10 ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
So it came that some discussions were now necessary to establish what should and what could be done to reignite the vineyard, a plan was needed. All agreed that they would meet with Bernard in his room at midday, the following day to see how to go about this massive project. That evening, Steve walked with Camile about the estate as it was so pleasant outside. They held hands and chatted, occasionally stopping to say something, then moving on, they walked about aimlessly really. They returned to the house quite late, around nine thirty, and everyone including the maid had gone to bed. They sat in the lounge chatting on the sofa, cuddling and they kissed. Camile got up and turned the lights right down low and returned to Steve on the sofa. The kissing became more passionate so much so that now it had gone past the point of no return. After a few minutes, Camile stood up, she still held Steve’s hand. She said nothing, no sound at all, just cocked her head and nodded towards the door, pulling his hand. He promptly jumped up and followed closely behind her, she was still pulling him along by his hand. They went upstairs, along the landing with beautiful paintings on each side. Then at the end of the passage was the door to Camile’s bedroom. He pulled her back,
“no, we can’t” he whispered.
She ignored him and pulled him harder so he would have to go into her room. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, she sat on the bed. Momentarily, Steve was admiring the room, it really was like a luxury suite in the best hotel, with its own bathroom. She told him to draw the curtains, they were huge, from floor to ceiling and he also turned off the main lights, leaving just a bedside lamp on and went to her on the bed. This was the moment they had both been secretly waiting for, their relationship began in that café and it was love at first sight and since that day, they both had a strong sexual desire towards each other. So they were both looking at each other, they were fired up, ready for the ensuing inevitably steamy activity. They wasted no time, no more pecks on the cheek, Camile removed all of her clothes and lay on the bed, Steve did the same, he looked at her body in the low light and he could see her nipples were erect, he was ready and the ambience was full of sexual yearning. There was no fumbling, they both knew what they wanted. Steve removed all his clothes and lay next to her, she put her arm across his chest and began to kiss him all over his navel. He really felt he was dreaming, it was ecstasy for them both. He gently pushed her off him, then lay across her, he kissed her nipples. His hand slid slowly and softly down her navel until he felt that special soft skin, she wriggled and writhed like a snake. She reached down and touched him, gently. When they could stand no more, she forcefully pushed him over onto his back and mounted him. She took him and then the wriggling started, faster, the rhythm came and they were kissing, giving each other so much pleasure, it was ecstatic, she leaned forward over his face, her nipples were touching his face, he kissed them. They were so aroused, it was not too long before the rhythm became so fast, and the moaning from the pleasure and the groaning became louder - and then it stopped almost instantly, as she lay on him shaking. He too felt that wonderful intense feeling going through him. They stayed locked like that for several minutes, before she eventually slowly rolled off him. He kissed her and kissed her, it was all still very passionate for some time. And so it had happened, they were now lovers and proud of it. They were connected, it made them so happy. He did not stay after, they agreed it would be better if he stayed in the guest room.
In the kitchen the next morning, they were standing holding each other, whispering and giggling when mother walked in.
“Hello” she said looking at both of them smiling.
It was almost as if she knew what had gone on last night, but of course she didn’t. Some conversation started again between Camile and mother, while Steve just listened hopelessly to their foreign chatter. After a few minutes Camile took Steve’s hand out into the courtyard and they sat down at the table in the early morning sun.
“Today is the beginning again for our wine, you have influenced me and my family and you are very special to me” she said to him seriously.
Steve was quite taken by this and his face went red, he stood up and kissed her.
“Then we need to get started!” he said and walked back inside.
They had agreed to meet with Bernard at midday so they had time to take a proper look at the old vines (vieilles vignes) for the first time. So both Camile and Steve went out into the field, they looked at the vines.
“To begin, we have to remove the weeds and grass from around the base” she said bending down to look at the stems. “They will be growing actively soon, so we need to act quickly” she went on informatively.
Steve asked if the funny looking machine he saw in the barn was a pruning machine, but Camile said it was not for that, it had another use but she couldn’t think of the English name for it. So it was two things that had priority, the grass and weeds and the pruning. Surely, there wasn’t much more was there? They went back to the house and went into the library. They sat and discussed ways of doing this when mother walked in. She called them as it was time to go upstairs and see Bernard. They all went upstairs and as before, mother knocked and went in and the couple followed. Bernard was out of bed today, he was sitting in a sumptuous arm chair and it was so big poor Bernard looked tiny in it. There was a sofa below the large windows that overlooked the front lawns. Both Camile and Steve sat on it facing Bernard. Camile started the conversation with her father in French. She explained to him that they had taken a good look at the old vines and what needs to be done to them. There were thousands of these plants and any pruning or cutting back, could not really be done by hand. Bernard responded with an idea. Camile listened to him carefully appearing to agree with him, before turning to Steve to translate the idea to Steve.
