Solomon’s Vineyard: Book V

By Roger Dixon and Sophie Woollven

Andrew Solomon, a young London bank clerk, is “let go” by the bank in the course of reorganization, whereupon his wife leaves him for a wealthy lover. But these are almost immediately killed in a car crash and with the compensation from the bank, and his wife’s insurance he suddenly finds himself a wealthy man.

He takes a Mediterranean cruise to get away from it all but falls off the boat one night and is rescued by some French fishermen. He buys a small car and on the drive home stops at a small town in the Avergne and finds himself looking in an Estate Agent’s window: For sale- established riverside B&B, with small vineyard.

He is hugely attracted to the idea-also to Sabine, then young Estate Agent, and with the help of her uncle Gabriel, puts his considerable funds into developing the Vineyard, and making their own wine instead of just sending their grapes to the local co-operative- which incurs the growing hostility of some of their neighbors-George Cortou, President of the Co-op in particular. Despite this, the reputation of the vineyard continues to grow until some decide they have to get rid of “The English” at all costs…

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Oct 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728392738

Book preview

PART FIVE

‘Looking Across The River’

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CHAPTER ONE

Fiona woke up and stared at the ceiling for a few moments then turned her head and transferred her gaze to her bed-room window, the curtains of which were light enough for even the midsummer air outside to stir gently. She could also hear the faint murmur of the river.

It had been a hot night and she had gone to sleep on top of her bed without any covering, but sometime in the night she must have pulled the single sheet over her, and she now kicked this off and sat up.

She could hear her father talking to someone outside, probably a neighbour who, being early for work, had stopped his bicycle at their gate on the narrow path which separated the row of cottages where they lived from the river, to exchange a few words before peddling on to where the path joined the road leading into Les deux Demoiselles at the bridge over the river.

Her father was the Chef at the Bridge Hotel and normally had no need to get there to prepare breakfast for the guests, which was competently dealt with by his staff, but today was Saturday when he made a point of getting there early to discuss the week-end’s menus with the Manager.

Saturday! Suddenly she was wide awake and rolled onto her feet and went to the window and took a deep breath before peeking through the curtains to see if they were still there. Seeing the path empty, she pulled them fully to one side and looked across the river to the other side where she could see the extra land newly acquired by the Estate and the young vines, planted in rows running from East to West and parallel to the slope which her boy friend Dale had explained was to get maximum exposure for each plant to the sun.

Dale! This was what today was going to be all about: he had proposed to her earlier in the week and she had promised to give him her answer today.

She knew he had been surprised, and a little hurt, when she did not agree immediately, but she had hugged him and told him she loved him, and that she had always known that one day they would be together. But she wanted to be more than just a wife and mother and needed a few days to think how she was going to manage being married with her ambition to have a career. So he had hugged her back and made the best of it.

Fiona had always been good at languages and had won a scholarship to read English Literature at the University of Clermont Ferrand with a view to becoming a teacher. Her relationship with Dale had been more than helpful in this as being the son of an American Mother who had always made a point of talking to his twin brother Phillipe and himself in her native tongue, leaving it to their father to speak to them in French, they had grown up bi-lingual, and he and Fiona had got into the habit of speaking to each other most of the time in English since they were children.

Dale was the ‘heir apparent’ of the wine estate of Poussin le Bas, by far the largest and most prestigious in the Region. His father, Stephane Meuse, was the Estate Manager and fifty per cent owner.The other fifty per cent was owned by Christine Soloman - formally Chambers, but who had reverted to the traditional family name after the violent death of her husband. Christine was the great granddaughter of the founder of the Estate, Andrew Solomon. But she had eventually achieved her ambition to qualify as a Vet and so able help run the Practice founded by her half sister Mel, the twins’ Mother, together with Tom Field, who had come to them ten years ago from England, and In the circumstances she was more than happy to give Stephane a free hand with the Estate. It was a possible that one day her own children Lisa and younger brother Billy might want to join the Family business, but they were still only fourteen and twelve respectively and such an eventuality lay well into the future.

Dale’s brother Phillipe had shown no desire to spend the rest of his life in a ‘French backwater’ and had persuaded his Grandfather to speak to Sara Cevante, a local Immobiler who had inherited considerable wealth from her late husband but, unlike Phillipe himself, had been content to remain where she was most of the time. Nevertheless, she had retained a prominent firm of lawyers in New York to look after her American interests and these had been happy to find a place for Phillipe as a trainee at her request.

Fiona knew there had never been any such thought in Dale’s mind. He loved working with his father and grandfather until the latter retired. He loved the vines as if they were his children as well as the passing of the seasons - each with it’s own special pleasure. He loved the river which meandered through the Estate at this time of year allowing the guests from the B&B at Rousanne opposite, where he lived with his parents, to cross by the stepping stones put in by his father so they could reach the safe bathing place on the other side But when the melted snow from the Massive Central arrived turning the river into torrent, the only way of crossing from one side to the other was to drive up to the bridge and back down the other side

Fiona had come to know how he felt about all these things from when they were children, talking endlessly of the future they would have together. But things change. It had always been his dream, which she had been happy to share. She still loved him, and she realised that ninety-nine girls out of a hundred would leap at the opportunity of such a prospect: and yet…. she longed to reach out for something of her own.

