Between the Vines (27 page)

Taylor paid and started handing out the drinks. She wasn't used to such close scrutiny and she wasn't sure she liked it. She joined the group again. Everyone was chatting and she felt on the outer with nothing to contribute to the conversation. Before she knew it her glass was empty again.

“This is my round,” Tom said.

Tracey and Carol waved a hand over their glasses and kept
talking.

“More of the same?” Tom nodded at her empty glass.

“Sure.” She handed it over.

Eric moved to include Taylor in the group of blokes. “Antoine said you're from Adelaide.”

“That's home.”

“Trace and I have spent a few weekends there since we've been in Coonawarra. We were up there a few weeks ago for a couple of Fringe shows. We had a blast.”

“There's lots happening at this time of year.” Taylor had a pang of regret. If she was still in Adelaide she would have gone to a few shows with Cass and some of the other girls.

Tom came back with the drinks. Taylor took a swig of her sparkling.

“We saw this guy who was a contortionist.” Eric described the guy's actions. Carol left and Tracey joined in. They were all laughing and joking and Taylor felt herself relaxing at last. By the time Antoine bought the next round she was enjoying herself immensely.

When Eric said they were leaving Taylor was very disappointed. “Do you have to go? The night's still young.”

“Early start tomorrow,” Eric said.

“Great to meet you, Taylor.” Tracey squeezed her hand. “Let's catch up again soon.”

“I'm not going yet.” Tom put a hand on her shoulder.

“Me either,” Antoine said. “I've got the morning off tomorrow.”

“Must be time for shots then.” Taylor pulled out her wallet. “My turn to buy.”

Taylor groaned and stretched. She was cold and stiff. The back seat of her van wasn't comfortable at all but she hadn't noticed when she'd crawled in during the early hours of the morning. Now, as the first rays of the morning sun gave the sky a pink glow, every part of her ached. She pulled the old rug tighter around her shoulders and
sat up. Her head pounded and her mouth was so dry her tongue stuck to it.

At her feet she saw a red-and-white-striped top hat. She groaned again and put her head in her hands. Why had she started drinking shots? She had a vague recollection of whipping the barman's hat from his head. She scrabbled forward and grabbed the water bottle from the console beside the driver's seat. She drained what was left in it and tossed the empty bottle aside.

“Damn! You said you'd never do this again, Taylor.”

She peered through the windscreen. Hers wasn't the only vehicle in the hotel car park but she could see no other signs of life. She got out of the van and shuddered as the crisp morning air chilled her through the rug draped over her shoulders.

In the driver's seat, she started the engine and eased out of the car park. She frowned and peered right. She waited as one car came towards her and then another and then still more cars came. A weird and wonderful collection, mostly older vehicles that had seen better days. Was it some kind of rally?

Finally she pulled into a gap between a faded orange kombi van and a beat-up ute. She went with the strange convoy along the highway and turned off at the Wiggly Creek road. In her rear-view mirror the convoy continued on along the highway. When she glanced back the next time there wasn't a vehicle to be seen. She blinked her bleary eyes and put a hand to her throbbing forehead. Perhaps she really had fallen down the rabbit hole.

“Well, here she is: the talk of the town.” Felicity's voice was singsong but there was a hard edge to it.

Taylor stopped in the doorway between the winery and the lunchroom. She'd forgotten it was Monday morning tea. A container of Felicity's cake sat open on the table and the others sat around it. They were all there, Pete and Ed, Antoine and Felicity, even Noelene. It was only ten o'clock and the cellar door didn't open for another hour. All eyes were on her.

“I hear you had a great time at the pub on Friday night.” Ed added another reminder of her terrible night. She'd felt rotten all weekend both physically and emotionally and now she was to be humiliated further.

Noelene stood up. “You young ones. You like to let your hair down sometimes don't you? Can I make you a cup of tea or coffee?”

“Tea, thanks, Noelene.”

“Have a seat.” Antoine patted the chair next to his.

