A Bordeaux Dynasty: A Novel Read Online Free PDF Page A

domineering than Aurélien. And so he keeps quiet, most of the time. He lets the other two have center stage.”
    “Does that change anything?”
    “No, not really. … But when Jules tells Alex that he should spend more time with his kids, even if it’s out of kindness, Alex feels excluded. He feels like a loser. I mean, it’s one thing to let those two do their thing, but Alex shouldn’t have to make himself invisible.”
    Pauline was listening intently, her insatiable curiosity on full alert.
    “Why doesn’t he say anything?”
    Dominique raised her shoulders.
    “Whenever Jules realizes that Alex is furious, he humors him, he asks his opinion about things. And then he forgets about it in a minute.”
    Dominique’s voice was filled with bitterness, and Pauline felt bad for her.
    “You know, Pauline, Alex is a good man and he knows the business inside out. And around here people like him a lot, but they mostly ignore him. It’s as though he wasn’t there!”
    Fernande materialized between the two, snatched the bottle of olive oil from Pauline’s hand, and went back to the kitchen.
    “I’d forgotten about her. …” Pauline muttered. “Anyway, if you feel that strongly about this, Dominique, you should do something. If only for your children’s sake. …”
    “Oh, the twins. Aurélien scares them to death and they worship Jules. Besides, who’s not completely crazy about Jules in this freaking house?”
    “Is that why he gets under your skin? But if all you do is stay in the kitchen by yourself and grouse …”
    “What do you want me to do?” Dominique shouted.
    “Who’s the head of this house? It’s you! You’re the only woman here. So impose your authority or leave. Jules is the youngest son, last time I checked. If Alex wants to take over, he can do it. …”
    Fernande was back in the pantry, shooting Pauline an irate look.
    “Mrs. Pauline,” she grunted, “you should tell everybody that dinner is ready.”
    Dominique’s anger dissipated at the sight of Fernande’s sullen expression. Without looking at the old lady, she said to Pauline, “If you say anything against her darling Jules …”
    The two women left the kitchen with smiles on their faces and went over to the living room to rejoin the others.
    At the very beginning of the nineteenth century, a certain Pierre Laverzac bought a vineyard where he had a castle built in the neoclassical style then in vogue. Wisely, he managed to restrict the architect’s excessive fondness for Corinthian columns and balustrades. The castle’s façade was understated, its only embellishment a terrace linked to an exterior stairway in the shape of a horseshoe. Apart from this extravagance, a simple slate roof rested above the walls’ stark white stones. The first of the Laverzacs at Fonteyne had wanted no part in the competition that raged among castles then, which explained the existence of all the turrets and steeples throughout the Médoc region.
    By either force of habit or some sort of false modesty that could just as well be called pride, Aurélien had always used the word house when referring to the castle that four generations of Laverzacs had meticulously looked after.
    Fonteyne’s imposing and old-fashioned charm captivated all its visitors. Some buildings, at the periphery, were set up for wine producing, near the huge vaulted cellar. In front of the castle, an impeccable lawn spread all the way to the vineyards down below.
    Year after year, Aurélien filled his home with treasures. He loved to surround himself with beautiful objects and hated to get rid of anything. But as the Laverzacs before him had also accumulated furniture, paintings, sculptures, and tapestries as signs of success, Aurélien had little choice but to sort through things. What he took out of the castle he sent to the Little House, where Alexandre and Dominique lived, filling it to the rafters with bric-a-brac not to be removed. Aurélien acted with his typical