A Bordeaux Dynasty: A Novel (33 page)

“I went as fast as I could, but Aurélien gave me such a long list of things to buy. …”

Pauline, her eyes on the road, didn’t bother responding. Frédérique tried to keep the conversation going.

“I have to go back this afternoon. I still need one or two things. … And my dress won’t be ready until four. … Alterations, you know. …”

Pauline finally decided to pay her a bit of attention. She turned her way, just long enough to say, “It’s not easy buying clothes off the rack, is it?”

Frédérique ignored the jab and simply gave a smile of innocence. She was set on keeping her calm and triumphing over the entire family.

Pauline frowned and concentrated on the road.

“I’ll gladly give you the keys to this tank when we arrive. Even with the new tires it’s slippery, especially on the curves.”

Pauline had to slow down and they returned to Fonteyne late. Louis-Marie and Robert were waiting for them outside, along with the children. Jules and Alex came out to give them a hand with the bags, in a flurry of happy chaos. From his office, Aurélien couldn’t resist their cheerfulness, so he also stepped outside. The idea of this family Christmas started appealing to him, and his foul mood was evaporating. He went as far as gently taking Frédérique’s arm, an unusual move.

“I need to speak with you. Let’s go to your room for a minute.”

He’d uttered those words in an undertone, quite naturally, but silence suddenly fell around the car. Jules, who was holding a basket of oysters, was first to react by heading toward the stairs as though he hadn’t heard anything.

Aurélien didn’t even glance at his sons as he guided the young woman toward the castle. He had a sudden, wild, happy urge to make love before lunch. Frédérique realized as much as soon as they walked into her room. This timing was out of the ordinary for him but, after the hostility that was in the air, Frédérique liked it.

“Can I?” he simply asked, as he began to undress her. He never did that, either, as he usually slipped into her bed late at night when she was already under the covers.

He didn’t even bother shutting the drapes. He was sixty and he didn’t care. Sixty, yes—a bit more actually. But Frédérique still found him attractive. He took his time making love to her and she enjoyed being with him, without shutting her eyes, without thinking about Jules.

When they were done, she remained in bed, delighted. The sun had finally come out, its rays hitting frost in the windows, giving the warm room a strange luminosity.

Aurélien covered her body with a quilt and said, “We have to go downstairs for lunch, sweetheart.”

He was also lying still on the bed.

“They all know what we’ve done and they’re going to be obnoxious,” he said with a smile of delight.

They must think they’re the only ones with sexual impulses,
he thought,
and the only ones who can satisfy them
.

He thought of his sons in terms of rivalry, as usual. Frédérique put a hand on his shoulder.

“You’re in a good mood today.”

“You think?”

He smiled at her, got up, and began to get dressed.

“Don’t let them get to you,” he said. “Jules is intent on making life hard for you here. Same with his brothers, no doubt. You still like it at Fonteyne?”

She also got out of bed and went over to him, naked, gorgeous.

“I’m very comfortable here.”

He’d just put on his turtleneck and he watched her closely.

“Seems to me like something has changed. …”

He grabbed her by the shoulders and drew her to him. He kissed her hair and pressed his body against hers. When he felt her beginning to yield, he burst out laughing.

“No,” he said. “I’m not my sons’ age, you know. …”

She laughed along, genuinely happy to share the moment with him.

He softly pushed her away from him and said, “I’m losing out if I don’t keep you at bay. …”

But he wasn’t talking about the present moment, and both of them realized that.

Out of breath, Jules let go of the two-man saw for a moment. Louis-Marie and Robert had taken turns at the other end.

“We’re almost there,” Jules finally said. “Let’s go, Bob. One more shot!”

They continued sawing for a minute or two, and then Jules gestured at his brother to stop.

“If Aurélien knew that we’re doing this without using a rope …”

Robert rubbed his aching hands together.

“If you ask me,” he said, “I don’t think he’d care a whole lot today. Don’t you think?”

Jules smiled and said, “You’re right. She won’t kill him in bed, you know.”

“I’m not so sure,” Robert said.

“Well, in the meantime, get out of the way or that tree is going to fall on your head.”

Jules pushed against the trunk, and the tree toppled in a great whistling of branches exactly where Jules wanted it.

“It’s much too big,” Louis-Marie said. “We’re never going to be able to take it home.”

