A Bordeaux Dynasty: A Novel (51 page)

Marie looked sad, which was unlike her. She’d received, that very morning, a surprising phone call from Jules, asking in a very formal tone for her daughter Laurène’s hand in marriage. He’d apologized for using the phone, saying that he couldn’t set foot in the Billots’ house right now. “If I see Alex,” he’d said, laughing, “I might kick his ass!” Marie liked Jules very much. This odd call had saddened her because she would’ve preferred so much to have the young man standing in front of her so she could give him a hug. He’d won the right to be happy with Laurène. She didn’t understand why he’d waited so long to marry her daughter, but she was genuinely happy that he’d finally decided to do so. When he brought up the delicate topic of the Billot’s presence at the wedding, she realized the scope of the disaster. Laurène had to walk down the aisle with her father in Margaux. And, of course, Marie wanted to attend her youngest daughter’s wedding. And Dominique would never accept staying in Mazion on that day. Yet, she couldn’t disassociate herself from her husband and lie to the twins about it. Marie had promised to think about all this, and Jules had added, before hanging up, that Alex better not show his face that day, at the church in Margaux or at Fonteyne. When Marie told Antoine about this conversation, he took Alex’s side and became irate. He thought it was scandalous that Jules should decide about this all by himself, as was his unfortunate habit. Listening to Antoine, you’d think that Alexandre was the perfect son-in-law, and he was ready to protect him against that tyrannical side that Jules had gotten from Aurélien. Marie had preferred not to argue with him, seeing no immediate solution to their problem. Robert and Louis-Marie’s visit had given her hope only for a short time, as she could tell from Robert’s angry expression that nothing had been resolved.

The two brothers didn’t linger, and Marie went up to her mother-in-law’s bedroom to take her lunch and give her the bad news. In spite of her age, Mrs. Billot’s memory was excellent, and she wanted to know all about the situation. For years she’d said that though Dominique’s husband wasn’t extraordinary, she’d done very well for herself. “She didn’t marry the best of the four,” she’d say, “but at least she’s at Fonteyne!” And when the couple came back to Mazion, the old woman predicted a series of catastrophes. Marie hoped that the news of Laurène’s upcoming wedding would cheer her up. But as soon as she walked into the room, her mother-in-law dispelled any illusions she might’ve had.

“Well, that’s it!” she said. “Great! I saw the doctor and the journalist try to reason with that pig-headed Alex. … Even if I couldn’t hear anything and I don’t see too good, I could tell they failed. Right?”

She spun her wheelchair around, her back now to the window, where she must’ve spent part of the morning. She gave Marie a kind smile and pointed at the food tray.

“This smells so good. You’re going to a great deal of trouble for me, my dear.”

She said those last two words in the softest of voices, as she always did.

“With that battle over his will, Aurélien must be spinning in his grave, don’t you think?” she asked.

Marie avoided the topic. Instead she said, “Jules asked me for Laurène’s hand!”

“Really? I didn’t even see him.”

“Well … he called me.”

“Are you serious? He did that over the phone?”

The old lady’s eyes sparkled with amusement. She made her way to the table on which Marie had set the tray.

“Traditions aren’t respected anymore,” she said. “I never would’ve guessed that about Jules. But he’s the most serious one in that family, and we can say that Laurène hit the jackpot. Though you know how worried I’ve been about those two—they’re getting married and then they’re not and now they are. How long is he going to keep her? I actually wonder what she did to convince him to finally do it. What do you think?”

Marie sat on the bed.

“If only …”

Her mother-in-law looked at her attentively.

“Marie … Marie? You’re not going to cry? God knows this is not the time. You’re thinking about the ceremony, aren’t you? Who’s going to go and who won’t? Why don’t we tell that hothead Alex to stay here at the house while we all go? Because he’s going to give Dominique a hard time? She’s tough enough to deal with him as far as I’m concerned!”

“Antoine also doesn’t want to go,” Marie said.

“Antoine? He won’t go to his daughter’s wedding? My granddaughter?”

“That’s what he said.”

Mrs. Billot lowered her head, thinking hard.

“Okay,” she finally said, “I’ll try to make him change his mind. But if I can’t, us three girls will go—Dominique, you, and me! It would cause a lot of gossip, but at least it would limit the damage a little bit.”

