“How soon? A day? A week?”
Hallaway pulled back and looked at Sterling as if he asked an impossible question to answer. Gone was the jovial man who had met with him after he first arrived and had suggested they enjoy brandy and wine before discussing business. Before him was a man, aged from working in the sun, his gray hair in need of a trim and sticking out in different directions as if he hadn’t bothered to brush it that morning. His brown eyes, intense beyond simple concern, as if Sterling had the audacity to question him.
“I do not know,” he announced. “They will be ready when they are.” Hallaway then turned around, dismissed him and marched down the path at the edge of the vineyard and repeated the same action of examining bunches of grapes and tasting a few.
Sterling studied Hallaway’s expression as he pinched a grape, or bit into one and savored it as if it were already a fine wine. Sterling would be surprised if Hallaway even remembered that anyone was with him, which was rather concerning since Sterling was his employer and owner of the vineyard. Never had an employee or servant shown him so little respect. Was it simply because Sterling had been absent from the estate for so many years that Hallaway had forgotten how one treated an employer? He had been in charge of Wyndview Farm for nearly eleven years with instructions coming by way of correspondence and not in person.
Sterling was not certain what to make of the man’s disrespect but held his tongue and simply observed while he wondered if Hallaway was simply an eccentric or had forgotten his place.
They were soon joined by William, who also quietly observed his father repeat the same examination and tasting, with his father explaining why the bunch was not yet ready to be cut, minus the dismissive attitude he had shown Sterling.
While father was educating son, he ignored Sterling.
Was Hallaway preparing his son to take over his position when he decided to retire? Caroline had mentioned that he was being trained to be an estate manager. Was it this estate that he was being trained for?
Hallaway was getting on in years and it would be good to know that when Hallaway retired that his son could take over.
“Are these ready?” Sterling asked when they reached the end of the row.
“No,” Hallaway answered and walked away.
He looked at William. “Is he always like this?”
“As we near the harvest, yes. We are used to it.”
Well, he certainly wasn’t, but Sterling just shook his head and followed Hallaway, not certain where he might be going.
In ordinary circumstances Sterling might have sacked Hallaway for his impudence, but he managed a vineyard that produced wine thatwas coveted by many and helped increase the coffers of Trade Wynd. That was the only reason Sterling allowed him more latitude of behavior than he would anyone else.
It was only after he had followed Hallaway to a small piece of land set aside, that his employee took the time to explain to Sterling that he was grafting different grapevine roots for a better wine, just as Caroline had previously told him, that Sterling finally returned to the house. He was hot and thirsty. Of course, he was dressed as a gentleman from London when visiting his estate, including a suitcoat and cravat. Next time, he would dress as the employees in the vineyard, in cooler cotton shirts and trousers without any of the layers he was accustomed to.
He had also been intent on climbing to his chamber and requesting water so that he might wash the sweat from his neck only to pause outside of the parlor where his mother was visiting with Caroline—her companion and housekeeper.
For a moment, he thought of joining them for tea, but he was uncomfortable in his own clothing and wished to change. And so, he simply passed the door.
“Sterling do join us,” his mother called out.
“I will return momentarily,” he promised.
“Please do, because I have an adventure planned for you and me.”
The words reached him as he neared the stairs.
Adventure? What could his mother have in mind this time?
His anger and resentment from the past had diminished since his arrival but that did not mean that he would allow her to manage him.
Sterling also considered ignoring her words and continue to his chamber, but he knew that he would not be able to relax and retraced his steps and returned to the sitting room, but only out of curiosity and concern, and found his mother seated by her favorite window. Across from her was Caroline, who looked lovely in a light, cotton gown of pale yellow, which was very complementary to her dark hair and eyes.
“Whatadventuredo you have planned?” he asked, hoping that it was a sojourn into town.
“Tomorrow morning, if your ship is available, we will sail to Cape Agulhas.”
He could only stare at her. Shock and surprise mingled with suspicion settled in his mind. Why did she want to venture there now?
“I remember how badly you wanted to visit as a child so that you could have one foot in the Indian Ocean and the other in the Atlantic Ocean, but your father was never able to get away for such a holiday.” She smiled. “I see no reason why we cannot do so now. It is not as if you have anything to occupy your time until Hallaway has completed the harvest.”
There were some duties that he could attend to, but they were few and he wanted questions answered before he decided to make changes.
