by Julie Stock
CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright
Get in Touch
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Acknowledgements
Other books by this author
About the Author
THE VINEYARD IN ALSACE
By Julie Stock
THE VINEYARD IN ALSACE
Copyright © 2017 Julie Stock
ISBN: 978-0-9932135-1-9
All rights reserved.
The moral right of Julie Stock to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents, other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual companies, actual persons, living or dead, or actual events or localities is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a database or retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical (including but not limited to the Internet, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior permission of the author. This includes sharing any part of the work online on any forum.
Cover Design: www.Lawstondesign.com
Editing: Helena Fairfax
Proofreading: To The Letter Proofreading
Get in touch with me:
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To my grand-dad, Charles Kirzdorf.
Thank you for teaching me the importance of language
and its ability to transcend barriers.
CHAPTER ONE
Fran
‘Here, you can have this back!’ I wrenched my engagement ring from my finger and flung it in the general direction of their naked bodies, huddled together under the sheet on the bed. Our bed. ‘I obviously won’t be needing it any more.’
‘What the hell, Fran?’ The thunderous look on Paul’s face as the ring pinged against the metal bedframe almost made me doubt myself. I closed my eyes briefly. Don’t let him control you. You are definitely not the guilty party!
I took one last look at him and then I turned and ran. I kept on running, as far and as fast as my legs would take me, blood pounding in my ears, my long hair whipping around my face. The whole time my mind raced with thoughts of his double betrayal.
Eventually, my body couldn’t take any more and I stopped on the pavement near an underground station, doubled over and panting from the effort. Once I’d got my breath back a bit, I gave Ellie a call. She picked up on the first ring.
‘Hey, Fran, how are you?’
That question pushed me over the edge into full-blown sobbing and once I’d started, I couldn’t stop.
‘What’s the matter? Where are you? Is Paul there? Talk to me, please!’
‘Hold on a minute,’ I managed to choke out, wiping my face on the sleeve of my t-shirt. ‘I’m at the Tube station and I need a place to stay. Paul…Paul…well, there is no Paul and me any more.’
I heard her sharp intake of breath before she said, ‘Of course you must come here. Will you be okay on your own or do you want me to come and get you?’
‘No, I’ll be okay. I should be about half an hour. Thanks, Ellie.’ I rang off and made my way down into the depths of the Tube, grateful that I would have somewhere to stay so I didn’t have to go back home tonight. Afterwards, I couldn’t remember finding my way to the platform. I was so distracted by all that had happened and in such a short space of time but the next thing I knew, I was squashed into a seat on a crowded rush-hour carriage, trundling north on the Northern line.
No-one spared me a second glance on the train. It was oddly calming to be sitting among complete strangers in my misery and to know I didn’t have to explain myself. I wrapped my arms protectively around my body. Why on earth had Paul done this to me? I wracked my brain as the train rattled on, but I could make no sense of it.
When I arrived at Ellie’s, she scooped me into her arms at once for a hug, which only made me start crying again. She patted my back comfortingly, and eventually the tears subsided.
‘Why don’t I get us both a drink and then you can tell me everything that’s happened?’
I nodded silently. While Ellie was gone, my phone buzzed with yet another text message. It was from Paul, no doubt trying to find me, but I deleted it along with all the others and set the phone down on the table in front of me. Ellie returned shortly afterwards with two cups of tea. I wouldn’t have minded something stronger under the circumstances but it probably wasn’t a good idea to get drunk just now. I’d need a clear head for whatever was going to come next.
‘So, what the hell has happened?’
And I told her.
‘I can’t even begin to process it, Ellie. Why would he do that to me in the first place but even worse, why would he do it to me just after we’d got engaged?’
‘I don’t know what to say, apart from telling you that I never really liked Paul - I’m sorry - and he’s proved what a bastard he is by doing this to you. There’s no excuse for cheating and you’ll never be able to trust him again now.’
I winced at her honesty and at her harsh judgment of Paul.
‘In just that one second, my life’s been turned upside down. Everything I was planning on - you know, getting married, settling down, starting a family - is now in doubt. I feel like my life is over.’ I set down my cup and let the tears roll down my face. My phone buzzed once more with another text. This time, I read it first.
‘Where are you? I just want to know that you’re okay. I’m really sorry, I’ve been incredibly stupid.’
‘Well, at least he realises that much,’ said Ellie, her lips tight with anger as I read it out to her.
My fingers hovered over the keypad but in the end, I deleted the message and turned off the phone.