“Of course we will. We’re going to use the Jeep’s hoist.”

They did manage to get the tree all the way to the foot of the castle. Alex came to help them set it up in the main living room. Then they left it for Dominique to decorate, as the children were jumping up and down with joy. Jules headed for Aurélien’s office, but at the last moment decided to go to Frédérique’s instead. The small room, which had been Laurène’s, was still filled with cabinets and computers. Pensively, Jules looked around and wondered how Frédérique behaved when she was alone with Aurélien. Then he sat in front of one the computers, turned it on, and opened the management program. Frédérique obviously liked computers, as all the folders were updated and she’d modified some of the settings to make access to data easier.

Jules sighed and turned the computer off.

“You daydreaming?”

Aurélien, quietly entering the room, had put a hand on Jules’s shoulder. “I have a favor to ask,” he said.

Jules turned to his father and smiled, waiting for the rest.

“It’s going to be nighttime in two hours and Pauline is right, the roads are dangerous. …Would you drive Frédérique to Bordeaux? She has an errand or two to run there, but she’s afraid to drive in these conditions.”

Puzzled, Jules stared at his father.

“And she’ll be happy to spend some time with you,” Aurélien continued.

“As you wish,” Jules muttered as he stood up.

He had a hard time understanding why in God’s name his father was trying to push this time together on them, but he had no desire to ask. He flashed another smile and went looking for Frédérique, who was in the kitchen. Things were festive in the room, but the young woman seemed excluded from it all. As though they’d planned it beforehand, the other women weren’t even looking her way. Jules showed her to the garage and got the car out with obvious irritation. As soon as they hit the road, Jules opened his window.

“Are you nuts?” Frédérique said. “It’s freezing out!”

“When I need your comments …” Jules muttered.

The fact was that he was hot and tired.

Frédérique gestured angrily and asked, “Are you going to be obnoxious every time we’re together?”

“Yes. That way you won’t try to hang out with me. I would’ve been just fine without this little ride. Was it your idea? You’re trying to use me to make him jealous?”

Taken aback, Frédérique eyed Jules.

“You’re really a pain, you know that. As for your father …”

“Don’t talk to me about him!”

“You’re the one who brought him up. If you have something to tell me, just come out and say it!”

Jules raised his shoulders. He hesitated and then chose to be direct. “Does he love you?”

The question took Frédérique by surprise. She wondered suddenly whether she’d made a mistake by becoming Aurélien’s lover.

“I’m not in his head,” she answered prudently. “What about you? Were you in love when you took me to that hotel room?”

“No. I was attracted to you. I hope it’s the same for Aurélien. At his age, falling in love is serious. …”

They kept quiet for a moment. There were a lot of people on the streets of Bordeaux, folks wearing heavy coats and in a hurry to be done with their last-minute Christmas shopping.

“Can we coexist in peace, you and I?” Frédérique said suddenly.

Looking truly sorry, Jules said, “I don’t think it’s possible.”

“Why not?”

He waited until they arrived at the store she wanted to go to before saying, “Because I can’t stand the idea that you’re taking advantage of him.”

He leaned over her to open her door.

“Stop trying to protect him, Jules. He really doesn’t need it.”

As he was getting dressed, Jules suddenly felt dizzy. He leaned against the wall. In the mirror in front of him he saw the image of a young man looking tired in his white shirt, too thin and pale. He recalled that evening he’d spent with Frédérique. That was a long time ago, it seemed. He did remember quite well the disco where he’d met her, the group of friends she’d been hanging out with. And also that she’d left with him almost immediately.

“Something wrong?”

Laurène was watching him closely.

“The way you look … You’re not feeling well?”

“I’m cold.”

He put on his jacket and wondered if the house’s heating system was working properly.

“You must’ve caught a bug or …”

He took her in his arms and said, softly, “Or what? What do you think I’ve got?”

She was in her underwear, and he caressed her skin.

Seeing that she was closing her eyes, he whispered, “You better get dressed. …”

He felt exhausted and gave Laurène a sad smile. Then he left the room and went down to the kitchen, where he asked Fernande for a mug of hot milk. She made it for him immediately, without a word. She handed him a bottle of aspirin.

