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bad enough she’d preferred to work for Aurélien. But the decision could be explained as a girl’s whim, as well as a temporary need for independence. Though Dominique loved her sister, she didn’t understand her. Laurène seemed to have adapted to Aurélien’s temper and Jules’s indifference. She did seem to find Jules attractive. Or at least she had. Dominique no longer knew.
    There are too many people around here, she thought, while in Mazion, Dad has to do basically everything by himself. … It’s ridiculous. … Those darn Laverzacs think the world revolves around them. …
    She knew she was being unfair, having been the first to abandon her father in a way. She sighed, and in his sleep Alexandre reached out for her.
    If only Aurélien would let Alexandre go … We’d be so much happier there. … I’d have to talk to Jules about it first. …
    The idea of taking up the issue with her brother-in-law scared her. Jules was always polite to her, sometimes even quite kind, but Dominique knew him to be inflexible with everything having to do with Fonteyne.
    If only Alex wasn’t so spineless, if he rocked the boat now and then, maybe Jules would be more inclined to get rid of him. …
    She snuggled against Alexandre, depressed at not having a solution. From up close she could see her husband’s face, its fine and regular features. She caressed his silky blond hair, and he slowly awakened.
    “What time is it?” he asked, yawning.
    She didn’t answer. Soon enough, it would be time to return to her tasks, the vineyard, the family …
    Aurélien was already at his desk when Laurène came in.
    “Well,” he said curtly, “should I run these numbers or are you going to do it?”
    She smiled, and he felt like he was melting.
    “Did you go for a walk, honey?” he asked, in an altogether different tone of voice.
    “I went down to the woods. I needed some fresh air. It’s so hot today.”
    Aurélien laughed benevolently.
    “You sound like a tourist,” he joked. “Like a Parisian. You know as well as I do that we need all the sun we can get. … Here, these are the things I need you to do for me.”
    He pointed at a stack of paperwork on the corner of the desk. She bent over to pick it up and he looked aside, embarrassed that he still found her so pretty.
    “Alex is going to Bordeaux tomorrow, to negotiate with Amel. Prepare an outline for him, will you? He’s not used to it.”
    “Alex?”
    As Laurène’s eyes grew wide, Aurélien explained.
    “He won’t do as well as Jules, I know, but he’s going to be fine. He needs a little encouragement.”
    A short rap on the door preceded Jules’s entrance.
    “Did you have a good nap?” the young man asked, out of habit.
    “I guess. … Listen, I was just telling Laurène …” Aurélien hesitated for just a second before adding, “Alex is going to Bordeaux instead of you tomorrow. I’m going to need you here.”
    Impassive, Jules nodded. If he wanted to protest, Aurélien knew, he wouldn’t do it in front of Laurène.
    “I want you to take a look at this report,” Aurélien continued, “and tell me what you think. My calculations, especially. Everything has to be perfect.”
    Jules sat across the desk from his father and opened the manila folder. Aurélien straightened in his chair to watch Jules going over the columns of figures.
    “I’m going to buy you some boots for your thirtieth birthday, okay?” he said.
    Though it was an old joke, Jules smiled. Aurélien paid his sons very handsomely for their work on the estate.
    “What do you do with your money, son? You stash it away like a squirrel? You’re never going to invest a cent in a decent wardrobe?”
    Aurélien was laughing, but Jules sprang to his feet without finishing the report.
    “You want me to go change?”
    Taken aback, Aurélien glared at Jules.
    “As a matter of fact,” he said, not to lose face, “why don’t you do that?”
    Both men locked eyes for a moment, and then Aurélien