Taylor gave him a grateful smile. They'd had a lot of fun until she'd drunk too much. Her memory of what happened towards the end of the night was a bit hazy – there was dancing and at one stage she'd snatched Terry's hat and worn it for the rest of the night – but she'd have remembered if either Felicity or Ed had been there. She also felt sure Antoine wasn't a gossip. Not in her case anyway. She sat down next to him.

“Evidently you can drink as well as any, according to Terry.” Felicity fixed her with a smug smile.

Ah, so that was it. Terry the barman was obviously the one with
the loose lips. Come to think of it they were rather large lips. “Terry must have led a sheltered life,” Taylor said.

“He's never been out of the district.” Noelene put a cup of tea in front of Taylor. “Piece of cake? It's orange and Felicity has excelled herself. She's actually managed to keep it moist.”

Felicity opened her mouth. A puzzled frown creased her brow and she glared at Noelene through narrowed eyes.

Taylor sucked in her bottom lip to hold in a laugh. She had to award that round to Noelene.

“It's delicious.” Pete lifted his plate towards Noelene as she cut a slice for Taylor. “I'd like some more if I may, thanks.”

“Won't be any leftovers today.” Noelene put a plate in front of Taylor and lifted a slice onto Pete's plate.

A phone rang in the background. No-one moved.

“That's your job to answer the phone, isn't it Felicity?” Noelene's eyebrows made their perfect arches.

Felicity leapt to her feet and crossed the room.

“Leave your dishes,” Noelene called after her. “We'll do them for you.”

There was silence in the lunchroom as they heard the distant voice of Felicity answering the call.

Ed stood and gave the older woman a peck on the cheek. “You can be a bit naughty sometimes, Noelene. Thanks for making the cuppa. I'm off.”

He went in the direction of his office but Taylor could see from where she sat that he passed the door and went on into the reception area.

“I'd better go too,” Noelene said. “I have the stocktake to finish yet. Sorry to leave the dishes but I'm sure you'll manage, Taylor.”

“Of course.”

Noelene set off towards the reception area as well and Antoine got to his feet.

“Just a minute, Antoine.” Pete's voice was low. Antoine stopped and they both turned to Pete. Taylor thought he looked tired. Then she was
hardly the one to talk. She'd seen her own haggard reflection in the mirror that morning. She was still recovering from Friday night.

Pete looked towards the reception area. They could still hear Felicity talking to someone, presumably on the phone.

“What is it?” Antoine asked.

Taylor's heart pounded in her chest. Pete was looking edgy. Was he giving her the flick? But if that was the case why would he keep Antoine around?

“We're going to pick the NS18 on Wednesday.”

Antoine grinned and sat down again. “By hand?”

“Yes. I hoped you'd both be up for it.”

“Picking grapes?” Taylor felt a flood of relief.

“Yes. I want this crop to be hand-picked.”

“I'd love to help.” Taylor smiled at him and was pleased to see him smile back.

“That's not all.” Once more Pete glanced in the direction of the front office. They could no longer hear Felicity speaking. He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “I know this sounds a little strange but I'm asking you both another favour. I want you to keep this to yourselves.”

“Of course,” Antoine said.

Pete stared at Antoine. “By that I mean not Ed or Felicity or Noelene. I don't want you to talk to anyone about it.”

Antoine looked uncomfortable. “Are we doing something we shouldn't?”

“Of course not. The grapes have to be picked. Ed and I are not in agreement on the how that's all. When it comes to business decisions Ed has the final say.”

“So you're going ahead with the partnership?”

“How do you know about that?”

Antoine's cheeks coloured. “I was in the lunchroom the other day and Ed was talking on the phone to someone about it.”

“It's not decided yet.”

“I'm sorry.” Antoine shifted in his chair. “I couldn't help but hear him.”

“Don't worry about it. Ed wants to buy more land and I'm hoping we can find other ways to do it without the need for a partnership. Anyway, when it comes to the winemaking he has to defer to me. Sometimes that's not easy. I'm making it easy for him in this case.”

“By keeping him in the dark until it's a fait accompli.” Taylor pursed her lips.