‘I’m going to bed, Ellie. I’m exhausted, and I just can’t think straight. Hopefully, things will be clearer in the morning.’
Once I’d climbed into the little single bed in Ellie’s spare room, sleep just wouldn’t come. I tossed and turned restlessly as images of Paul in bed with this other woman invaded my mind. I thought again about what Ellie had said about never really liking Paul. Had I been taken in by him all this time? I covered my eyes with my hands, embarrassed by my foolishness. I lay there for hours, railing against the injustice of the situation and wondering how I would explain all this to my parents. By the time I finally fell asleep the sun was coming up but I had the beginnings of an idea about what I was going to do next.
‘Are you really sure ab
out this? You’re still shaken up by what’s happened and it’s a bit early to be making decisions.’ Ellie’s concern was written all over her face and I knew it would be hard to leave my best friend behind when the time came.
We were on the Tube again travelling south into London from Ellie’s flat in High Barnet and discussing my options on the way. I felt uncomfortable wearing one of Ellie’s suits but I didn’t have any choice. At least it would only be for today.
‘I need to get away from him, Ellie, and from here. I’ve wanted to go back home for a while but Paul would never have entertained the idea so I didn’t even bother discussing it with him. Well, now I don’t need to think about what Paul wants. I can do what I like and what I want to do is to hand in my notice, move back to France and find a new job.’
‘What kind of job will you be able to do there? They’re not going to have the same opportunities in corporate banking as there are in London. Wasn’t that the reason you came here in the first place? And didn’t you always want to get away from the small town you grew up in?’
I pulled a face, looking round at the sea of miserable Monday-morning expressions. ‘I don’t want this life any more. I’ve given it a good try but it hasn’t worked out and I’m ready to go home. I saw a great job at a vineyard just outside Strasbourg a few days ago, which isn’t that far from where my parents live, but I didn’t apply because I knew Paul wouldn’t like it.’
‘I had no idea that he was holding you back from going back home. You could have talked it over with me, you know.’
‘I know and I’m sorry I didn’t. I think I was afraid to confront how I was really feeling. Now things have changed, I’m going to go for it. If I get it, the ad said that there’s accommodation available for me at the vineyard, so I can afford to take a pay cut.’
‘And what about if you don’t get the job? What will you do then?’
‘If I don’t get it, well, I can do my translating work anywhere. I’d prefer not to have to move back in with my parents but I might have to for now while I wait and see what happens. Amandine - my friend from university - is getting married back at home next weekend anyway so I’ll just stay with my parents a little longer after that if needs be.’
‘I’m just worried that you’re going to make a hasty decision without considering all the options first, and then you’ll regret it when you get back home. Not only that but if you go back to France, when will I see you?’ She smiled at me but I knew she was only half-joking.
We both stood up as our stop approached, swaying as we tried to get our balance when the train came to a halt. Once off the train, I gave her a quick hug before we made our way towards the escalators carrying the mass of commuters up to ground level, where daylight beckoned.
‘You are my best friend and we will always be there for each other, I hope you know that.’ I stepped onto the escalator and turned back to look at Ellie’s face as she stood on the step below me. ‘Even though I’ll hate leaving you behind, I need to do this, Ellie, for me. I’ve spent far too long doing what other people want me to do and it’s time that I did what I want to do for once. Besides,’ I continued after a slight pause, ‘Alsace isn’t that far away. You can fly to Strasbourg or even take the train from London via Paris.’
‘Ooh, now you mention it, that does sound fun! I’ve never been to Alsace and it would be great to explore a different part of France.’ Ellie grinned at me, drawn in by my idea, but I could tell she was still worried about me.
Once we’d gone our separate ways, I turned my thoughts to what I was going to do next. I had nearly a month’s leave stacked up and I was planning to hand in my resignation and use my holiday as my notice period.
Half an hour later, I was walking out of the skyscraper I had worked in for the past four years with only a small box of paltry possessions to my name. My proposal had been accepted and I was then escorted promptly from the premises, my ID and security cards taken from me along the way. I’d expected to feel bereft but apart from a slight irritation at being manhandled off the site, I felt a great sense of relief. I’d never enjoyed working there once the honeymoon period had worn off but I’d become trapped, especially as Paul worked at the same company. Whenever I’d mentioned looking for another job, he’d always talked me out of it, telling me he liked us being together. Now, I’d been set free to do what I wanted to do and I couldn’t wait to get started. I hurried back towards the Tube to make my way home to Ellie’s flat.
