Between the Vines (33 page)

Felicity straightened up and glared from Noelene to Taylor. Taylor struggled to keep a straight face. She couldn't help but think if looks could kill they'd be dead. Felicity hung the cloth over the tap and flounced back to her office where they heard the rattle of keys and the whoosh as the front door closed.

Noelene shook her head. “I still can't believe she spent a lot of money on getting a boob job.”

“She did?” Taylor looked towards the office trying to imagine Felicity without all that flesh.

“Yes. She already had a perfectly good figure before she put herself through that. I'm sure she did it to impress Edward.”

“Really?”

“They'd been a bit of an item before she came to work here but like all his women…” Noelene paused. “Present company excepted.”

“I'm not sure I could be classed as one of his women. We hardly even dated.”

“Well anyway, Felicity didn't last long. Then Edward went off on his long break, the previous office girl got pregnant and didn't want to come back and next thing I knew Felicity had the job and a bigger set of boobs since I'd seen her last. Peter was smitten with her.”

Taylor was surprised by a small stab of jealousy. She knew Ed openly flirted with Felicity but she'd never witnessed Pete be anything more than his usual polite self with his office manager.

“Not for long. Edward came back and Peter found out they'd been a couple. Edward can be a bit over the top and flaunt that kind of thing. The girls are easily attracted to him. Peter has always been a bit more circumspect. Anyway, he backed right off, kept his relationship with Felicity purely professional. I'm thankful for that anyway but I've rarely heard of him showing any interest in a woman again – until you came along.”

“Look, Noelene, I don't think–”

Noelene patted her arm. “I'm just saying what I see. He's a better match for you than Ed.” She straightened up and glanced at her
watch. “Madam Felicity must have left early. I'd better get back and help with the end-of-day stocktake. I didn't tell Peter where I was going. Can you switch off the lights and let yourself out?”

Taylor nodded. Noelene hurried away then stopped and turned back.

“How about you come visit me at the cellar door tomorrow? I could do with your help.”

Before Taylor could answer she was gone. Taylor stared at the space Noelene had vacated. She heard the outer door close. The room settled into silence around her. Taylor rested her elbows on the table and put her head in her hands. She did like Pete. She liked him a lot but something always came up to make a barrier between them. She thought about what Noelene had said about the two brothers both liking Felicity.

Taylor had never fallen for the same guy as her sister. They were poles apart in taste but she'd always worn Gemma's hand-me-downs. These days Taylor wasn't one to fuss about clothes too much. She was happy to shop in chain stores and look for bargains as long as they were new. She had an aversion to hand-me-downs. Gemma still mailed her the odd fancy jacket or expensive blouse. Taylor put them straight in the charity bin.

Maybe that was how Pete felt too. Perhaps he was tired of his brother's cast-offs and that included women. She felt warm at the thought of it. If only she'd met Pete first. Things might have been a lot different. She dug her fingers into her scalp.

“What a mess,” she groaned.

Pete pushed the plunger down through the grapes. It gave him some satisfaction to imagine it was Ed he was forcing to the bottom rather than the grape skins. He eased the plunger up carefully, alarmed at his reaction. Was he capable of violence against his brother? He rolled his shoulders and plunged again. He knew the answer was no but that didn't curb his anger. Then again there was no way he wanted to taint what would one day be his icon wine with all that anger.

Damn Ed. He'd picked the worst possible time to drop his bombshell. Not that any time would be a good time to find out your brother, who owned the majority share of your business, was selling it off, but Pete couldn't spare a minute to leave and seek advice. He had no chance to make a trip to Adelaide or Mount Gambier to ask for independent professional help. He didn't even have time to call someone – providing he knew exactly what to ask them.

Pete stepped along the board and plunged again. It was hard work with only him and Antoine knowing the NS18 was in the old cement fermenters. It meant they had to do all the plunging and be secretive about it. Ed had said he'd given up the idea of selling the new cabernet now that he was selling his share of the winery but Pete didn't trust him. Besides Antoine, only Ben and Howard knew. The former was busy on the farm and the latter too old to do the work. There was no-one else he could ask, not even Taylor.

It hurt to think he couldn't trust her but he didn't know which side of the fence she was on. She'd known Ed first. He pictured her ready smile and thought about all the things she'd done since arriving at the winery. She'd thrown herself into life at Wriggly Creek
with no complaint. He wouldn't have known about things like the broken washing machine if it hadn't been for Antoine. He'd hardly seen Taylor over the weekend. She had either been at the cellar door with Noelene or off the vineyard altogether. He'd noticed her van go in and out a few times. From what he could tell they'd all avoided each other. He'd not seen Ed at all for the last two days. With the start of a new week he'd have to be in the office today and Pete had asked Antoine to get Taylor to assist him. With any luck they could all keep avoiding each other.

“No-one has come in for my cake this morning.”

Edward looked up from his desk to Felicity's pouting face at his door. “They must all be busy.” He gave her a nod. “I'll have some in a minute.”

The pout was replaced by a smile. “I'll put the kettle on.”

The mobile on his desk vibrated. Edward leaned forward to peer at it. He didn't recognise the number. He pressed the green answer button.

“Hello?”

“I'm not happy about losing those cabernet grapes.”

Edward tensed. Archer must be using a different phone. Edward got up and moved to his door. There was no sign of Felicity. He pushed it to. “I know but I've explained it, Angus. It's out of my hands.”

He held his phone away from his ear as the big man shouted obscenities. Once he paused Edward cut in. “I told you I can let you have some of our other cabernet.”

“I don't want your crap grapes. I can get cabernet from anyone in Coonawarra. You promised me the NS18. I'm giving you one last chance to come good on your promise or your name will be mud around here. By the time I'm finished no-one will want to buy Wriggly Creek wine except for some poor unsuspecting tourist.”

