“I look forward to meeting him.” Payson feltherself smiling naturally; she was starting to feel her inherentoptimism shining through her gloomy mental clouds. She'd felt sotearful and cranky since Ronan left. Cara was right, this was agreat idea.
Alain led the way in through the large, heavywooden door into a cozy foyer. Payson was already charmed by theplace. The rustic tile floor and French country wooden entry table,circa late 1700’s, next to an artfully re-purposed wine-bottle coatrack sealed the deal.
Directly in front of her, there was a widedoorway that clearly led to the rest of the main house, and oneither side of the foyer were two narrow wooden stairwells. He ledthem up the creaky, worn-smooth stairs to the right and led herdown a large white hallway.
A weathered blue rug, pastoral paintings andphotographs of the region lined the walls of the sunny hallway. Aclassic old European home. They passed a sitting room, guest rooms,bathroom, and eventually the door on the end opened into a largeguest suite.
“This will be your suite; as you are our onlyguest at the moment, you will have a fair amount of privacy. We aretypically full to the brim during the summer and fall months;friends and business associates mostly, but we rent out rooms on acase by case basis.” He walked Payson into the room and set herbackpack down on an ornately carved high-backed bench just insidethe doorway.
Enchanted, Payson immediately went to theterrace, opening the French doors to let in the fresh, cool springair. “This is wonderful. Thank you, Alain.”
“Nicolas and my living quarters are in theopposite wing. To reach the dining and common rooms, simply headback down the stairs and through that wide doorway you saw in thefoyer. Please, make yourself at home. Will you be feeling up todinner in an hour or so?”
Charmed, Payson was quickly finding hersecond wind. “That sounds wonderful. I’ll wander down and findyou.”
After Alain left her, Payson took a moment toexplore the grand room. Darkly weathered plank floors andcontrasting white walls created an inviting, old-world effect, withan expansive green and beige wool area rug and more pastoralpaintings warming up the space. A large, ornate wooden bed withlacy white sheets and bedding took up one wall. An oversizedfireplace, nearly big enough to stand in, took up much of theopposite wall, with two cozy leather chairs on either side, and asmall brass side table sat in between.
To the right was the bathroom, and to theleft was a small table with wrought iron chairs for two that sat infront of the glass doors leading out to a small deck. Despite thecool air, she spent a few minutes gazing across the landscape. Thesmall deck was adorable. Constructed of iron and wood, it had justenough room to sit and sip a glass of wine and watch the sun setover the vineyard. She suspected the table and chairs residedoutside on the small deck in the warmer months.
Payson indulged in a quick shower beforedinner. As inviting as the rest of the house, the bathroom hadweathered clay tile floors, sky blue throw rugs, a double vanitysink made from a converted antique dresser. She helped herself tothe lavender scented lotion to ease her sore muscles from long daysof travel. She took some mental notes on how she could improve herown bathroom, loving the clawfoot tub and blue lace shower curtainthat was delicate without being gaudy.
Slipping on a soft cotton dress and lightsweater, she made her way down the creaking staircase for dinner. Astranger waited at the table, a massive figure with jet black hairand a neatly trimmed week’s growth of beard. The man was solidmuscle. She was nearly intimidated, but his mouth turned up in awelcoming smile as she entered the room.
“You must be Payson,” he said as he stoodfrom his chair. “I am Nicolas, Alain’s husband. Will you pleasejoin me? Alain was held up in the kitchen; we have a regular cookas we have guests so frequently, but Alain enjoys adding hispersonal touches to the meal.” He welcomed her with a kiss on eachcheek as Alain had. He was so massive, she felt rather tinystanding next to him.
Payson relaxed at the easy conversation. Sheenjoyed hearing him tell her about the wine they make and thehistory of the house and vineyards. Alain entered a few momentslater with hors d’oeuvres and a bottle of wine.
Eyeing the wine, she realized she couldn’tkeep her pregnancy a secret. Before he could pour her a glass, shegrimaced, “I am very sad to turn down a glass of your wine, as Ihave really been looking forward to trying some. I quite recentlydiscovered that I am pregnant.”
What crappy luck, staying at a gorgeousFrench vineyard and unable drink the wine. Bad enough being allalone with an MIA baby-daddy, but she couldn’t even enjoy her tripas she would have liked.
Bubbling with congratulations, Alain insteadpoured her a glass of sparkling water. “That is so very exciting.Your young man that you told me about, he was unable to come?”
“Yes. Ronan was pulled away for work quitesuddenly, which is why I took the opportunity to come now or I’llgo crazy waiting. I just found out about the pregnancy a few daysago; he doesn’t even know yet.”
“We are happy to keep you company while he isaway and to celebrate with you.” Alain toasted her water with hiswine.
The trio enjoyed friendly banter through aspectacular dinner. The dining room was as marvelous as the rest ofthe house. Comfortable for ten or twelve guests, the table lookedto be from an old friary perhaps, with ornate benches at each side.The setting sun cast a pleasant orange glow in the room.
For the first time in weeks, she was feelingat ease. Her worries weren’t entirely at the forefront, for now. Ashred of hope that she wouldn’t cry and be lonely forever.
As a beautiful dessert ofPears BelleHelenewas served, Alain asked, “Payson, you have not told ushow you met yourpetit-ami. Was it romantic?”
At that, Payson laughed. As much as it hadbeen hurting to even think about him, she found it reviving to talkabout him now. “Not at all. When I met him, he was recovering froma train wreck he had barely survived in Germany. He was a downrightirritable jerk when I met him. Surly, short-tempered, hair andbeard wild.”
She shook her head with an ironic smile asshe described the p.c. version of their meeting. No one had everasked that before, as they were still so fresh. Despite her angerat him, it helped to talk about him.
“His mother convinced him to help me in theshop; my stockroom was in terrible need of re-organization.” Imagesflashed through her head as she recollected watching him come backto life; smiling more, teasing her, kissing her despite his ownreluctance. “Eventually, he started to come back to life and, well,the rest is history.” She took her first bite of the spectacularpear dish, letting the delectable concoction melt in her mouth.
“And what does he do for work that has calledhim away so suddenly?” Nicolas asked, sipping the last of hiswine.
“Something with computers. I’m not entirelysure to be honest. He doesn’t like to talk about his past.” Notknowing quite how to explain Ronan, she turned the questionsaround, “How did you two meet?”
They two shared an ironic look, Nicolasreached across the table to join hands with Alain as he answeredher question. “Until about five years ago, we both served in theCommandement des Operations Speciales; you would know itbetter as special forces. We had travelled all over the world, bothin different battalions. Not long before Alain was injured, I wasassigned to assist his elite unit on a top-secret mission; I speakmany languages, you see, in addition to some other… particularskills.” He paused, looking to Alain.
Payson interrupted with a friendly chuckle,“That was not exactly what I would have guessed, for an antiquesdealer and a vintner. What happened on the mission, if you don’tmind me asking?”
Alain continued for Nicolas, “The mission wasa success, but I was wounded as we made our way to the extractionpoint. Nicolas wouldn’t leave me. In the midst of gunfire allaround us, he tossed me over his shoulder and ran for thehelicopter. We made it back just in the nick of time. Entire placeexploded as our helicopter pulled away.”
