you made?’
‘Well, you know all those Christmas presents being hidden at your place? The cooking spoons and chopping board for Jean and those mountain bookends for Lucien science journals?’
‘All you?’
‘My name is attached to the tags if you recall.’ He stated as a mischievous grin spread across his face
‘I know, but I thought that you had bought them in town. And Charlie’s pen holder?’
‘He was complaining that he could never find his pens, so I just solved the problem… and add a few pens because I think Bill has been stealing his instead of buying new ones when his run out of ink.’ He claimed, causing the pair to chuckle.
‘You are an incredible individual, Superintendent Matthew Lawson and I’m so lucky to have found you and this odd family.’ She began to lace her fingers with Matthew.
‘And I’m so grateful I found you, Doctor Alice Harvey, because you make the dark days brighter, and…’ he paused, uncertain if Alice was ready to hear this, but he had never been more certain of his feelings.
‘I love you.’ Alice’s face broke out into a grin in response, not exactly the expression he was expecting, but it was better than he could have ever imagined.
‘I love you too. That’s the best Christmas present that I could have ever asked for. To find a home.’
‘So, you don’t want your actual Christmas present tomorrow?’
‘Well, I certainly wouldn’t say no to it….’ She replied cheekily as Matthew reached over to the table where his latest project was resting.
‘I was just putting the finishing touches to it, and it needs a coat of varnish to seal it. But it’s yours, tomorrow.’ Handing it to her, his hands begin to fidget with nerves hoping that she’ll love it.
Delicately takes the small wooden box from him, carved into the sides was an ornate pattern of intersecting vines or stems with leaves. On the lid were a collection of tulips.
‘Red Tulips’, he whispered, assuming that she wouldn’t understand their meaning.
‘The symbol for declaring your love for someone.’ causing Matthew to raise his eyebrows in surprise.
‘I know a little about the meaning of flowers thanks to Jean.’ answering his silent question.
‘It’s a jewellery box, I know you don’t have that many pieces hence why it’s not as large as the commercial ones, but I know you needed something to store your things in.’ Matthew began to ramble in fear that she might not like it as much as he had initially hoped.
‘I love it, and I love you.’ She asserted, cutting off his frantic rambling, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
‘Open it.’
As she did, the dusky coloured light illuminated an engraving on the inside of the lid, one of her favourite quotes from Jane Austen
I was quiet, but I was not blind
‘Thank you’ she whispered.
‘Don’t thank me yet; it’s not quite done.’
‘Doesn’t mean that I can’t thank you for all the work you’ve already done and that you’ll do to finish it. This is one of the best Christmas gifts I’ve ever gotten.’
To show her appreciation Alice leaned over the arm of the chair and captured Matthew’s lips, and after a brief moment of blissful happiness and contentment, she pulled back, leaning her forehead against his.