Marie smiled and got to her feet, suddenly energized. As for her mother-in-law, she was attacking her lunch. Maybe the future wasn’t so dark after all.

Pauline was having a ball. She compared the caterers’ quotes, talked and talked with Fernande about the million little details concerning the coming reception, and asked for Laurène’s advice on a number of issues, but disregarded everything she said. Clothilde was in charge of hiring two aides to clean all the upstairs rooms, take down the drapes and vacuum them, polish the silverware, take dozens of glasses that hadn’t been used in years out of the cupboards.

Jules seemed satisfied with all the decisions Pauline made and contradicted her only once, bursting with laughter, when she said she would select the champagne herself. Laurène was relieved to see her sister-in-law so active, so enthusiastic about the preparations, as her first month of pregnancy hadn’t been easy—most of the time she was either trying to sleep or battling unbearable nausea.

Jules, overworked as always, spent little time with his brothers during the day. Yet he’d asked Fernande to pay extra attention to dinners, as he knew those were privileged moments. In the evenings, he made the effort to explain the intricacies of managing Fonteyne to Robert and Louis-Marie so they wouldn’t be totally ignorant when they found themselves before a judge. The very idea of the trial irritated Jules to the highest degree. He got up even earlier than usual to study the law books he’d asked Varin for. Going to bed at two in the morning and getting up at five, he neglected Laurène a little, but she didn’t seem inclined to make love in any case. She couldn’t sleep well and was constantly going back and forth between the bathroom and their bedroom.

Robert’s week off was coming to an end and, the evening before he left, everyone stayed up particularly late. They were all in the library, deciding on an agenda for the next few weeks. The wedding was going to take place ten days later, and the Parisians would return for the occasion. Watching Jules’s lean silhouette in front of the fireplace, Louis-Marie felt an unbelievable fondness for him. Alex was right: They were all under his spell, ever since the little “Gypsy” had joined the family. Beyond Fonteyne’s prosperity, Jules’s personality had a lot to do with it.

Seized by an irresistible impulse, he suddenly blurted out, “You know, if I can be useful, I’ll stay here until the wedding!”

Jules gave him an amused smile, but Louis-Marie continued, “When Dad was sick last year, I helped you out, didn’t I? Give me easy tasks to do and it’ll be one less thing you have to take care of between now and the wedding.”

“But don’t you have tons to do in Paris?” Jules asked.

“Of course he does,” Pauline interjected.

She’d had a great time until then, but she felt like going back home to her apartment now. And she needed to pick an outfit from her favorite designer’s shop. Her husband’s offer stunned her. She adored Fonteyne, as long as she stayed there only a few days. Then, she got bored.

“I’m finishing a book,” Louis-Marie said, calmly, “but I can certainly work here. Better, even. As for my articles …”

He seemed determined, and Pauline got worked up.

“But what about Esther! And I didn’t pack for a long stay. …”

Pouting, she stood up.

“We can’t stay, darling,” she said with her usual self-confidence. “But we’ll be back real soon. …”

She gave everyone a regal wave of the hand and left the room. Louis-Marie regretfully got to his feet and gave a Jules a wink as he walked by him.

“Put together a list of tasks for me,” he said in a low voice. “I’m staying anyway. …”

He left the library, crossed the hallway and slowly went up the stairs. Pauline was waiting for him, planted in the middle of the bedroom.

“What’s wrong with you?” she demanded. “I did all the work for Laurène and Fernande, and everything will be ready on time. I’m done here. I did things right in Dominique’s absence, didn’t I? I think I deserve to be able to go back home.”

He sat at the foot of the bed and looked at his wife.

“You were perfect,” he said. “But it’s Jules who needs help. … Much more than Laurène.”

“Jules?”

Pauline burst out laughing.

“He can easily get by without you, don’t you worry about that. He can get by without anybody as a matter of fact. Isn’t the fact that he pushed Alex out of the house proof of that?”

Stunned, Louis-Marie needed a few seconds before reacting.

“You can be so unfair at times. …” he said.