As soon as I got back, I changed out of Ellie’s suit and back into my clothes from the previous day. They weren’t terribly clean but at least they were comfortable. Then I found the job I’d seen advertised by the agency again, filled in their application form and sent it off to the vineyard along with my CV. The closing date for applications was a couple of days away, so now I would just have to wait.
Feeling strengthened by my new resolve, I switched my phone on again, ready to go into battle with Paul at last. There were fifteen new messages from him. I went through each one but they all said the same thing, ‘Where are you? Please come back so we can talk.’
I deleted them all, realising that I had nothing to say to him after all. He had cheated on me and thrown all our wedding plans into disarray. What could he possibly say to put that right?
I put Ellie in the picture over dinner that night and to her credit, she didn’t try to put me off.
‘If you get the job, how far away from your parents’ house will you be?’
‘My parents live in Colmar but the vineyard is north from there, nearer to Strasbourg, about forty-five minutes away. So, far enough away that they won’t be on my doorstep but near enough for me to get home from time to time.’
Ellie frowned slightly. ‘So, you’ll be far away from me and not exactly close to your family. Are you sure you’ll be all right with readjusting to life on your own again?’
‘I will miss you, of course, but I’ll be okay. I can still talk to you on the phone, and you can definitely come and visit as soon as I’m settled. Right now, though, I want to wait to hear about the job application first, and then I’ll tell my mum and dad what’s happened after that.’
Didier
I could hardly believe it to be true. I read the email again just to make sure. A woman called Françoise Schell had applied for our vacancy at the vineyard, according to the message from the agency. I blew out a long breath, pushed my chair away from the desk and swung my legs up on to the edge. It had to be her. How many women could there be with that name who also happened to be bilingual in French and English? It had been four years since we had seen each other and I didn’t expect to see her back in Alsace again. I pondered this good news for a minute or two longer before regaining my focus, putting my legs down and pulling myself back towards my laptop. I sent back an immediate reply asking the agency to invite her for an interview. If it really was the Françoise Schell I knew, I just had to hope that she would be prepared to put the past behind us so that we could work together for the benefit of the vineyard.
The door opened and my office manager appeared, his cheery face lifting my spirits as always and forcing me out of my reverie.
‘Salut, Henri,’ I said, shaking his hand.
‘You look like you’ve had some good news.’ He took off his jacket and sat down at his desk.
‘We’ve had an application for the marketing manager position,’ I replied, with a smile.
‘That’s great news. I can’t believe we’ve had to wait so long. Tell me more.’
‘Well, I don’t know for sure but I think it might be an old friend of mine and if it is, I’m really happy about that because she’d be perfect for the job.’
‘When you say old friend, what do you mean exactly?’ He studied me closely. I’d told Henri a little about Fran but not everything.
‘I think it might be Fran.’ I stood up to make some coffees at the machine in the corner of the office. It was one of my few luxury purchases but we got good use out of it.
‘Definitely. But I would love to rebuild our friendship and if we could do that, any awkwardness would be worth it.’ I pressed the button on the machine and watched as two coffees filtered out into the cups below. I stirred them and handed one to Henri, which he accepted with a grateful smile. ‘I just hope she comes for the interview.’
After a quick coffee, I pulled my boots back on and wandered out into the courtyard to make my way down to the vineyard for my usual morning visit. As soon as I appeared outside my dog, Princesse, joined me for the walk. She looked like she’d been exploring already, her sleek, red coat dotted with flecks of mud and obvious debris from the undergrowth.
As we emerged through the archway, I looked upon the view of the estate and felt the familiar sense of pride I associated with the land my family had worked for several generations. Not for the first time, I wished my father were still here to give me the benefit of his advice as I approached only my fourth harvest on my own. I tried to enjoy the beauty of the view rather than thinking about the painful past and the constant struggle to balance the books. The light mist over the vineyards was such a wonderful sight, it lifted my spirits immediately.
People were working here and there along the rows of vines as I walked along, and I greeted them all by name, like members of my own family.
‘Bonjour, Etienne. Ça va?’ I shook the old man’s extended hand before moving on. When I spotted my winemaker, Thierry, at the end of the next row of vines, I made my way towards him to see how he thought things were progressing with this year’s vintage.
‘Salut, Thierry. Comment ça va ce matin?’ Thierry came out every day to check the vines, just as I did.
‘Ça va, oui. It’s still looking good for this year but it’s a bit early to make any predictions, of course. We don’t want to tempt fate.’