“Take a couple of these, too. You don’t look so good. Some of the guests are here already, in the living room with your father. You should go over. …”

Jules sighed, drank the hot milk, and decided to try to forget about his fatigue. He was greeted by Aurélien’s reproachful look. Antoine and Marie had arrived early, as usual, and Jules knew that Aurélien didn’t enjoy being alone with them. Since their quarrel the previous fall, their relationship had changed quite a bit. They no longer laughed at each other’s old, tired jokes, and there was always some amount of resentment or hostility in each of their quips. It had taken Aurélien fifty years to admit his contempt for Antoine’s vineyards, and nothing now could ever erase what he’d said in anger. For the sake of Jules and Laurène—the fact that they were going to get married—Antoine and Aurélien had decided to make up, but they’d done it reluctantly. And Alexandre’s habit of going over to Mazion every day only intensified Aurélien’s simmering anger.

Jules leaned in to kiss Marie. He wanted no part in this latent animosity. He was naturally on Aurélien’s side, no matter what, even if Aurélien was in the wrong, but Laurène was going to be his wife. …

“England didn’t do you a lot of good,” Marie said with a maternal smile. “You don’t look well, you know.”

Jules sat next to Marie and began telling her about his trip. But he could only talk to her briefly as he had to get up and greet other guests arriving.

Laurène had just walked into the room, discreet and timid, and Aurélien had been first to spot her. She was gorgeous in her very short, pale blue crepe dress. She looked so young and small that Jules crossed the living room to take her by the shoulders. She knew almost all the people who’d been invited that evening, but she noticed a difference in their attitude toward her. In the hierarchy of the wine producers gathered here, to be the future wife of Jules Laverzac was not the same as being only Antoine Billot’s daughter. She realized that with some resentment, though she couldn’t help feeling flattered.

Antoine, for his part, pouted while waiting for Alexandre to show up. He saw in him an ally. Now that he knew that Jules was going to be his second son-in-law, it was vital to him that Alex decide to settle in Mazion. His heart attack and hospitalization had left him embittered. The fact that both Laurène and Dominique lived under Aurélien’s roof, among Aurélien’s family, while no one seemed to care about his vineyards, made Antoine quite resentful. The very enviable social position of his daughters was, paradoxically, precipitating him toward ruin and solitude. Alexandre truly was his last hope, and he was ready to do anything to make his vision come to life. Perhaps by forcing Alex to open his eyes to the unpromising future he had at Fonteyne, what little consideration he’d always receive there …

In the kitchen, the children were screaming with joy as Clothilde, all dressed up, was serving a meal prepared just for them. After they were done, Dominique and Pauline said that whoever wanted Santa to bring them presents should go to bed now. Jules offered to accompany Clothilde and the children to the Little House, and he helped them put on their anoraks and hats. Laurène just had time to throw a coat over his shoulders before he left the house for the bitter cold of the night, holding Esther in his arms while the twins clung to his tux.

Fonteyne always shone in a very particular manner on party nights. Aurélien, having been without a wife for so long, was used to supervising everything and was a great host. And Pauline scrupulously respected the traditions so dear to her father-in-law. Under the sublime walnut coffered ceiling, the table was superb. In such a male house that usually had little use for whimsy, the atmosphere was at times heavy, stuffy. But on Christmas Eve, Pauline, Dominique, and Laurène had done everything they could to make the ambiance cheerful. Aurélien got a kick out of finding the flowers and candles decorated with glittering stars set on the table. By doing so, Pauline made Frédérique understand that only the women of the family could sometimes go against Fonteyne’s established order, if only in a small way.

Since the fall, Jules had presided at one end of the table, facing Aurélien. The other guests were seated according to a strict hierarchy. Jules, well aware of those conventions, appreciated his father’s setup. While absentmindedly fiddling with a fork, he noticed the pearl necklace—a single strand but exquisite—that Frédérique was wearing. His first reaction was to chuckle, thinking that there was the proof of her ambitions, just as he’d predicted. But then he was intrigued, realizing that the necklace’s clasp seemed old, almost antique, looking more like a family heirloom. He gestured at Alex, who was sitting right next to Frédérique, and saw his brother looking at the necklace then frowning with anger. Jules turned his attention to Aurélien, who was cheerfully chatting with a guest. He felt guilty and unhappy to be judging him.