“We need a machine, we don’t have one and they are very expensive, father will call his friend, he has a vineyard a few kilometres down the hill. He has one and we may be able to borrow it” she explained.
Mother went over to Bernard with a phone. He dialled the number and the conversation was of course, entirely in French but when Bernard gave the phone back, he clapped his hands once, smiling. He said something to them all, Camile said
“his friend has agreed to loan him the cutter machine and also with a driver to operate it”.
“Great” exclaimed Steve, he was genuinely excited about all this and everyone could see that.
“I will get the mowing machine out after lunch and will cut all the grass between the rows then!” he said.
Camile explained to Bernard that he would do this and he grinned at them.
“Bon!” he said and Steve understood that!
Sure enough, after lunch the barn door was pulled open and Steve looked enthusiastically at the various machines. He selected the big one that you sat on. He dusted it off and put petrol in it from a container that was also covered in dust by the door. Then he turned the key and it rumbled into life and exciting him more, he could not wait to get started. The weather was perfect, slightly overcast and a little humid, but not wet. He mounted the machine and sat in the seat looking down at the pedals and levers. He soon figured out what made it go forwards and backwards and what stopped and started the cutters. Within minutes, he was driving it out of the barn, across the driveway to the field. He stopped it, set the cutters at the correct height and moved forward onto the grassy slopes, it was cutting grass! He continued, up and down the alleyways of overgrown grass between the rows of vines stopping at one point just briefly, to admire what he had done, it already looked better. After two hours, he was coming back down the field when he saw people standing at the end of the row, watching him. As he drew closer he could see it was Camile with mother, but who else was that with them? When he was close enough, he could see it was Bernard. The nurse was there and Bernard had insisted that she take him out to the field in his wheelchair, the first time he had been outside in a whole year.
He sat in his wheelchair with a blanket over his knees and was grinning. He clapped his hands again
“wonderful, just wonderful!” he exclaimed. Everybody was happy, really happy.
By late afternoon, the grass was all trimmed nicely and already the vine fields looked as if someone finally did care about them.
“Tomorrow, I will get to the weeds” said Steve.
He knew this was more difficult but asked “can we use weed killer for this?”
The answer was that Bernard would have to be consulted on this, Camile had no idea. They went back inside, Steve was pooped. “I need to ask Bernard if we can.” he said and went upstairs to see him. As usual, a knock on the door was made and a voice from inside called “entre”. Steve went in and felt comfortable with Bernard, he was a wise old man and he spoke English!
“Bernard, to be rid of the weeds around the bases of the vines, may we use a weed killer?” he asked.
“Only post-emergence herbicides, nothing else” he said insistently.
These were promptly ordered from the local supplier in town and arrived by lunch time. Steve was in the barn trying to figure out how to mix it, the label instructions were naturally in French, when Camile came in.
“Steve, do you know what day it is?” she asked.
He thought for a moment “Wednesday, isn’t it?” he said.
“Yes, the day you were returning home” she said back.
“I am not going home Camile, this is my home now” and he walked towards her and held her hand.
“I am of course delighted that you feel this way, but what about your father, you need to tell him!” she said.
“Good god!” he exclaimed, he had been so preoccupied with his ‘new life’, that he had forgotten about his father altogether.
She smiled, gave him a kiss on his cheek and went back to the house.
He had completely forgotten about his father and for that matter his work too. His employer will be expecting him back at work on Monday morning and dad would be wondering where he was by Saturday afternoon. He got his phone out and pressed the buttons, it rang.
“Dad! It’s me”.
His father was very pleased to hear him, he had not been in touch at all, so he felt relieved that Steve had called him.
“Hi son, how’s it going, nice there?” he asked.
“Oh yes, it is. Dad, I’m going to stay here, here in France” he said.
His father was stunned at first
“where are you staying, what about Hannah, what about work?” he asked frantically. Steve went on to explain where he was staying, why he was staying and explained what had happened and told him that he had spoken with Hannah and how upset she understandably was, but asked a favour of him.
“Will you call the shop for me and tell them I am living here now and won’t be back?”
His father agreed and Steve suggested he might want to come and visit and meet his new found family and home, but realised at the same time it was quite a trek for him. They said their goodbyes, promised to keep in touch and Steve got on with trying to mix the chemicals. He loved his father of course, but he was busy and very engrossed in this project.
He finally figured out the correct mixture ratio and he was able to use one of the tractors with a tank sprayer fitted on the back of it. He got on with it, there was no stopping him, his mind was set. Within an hour, he was driving up and down the alleyways of the recently cut grass, now spraying to the sides on the weeds only, close around the vines. He spent the rest of the day doing this, only stopping to refill the fuel and the chemical tank.
Around 7 o’clock, he drove into the barn and switched off the tractor. Camile was there, she had seen him heading back across the field so went into the barn to meet him. He was sweaty and tired, but kissed her all the same. He had completed two massive tasks today, but now there was an even bigger one ahead, the pruning.
