A Bordeaux Dynasty: A Novel Read Free Page A

Leaving his brother’s place that night, Robert knew that his was a lost cause. He knew it, but couldn’t accept it. His passion for Pauline made him believe that he wouldn’t be able to live without her. Their breakup was awful, and Robert refused to see Louis-Marie again. He threw himself desperately into his work, was tempted by suicide, turned to excessive drinking, and wound up virtually never leaving the hospital, carrying his grief like a cross. Oddly, it was his department head’s car crash that saved him, as he suddenly became the man in charge. He had to concentrate on Lariboisière Hospital. He forgot about Pauline and relegated Louis-Marie to the back of his mind, along with Fonteyne and, for good measure, his entire family. Jules wrote to him five or six times a year, and Robert forced himself to reply. It was his only link to the Laverzacs. Robert explained the reasons for his systematic absence to his brother, his categorical refusal to come back to Fonteyne. As expected, Jules didn’t comment. Louis-Marie married Pauline, and they had a little girl, Esther. For both the wedding and the baptism, Jules came up with a pretext for Robert not to attend. The brothers all agreed not to tell their father about any of it. And if, as a result, Aurélien at times thought that Robert was a bit of an ingrate for being so distant, at least he didn’t look at his daughter-in-law with horror. In fact, he looked at her with affection and glee, as Pauline’s exquisite charm had quite an effect on Aurélien, who still enjoyed pretty women. And that she was, more of a playful girl than a woman—and like a child, both funny and exasperating.
    And so it had been adorable Pauline who’d come, with such composure, to lecture Robert in his very own medical fiefdom. She’d managed to convince him, rather easily, to make peace. He’d let her speak, floored that he was still so vulnerable, horrified to find himself back at square one. He’d only accepted in order to make her stop talking, so that she would leave, and so he could see her again, overcome as he was by contradictory feelings. Then, as promised, he’d come to Fonteyne, and now there she was smiling at him, without affectation.
    Robert made himself look away from her and his eyes met Louis-Marie’s. He detected just a trace of embarrassment on his brother’s face. Realizing that Aurélien was observing them, he suddenly extended his right hand.
    Louis-Marie grabbed it and shook it with insistence.
    “Since when are you boys so formal?” Aurélien asked.
    “It’s been a long time,” Louis-Marie replied.
    Robert let go of his brother’s hand.
    “But you live in the same city, for crying out loud!” Aurélien said.
    He pushed his newspaper aside and gestured at Fernande for a refill of coffee.
    The voice of Alexandre, who was dashing up the path outside, interrupted them.
    “Bob! Bob!”
    Alexandre reached the top of the stairs, out of breath, and ran to Robert. He kissed his brother on the cheeks and slapped him on the back.
    Aurélien cut the effusions short with an abrupt question, “Where’s Jules? I’ve been looking for him for an hour!”
    Louis-Marie and Alexandre burst out laughing. Robert had heard those words come out of his father’s mouth in every tone imaginable. He felt at home.
    “Jules is in the barn with Lucas,” Alexandre said. “He’ll be here in fifteen minutes.”
    Alexandre never showed any sign of impatience, in any situation. He never rebelled against his father’s authority, never exhibited any jealousy toward Jules. He sat next to Robert, asking him about his life in Paris. As for Louis-Marie, he was watching his wife closely. Jules suddenly appeared on the terrace—no one had heard him arrive.
    “You lazy bums are just sitting around drinking coffee?”
    He was joking, happy to find them all there, hands buried in his jeans. Aurélien threw an annoyed look his way.
    “Problems with a tractor?” he asked