“I’m not being unfair. I’m more lucid than you are because I’m not involved in all of your family and business troubles. … Listen, honey, you know that I adore Jules. He’s a great, amazing guy and all that, but he’s also a hell of a tyrant. You have to admit that. Poor Alex had two choices: cower or leave. I wouldn’t say that to anyone else but you, but you guys are unfair. …”

“Poor Alex? Come on, Pauline! You should’ve seen poor Alex this morning. He’s causing all this trouble, and he can’t even explain what he wants from it. On top of that, he’s drinking. His face is red, he’s got dark rings under his eyes, his hands are shaking … He’s pathetic!”

“And why do you think he started drinking? I imagine it’s his life in Mazion. Not exactly a barrel of fun. The house is tiny and the Billots are so dull. Honestly, apart from Dominique … Take dopey Laurène, I had to drag her along all week long.”

Pauline laughed, but Louis-Marie remained serious.

“Pauline,” he said, softly, “we’re heading for a trial. There’s nothing funny about that. …”

She sat next to him and kissed him on the neck.

“What does Robert think of all that?” she asked.

Louis-Marie felt a twinge of jealousy that he knew well, but he ignored it.

“Same as me,” he answered, calmly.

“If you’re three against one, Alex has no chance.”

Louis-Marie grabbed his wife by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.

“This is not a game, Pauline,” he said. “We’re talking about Dad’s will. About Fonteyne. All the finances that we have to maintain. … Jules doesn’t say anything because he’s too proud to complain, but he’s got a ton of weight on his shoulders these days. And like you just said, he can’t count on Laurène for help. And so I’m staying. …”

“I don’t want to!” Pauline shouted.

Since Louis-Marie normally indulged her whims, his determination surprised her. He took her in his arms and tried to kiss her, but she turned away. He let go of her immediately.

“I’m staying,” he said.

“Not me! You and your brothers and your problems are getting on my nerves!”

They glared at each other.

“You just said something about ‘all the finances,’” Pauline said, slowly. “You came into an inheritance, that’s true … but we’re no richer for it. There’s this gorgeous castle where Jules lives, and those prestigious vineyards all around, fine. But that changes nothing for me. I don’t get anything out of it at all. And that’s what’s making Alex furious too, no doubt. And that’s why I understand him.”

She waited for Louis-Marie to respond, but he remained silent, his eyes on her. He knew that she was young, superficial, and that she said a lot of stupid things when she was angry. She was a distracted mother and a capricious wife. And yet, he loved her like a school kid even though, in that instant, he felt a certain distance, a hint of weariness.

“You go to Paris,” he said. “You go with Robert, and he’ll drop you off. And you can come back together in eight days.”

Pauline looked so thrilled by the idea that he immediately regretted his words.

“That’s a wonderful idea,” she said, smiling.

She came back to the bed and sat on his knees. And now it was her who kissed him, lovingly at first, and then with passion. She felt him recoil a little, and she was intent on making him forgive her for what she’d said. With her agile fingers, she unbuttoned Louis-Marie’s shirt. He let her, amused by the desire she stirred up in him, every time. After a few minutes, he took off her blouse and skirt, and began caressing her skin. He’d convinced himself that as long as he made her happy, she wouldn’t go beyond flirtatious games with Robert. He didn’t want to think of anything else, imagine that she might cheat on him, especially with Bob. She shivered, closed her eyes, and enjoyed her husband’s soft hands. He knew exactly what to do, and he took his time.

“It’s starting to bloom,” Lucas said, straightening up. “It’s a bit early. … I think it’s going to be another hundred and fifteen days.”

Jules was crouched in front of a wine stock, a few feet away.

“I saw a lily this morning,” he said without turning to Lucas.

According to the Margaux tradition, lilies bloomed on the same day the vineyards began flowering.

“I hadn’t noticed,” Lucas muttered. “Okay, then … A hundred and ten days?”

“I predict it’s going to be a hundred and five, and you can start the countdown.”

Jules delicately ran a finger over a young shoot, and Lucas couldn’t help smiling.

The kid does have the gift,
he thought with gruff affection.

Over time, Lucas had been forced to recognize that Jules was almost always right. The kid had long ago surpassed his teachers, and all that Aurélien and Lucas had taught him was nothing compared to his extraordinary instinct when it came to the vineyards.

“All we can do now is pray that pollination goes right,” he said.

Jules agreed with a nod of the head. Anything could happen in the next few months. Until harvest, any number of problems could arise, from parasites to bad weather.