So far, he had worked virtually single handed and felt rather proud. They went back to the house and Steve went upstairs for a shower. Mother was in the kitchen with the maid chatting, so Camile went up to his room. He was in the shower by now, she went in and could hear him in there. She felt naughty, took off all her clothes and went in the bathroom. She pulled open the door to find the man she loved naked and pleasantly surprised.
“Let me bathe you” she whispered.
No more words were spoken and she began to wash his back, then his front. He immediately became excited and she began kissing his neck and chest. He gently pushed her up against the wall, the water was steaming down over them both. She was eager for him and he wasted no time in pleasing her. They wriggled and writhed as they began the certain rhythm. It was all rather quick, within minutes their steamy interaction ended and they washed each other before drying themselves and getting dressed for dinner.
When they were about to eat, they were going to sit down and Bernard came into the dining room in his wheelchair. Mother almost shouted at him and there was a loud exchange of words, Steve could see that they were not bad words, in fact they appeared to be very happy. Camile explained that Bernard had not left his room for well over a year, but this evening he wanted to join them at dinner and discuss the work that Steve had completed that day.
Mother was overjoyed and Camile told him how mother felt, that his presence in the house had such an effect on Bernard.
“He would never come out of his room like this”, she went on.
Steve actually felt honoured that he meant something to Bernard, but it was mutual. Over dinner they did discuss the day’s work and Bernard was so pleased that things were moving along and by someone like Steve who was so enthusiastic about the whole project. He liked Steve. So next on the agenda was the pruning. Indeed this was to be done as soon as possible due to the time of year. A hard prune was necessary as they had not been done for almost two years and normally pruning should take place in March, now it was just into the first week of April. Bernard told them all at dinner that the machine was coming tomorrow and to be ready for it and added that it was the only day in the whole year they could use it, so they were very lucky indeed.
The next morning, Steve was up and outside in the barn fiddling with some of the other machinery to get familiar with it. He heard a voice behind him
“what are you doing darling?” it was Camile.
“Just looking at the equipment, what we have” he said with a straight face.
“Yes and the pruning machine is coming today!” she said.
She told him she was going to get some breakfast and would bring out something for him to eat. He kissed her and off she went back to the house. He watched her walk back across the lawn, she wore tight blue jeans today and it showed her lovely figure. Oh, she was so beautiful, he thought. He realised his luck, such a beautiful woman that loved him, he loved her, her parents were fond of him and he them, the vineyard project, the location, it was all such a perfect dream.
Sure enough, the following morning, the pruning machine arrived, rumbling up the driveway. It was very noisy and not what Steve expected at all, it was very old and had tracks like a tank and looked as if it could be used to explore the surface of the moon. The man driving it, jumped off leaving the noisy engine running. He wore a flat cap, light blue overalls and had a gauloises cigarette hanging from his mouth. He shook hands with Steve and explained in French exactly what he was going to do and how. Steve of course did not understand him, but he knew the man was well aware of his task so he smiled and acknowledged him.
“D’accord, merci m’sieur” he said confidently.
From that response, the man assumed he actually understood him and he nodded, clambered back on to the space machine and drove it off towards the field. Camile came out into the yard, she had heard the machine and wore a beaming a smile.
At last, things were actually happening, they could now forsee that grapes will be growing again this season – how exciting! they were so pleased with it all, he held her and she kissed him, they were constantly ‘lovey dovey’, it was all rather sweet. They agreed they would both go and tell father that the work was now ‘in progress’, they really were so excited about it. It was still before seven in the morning and Steve hadn’t even eaten, not even a coffee. But this was not important, Bernard had to know that it was for real, the machine was finally cutting the vines. They both knew that he would be asleep at this time of day, so decided that breakfast should be taken first. As they went through the hallway towards the kitchen, Camile saw a figure standing at the top of the stairs, clutching the rail. It was father and he too, had heard the noisy machine arriving, he knew what it was and was also very excited by it. He was dressed and wanted to see it but mother came and quickly ushered him back into his room, they heard her telling him off as they faded away back down the landing. They both laughed as they went into the kitchen, the chief of the house was being reprimanded for getting out of bed!
The morning passed quite quickly but there was plenty to do. The loving couple went to the winery, they wanted to check the equipment. They went inside and turned on the lights, it was warm inside and Camile explained that it needed to be a steady 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. Everything had a layer of dust on it but by lunchtime, it was gone. They had cleaned and polished and swept and vacuumed until it was spotless. Camile showed Steve some of the valves on the pipes that needed to be checked, they opened and closed them all several times and he suggested that they run water with a disinfectant through the system to freshen it and make sure it eventually came out the other end! There was so much to do, but it was being done. After lunch, they went out to see the vines, it would be interesting to see how they would look after such a vigorous pruning. They were actually quite shocked when they saw them. They were about a quarter of the height that they had been and the progress was amazing with almost half of them cut.