Page 50 of Drowned in the Pleasure of a Devilish Baron
Monsieur Dubois was in the longest of the buildings, marching its length and throwing orders in rapid French. The men he had brought in were professionals, straight-faced, focused on nothing but the work, and barely able to speak a lick of English. Felix grinned as he took it all in. When Monsieur Dubois noticed him, he made his way to greet him.
“Ah, the new member of the elite world of wine!” he said, arms wide. “And beer and mead as well,” he added in a laughing aside.
Felix clasped the winemaker’s arm. “How goes it in here? When will we be ready to begin?”
“Why, Sir Felix, we’ve already begun!” Monsieur Dubois led him to the back corner, where a row of large barrels filled with a sharp-smelling liquid smoked gently. “Your first beer store.”
Felix inhaled sharply, recognizing now the smell of yeast. Two men were climbing the ladders leading to the top of the barrels and hoisting thick wooden covers overtop.
“Now we wait two days,” Monsieur Dubois held up two fingers. “Then we bottle and seal, keep for five days.”
“And then?”
“And then we drink!” Monsieur Dubois said expansively, pulling his flask from his inner jacket pocket and taking a swig.
“You mean sell.” Felix smiled and shook his head when offered a swig of his own from the flask.
“No, I mean drink,” he waged a finger at him. “The first batch, we must drink to check the taste, improve the recipe, and process. It is the only way to ensure the product before selling.”
“Surely we could taste just a few of the bottles and sell the rest,” Felix eyed the large barrels, mentally calculating the number of bottles that would be created from their production.
“It is tradition, monsieur. You must drink the first batch.”
“And the mead?”
“It will be eight months before it can be tasted,” he wiped his hands on his coat and went back to yelling in French at the workmen.
Felix, recognizing that he was only in the way, stepped back outside just in time to see Leonard arrive atop Beauty.
“Felix!” Leonard dismounted swiftly, tying up Beauty himself as there was no stablehand here to take over. “The land! It looks wonderful!”
“Wait until you see inside!” Felix called back. “We will have beer ready to drink in just a week’s time!”
The two spent a happy afternoon poking their heads in where they were not wanted, getting underfoot of the workers, and irritating Monsieur Dubois with their questions. As dusk began to fall, the three made their way to the cottage for dinner and a bottle of Leonard’s finest, which had become their tradition the past week of work.
The cottage was much busier than it had been before. Leonard had insisted that as part of the loan money he had received, Felix would have to hire more help in the house. Gone were the days of Mrs. Clay and a part-time cook, he now had a butler, a full-time cook, and two maids. If things took off as he hoped, he would have to hire even more help; but for now, this felt like more than enough.
The extra hands were needed. One of the smaller buildings had been converted into a dining hall of sorts for the workers, and the maids helped run simple meals out to them throughout the day. Young Harriet was still in charge, but Mrs. Clay was back on her feet once more and able now to supervise and help with some smaller tasks.
It was a busy house, filled with noise and the sounds of work being done. Felix had not realized until it had become so that he had been desperately isolated and lonely in the silent, empty cottage once Juliet had left. These days, Felix ate like a horse and slept like the dead, and spent his days hard at work with thoughts of Sarah always on his mind.
“Let’s talk release,” Leonard said, dropping into the chair at the table that had become his over the past few days. Today, Juliet and Baby George had joined him, giving the house an extra glow of warmth. She sat at Leonard’s side, the baby cradled gently in her lap.
“Let me hold my nephew, then,” Felix said as he sat across from them, holding out his hands.
“Ah, but can I trust you?” Juliet quirked a smile. “Those big, dirty hands of yours?” She turned loving eyes back to her little boy. “I think he had better stay right here.”
Felix tapped his foot expectantly until she finally tore her eyes from her baby and met his with a laugh.
“Oh, all right then,” she sighed playfully and handed the baby over. George had an extra heft to him now that he had passed the one-year milestone, and his eyes were brighter and quicker by the day. Felix bounced him on his lap, sucking in his cheeks and blowing puffs of air into the delighted little boy’s face, who reached chubby hands to try and grab the air.
“What a clever boy,” Felix said, slowing the bouncing now, and almost immediately George drooped, his eyes closing. “He must take after his father, then.” He shot a joking look at Leonard, who stifled a laugh.
“Give him here, now,” Juliet rolled her eyes and took back the sleepy child, nestling him expertly into the crook of her arm as his eyes closed again. “And that’s enough of your nonsense.”
The table was served wine, one bottle alone left behind for the resident wine expert, who poured himself a glass and drank deeply.
“Back to business?” He fixed them all with a glare.