“Exactly. It will all work out okay.”

Antoine stood up. “I'm no good at this secretive stuff.” He gave Pete a pat on the shoulder. “I will do my best, my friend. I'll see you later.”

“Thanks, Antoine.”

Pete waited while Antoine let himself back into the winery then he turned the full force of his gaze on Taylor. She tried to calm the turmoil that look generated inside her. She reminded herself that she was his Good Samaritan project.

“Fine with me.” Her voice was almost a whisper. Her mouth felt dry. It certainly didn't matter to her. The only person she might have spoken to between now and Wednesday was Noelene. It was only two days. Taylor would keep her mouth shut about the grape picking. She took a sip of tea. “Does this have something to do with those men I saw looking at the vines the other day?”

“Maybe. There are some things I don't know myself.”

He reached across and put a hand on hers. She relished the feel of it but knew it was there only out of kindness.

“I worry we've dragged you into something you'd rather not be a part of.”

“We?”

“Ed and I.”

“I'm a big girl, Pete. I can take care of myself.”

“Was that what you were doing at the pub on Friday night?”

She snatched her hand away.

“I'm not criticising you,” he said. “I'm worried we've driven you to–
”

“Drink?” Taylor cut him off.

“No…maybe.” He looked flustered. “I don't know.”

She couldn't help but smile at the confusion on his face. “Don't worry, Pete. I'm fine. I let my hair down a little too far on Friday night. It won't happen again.”

“I'm not judging you.”

“I know.” This time she put her hand on his. She looked earnestly into his eyes. What she saw there made her go weak at the knees. Somehow she had to make him see her as a potential friend rather than a rescue project. “Friday night was a mistake. I don't want to be that person anymore.”

“Phone for you, Peter.”

They both jumped apart at the sharp sound of Felicity's voice. She peered around the wall frame waving a cordless handset at Pete.

“Coming.” He stood up. “See you tonight, Taylor.”

“Tonight?”

“I'm still counting on one of your care packages.”

“Oh, the meal. Of course. Hope you don't mind tuna mornay again?”

“Sounds good.” He strode towards Felicity who handed over the phone, gave Taylor a glare and went back to her office.

Taylor sipped some more tea and ate the cake. Noelene was right. It was both moist and flavoursome. She made her way to the sink. Antoine had at least rinsed his own cup and plate. She ran water in the sink while Pete sat at the table behind her deep in conversation with whoever was on the phone.

Pete paced his office, up and back. He'd come up with an idea for making sure Ed would be off the property tomorrow. He just didn't feel good about any of it. First, getting Ed away from the place was based on a lie, and second, hand-picking the cab sauv without telling him was devious behaviour. Pete had never worked like that before. They didn't always see eye to eye but they were usually honest with each other.

Pete had enlisted Antoine's help in the end. Tonight one of the pumps was going to have a breakdown and Ed would need to go to Naracoorte first thing Wednesday morning to get the part. Pete would have preferred to start picking at first light, instead they'd have to wait until Ed left and the trip wouldn't keep him away long but the job would be well and truly underway by the time he got back.

Now Pete's stomach was in knots. He was no good at deception. The door banged outside his office. He jumped. Damn, he'd be a gibbering mess by the time he had to speak to Ed. Footsteps echoed along the passage then back in his direction.

“Hello.” He spun at Taylor's call. She was standing in the doorway, looking the glowing picture of health. Much better than she had yesterday. “Is something wrong?”

“No.” Pete sucked in a breath. He had to pull himself together.

“Do you have a list for me today?”

He looked at the papers on his desk then reached over and plucked one from the top. “I was just working on it. I need you to do the next and the last plunging of the shiraz.”

“Right.”

“The rest is the same as usual.” He handed over the paper and moved to the window that looked out over the NS18 vines. He'd had
another look at the grapes with Howard first thing this morning. They'd sampled and tested. The time was right. Everything was in place for a six o'clock start tomorrow morning. He just had to get Ed away from the place. His stomach churned with anticipation and guilt.