Angus Archer was a big man, full of huff and puff. Edward put on a placating tone. “To tell the truth Angus, you wouldn't want it anyway.”

“Why not?”

“It wasn't as good as Peter was playing it up to be.”

“It tested fine here.”

“Well, I'm not sure what went wrong on the day but he's not happy with it.” Edward paused trying to think of something else he could say to put Angus off. “He says he's going to blend it.”

“With what?”

“Some of our other cabernet, I assume.”

“He's a fool. The flavour and tannin development in those berries was on the right track to being a darn good crop. We would have made a cracker wine with it!”

“Unfortunately as I told you Peter went behind my back. I've apologised, I don't know what else I can do.”

“You'll make it up to me, Edward. I can assure you.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No, just reminding you that you owe me a favour now. A big one.”

The phone went dead. Edward looked at the blank screen. He tossed the phone onto his desk. Whatever Angus said it didn't matter to him anymore.

He got up, went to his office window and looked out across the vines now stripped of their fruit and taking on their autumn colours. Once more he marvelled at Peter's daring. If someone had warned Edward his brother would go behind his back he would have laughed at them. He hoped this new Peter wouldn't call his bluff on the sale of the winery. Edward had already made a mess of one deal, he didn't want to destroy another.

“You're kidding me?” Taylor's eyes widened at the sight below her. She was standing on the metal parapet next to a red wine fermenter that had just been emptied.

Antoine chuckled beside her. “You said you'd help me today.”

“You really want me to climb down there and shovel out those…those.” She pointed a finger at the mush of skins and seeds
that remained in the bottom of the ferment tank.

“Skins,” Antoine said.

Taylor wrinkled her nose.

“So you're not keen?” he asked.

“I'll do it,” Taylor said with a confidence she didn't feel.

“Great. You shovel the skins into the bins and I'll take the bins to the press.”

“What for?”

“We can still extract wine from them.”

Taylor looked down at the mess below her once more. She was going to trudge around in it and they were going to use it to make wine. She shook her head and wondered at the wines she'd been drinking.

“We don't waste anything,” Antoine said. “We have a farmer that comes and takes the mark.”

“Takes his mark?”

“The mark. It's what we call the dried skins. He feeds them to his cattle. Peter is very strong on recycling.”

Taylor shook her head. “Okay. Let's get started.”

“Do you want an old shirt to put over your t-shirt?”

Taylor looked down at the pale blue shirt she'd tossed on with her daggiest jeans. These clothes were already stained from plunging. “Don't worry. These are old clothes.”

Antoine looked at her shoes. Most of the jobs she'd done she'd managed in her track shoes. “We'd better find you some boots and a CO
₂
counter,” he said.

“What's that for?”

“Ferments cause a lot of carbon dioxide. It can kill you.”

Taylor gawped at him. This was sounding better and better.

“You can't get into a tank without a counter.”

“So it will warn me if there's too much gas?”

“Don't worry. It'll beep like crazy. You'll be fine. Just get out as quickly as you can. I'll be within hearing distance.”

Taylor gave him a brief nod. She hoped she appeared confident but there was still a lot she didn't understand.

In no time at all she was at the bottom of the fermenter shovelling the remains of the grapes into a bin. The smell was overpowering, as if she was bathing in strong wine. Taylor put her back into it. Working at the winery had developed muscles she didn't know she had, something to be thankful for – maybe.

She had hoped to put the finishing touches to the business plan she'd worked on over the weekend but Antoine kept her busy for most of the day. It was hard physical work and by the end of it she was exhausted and sticky from head to toe. She wasn't looking forward to preparing dinner. Not that she'd bother to cook for anyone but her and Antoine. If Ed or Pete had the audacity to turn up for a meal tonight she just might empty one of their bottles of wine over their heads.

“That's it.” Antoine had worked hard too but he looked decidedly clean beside her. “We can finish up for the day.”

“Good.” Taylor put her hands on the back of her hips and stretched forward and back.

“How about we go in to the pub for dinner tonight?”

“You're joking! Look at me.”

“After you've cleaned up.” Antoine smiled at her. “I'd like to pay. You've cooked for me so many times.”

Taylor opened her mouth to protest then changed her mind. “Sounds good.”

She was exhausted but a shower would brighten her up and she'd like nothing better than to get away from Wriggly Creek for a while. With Antoine she could relax, be herself and not think, and there'd be time in the morning to have a last look at her plan. Noelene had come up with an idea for tomorrow and Taylor was nervous. It involved getting her together with Ed and Pete so she could present her plan. As she'd said to Noelene she could present her ideas well enough but it was getting the Starr brothers to listen
that would be the problem.

Edward looked up from the paper he was reading. Noelene stood in his office doorway.

“What are you doing here on your day off?”

“I've been trying to catch up with you.” She came right in and shut the door behind her. “Something at the cellar door I want you to see.”

“Then why have you closed the door?”

Noelene pulled up a chair opposite him. “I want to have a chat first.”

“About?” Edward leaned back in his chair and tapped the tips of his fingers together.

“What's this I hear about you selling your share of the winery?”

“It's none of your business, Noelene.”

She lifted her chin, her eyebrows rose and she pinned him with one of her don't-mess-with-me looks.

Edward shrugged. “I'm tired of working towards nothing. We need capital. Peter won't agree to any of my suggestions.”

“If there was a way to avoid this Chinese takeover would you try it?”

“It's not a takeover.” Edward slapped his hand against his thigh. “Peter and I will never agree. I'm tired of banging my head against a brick wall for little return. He can have it on his own. It's time for me to try something else.”

“Like what?”

“I don't know yet but selling my share will give Peter and me both the opportunity to try our own thing.”

“That's debatable, but anyway, like I said, if there was an
alternative would you try it?”