Cursing her stupidity, but unable to help herself, she started to get dressed and ready for her Saturday job at the hotel as assistant receptionist when most of the foreign tourists arrived. She didn’t bother with breakfast as she knew one of her father’s assistants would bring coffee and a brioche to the two girls at the Reception desk soon after they arrived and before checking in and out got seriously under way, and within forty minutes she was cycling up the path towards the hotel.

Dale would be waiting for her when she finished work expecting an answer.

Dale had decided against following the family tradition of going to the School of Viticulture in Montpellier arguing that working alongside his father gave him all the knowledge and experience he would ever need, and although his mother had protested, Stephane was inclined to agree, and with a busy Practice to run, Mel simply did not have the time to argue with both of them.

He woke up about the same time as Fiona - got dressed quickly and went outside. It was a beautiful morning with the sun already well up, but instead of hurrying down to the vines where his father was probably already working before they walked back to the house together for breakfast, today he walked in the opposite direction up to where the land rover was parked alongside those used by his Mother and Tom Field when they went out visiting farming clients, got in and swung out onto the lane which ran alongside the river to the bridge and the hotel where Fiona would meet him. And after she had given him the answer he was expecting they would have breakfast together and start to plan the wedding. He was usually a contented young man but the thought of spending the life he already loved with the girl he adored, filled him today on the short journey with a joy he could never have expressed.

As he drove into the hotel car park he saw she was already there sitting on the low stone wall overlooking the river waiting for him with her bicycle propped alongside her.

She stood up as soon as she saw him, and by the time he had reversed into one of the marked spaces she was already beside the vehicle waiting for him to get out. She was wearing a light pale blue summer dress and the f lat shoes she always wore to work. Her short dark hair shone in the morning sun almost like a halo and as he slid from the driver’s seat and slammed the door behind him to take her into his arms he thought she had never looked more beautiful.

He was a surprised when she f lung herself into his embrace without saying anything and clung to him until she pulled her head back and he could see she was crying.

‘Darling, what on earth’s the matter?’

Fiona shook her head unhappily, then she said ‘It’s no use Dale. I know you are going to hate me, and I don’t deserve you, but I’m just not ready to get married yet.’

Before he could say anything she added ‘You know why.’

Dale pulled a face and loosened his grip then, taking both her hands in his, he said ‘I suppose so.’

‘Imagine how you would feel!’

‘I don’t think I can. I only know I love you’

‘Fiona squeezed his hands. ‘And I love you. I just want to take this chance to make something of myself. Please let me. I’ll be ever such a good wife afterwards!’.

Dale burst out laughing, despite himself

‘And a much better mother!’ Fiona persisted. ‘It’s only for three years. We can announce our engagement now, and the time will f ly past!. The College has ever such long holidays!’

Dale shook his head but he was still smiling.

‘Well, you know it’s not what I hoped for…’

‘I know, I know ‘Fiona said contritely

‘But if letting you go is the only way I can be sure you will come back to me…

She searched his face anxiously. ‘Do you…’ but before she could say anything else he suddenly grinned.

‘Oh Darling, thank you! I do love you so much!

‘She flung herself back into his arms’

Dale held her for a moment, then he said’ I never knew grief could make you so hungry! Shall we get some breakfast?.

Fiona giggled. Then she kissed him brief ly, and taking his hand again led him towards the hotel entrance bubbling with relief and excitement and suggestions for the announcement of their engagement.

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CHAPTER TWO

Nichole Gosse walked across from the Estate Office to the Winery to tell Alim the Town Hall had called and would he ring them back.

Shortly after Finn was born, two years after his sister Lotte, the Vet Practice run by Mel and Tom Field had expanded to the point where they needed a part-time secretary in addition to the full time receptionist and Madeline asked Stephane if she could take the job as it would be so much easier for her to manage with the two children as she lived with Tom her husband in the same building as the practice office.

Stephane had agreed, although he had come to rely on her so much in running the Estate Office, like his father in law before him, but Madeline herself had suggested Nichole whom she knew through her brother Francis. In fact, Nichole had been married to him, but he had walked out of their f lat in Lyons after a heated argument and she had not heard from him again except through a lawyer informing her that his client - her husband - wished to marry a Mademoiselle Yaron, and as there were no children, and he was willing for her to keep all the contents of the f lat except for his clothes, he trusted a divorce could be amicable agreed as soon as possible. Despite this, she and Madeline had remained friends, the later agreeing that her brother had behaved very badly, and she refused to go to the wedding- hurriedly arranged, as she learned later, as her new sister in law was already in an advanced state of pregnancy - which explained a lot!.

Nichole was more heartbroken than angry, but was comforted by Madeline’s continued friendship and support when she sold the lease of f lat and moved back to live with her parents locally. She was twenty five years old and had worked in an accountant’s office in Lyon so had little difficulty in getting a grip on what her new job called for, so both Dale, as well as Stephane himself, were delighted how quickly she settled in.

Nichole was always smartly dressed when she came to work, despite Madeline having told her ‘casual’ was the norm, except when they were expecting buyers or other important visitors… She was not particularly beautiful in the way of Fiona, who often called into the office when she and Dale were going out somewhere after work, or simply for a swim in the summer, or even Madeline herself, but she was slim and had a good figure, and when she smiled or