My favourite scene in my next Victorian era release, The Soldier’s Daughter is when Evie and Sophie make the rash decision to sample some wines ordered for the Bellingham summer ball. Two well brought up young ladies from respectable families should never be drunk, but Evie is a little wild and likes to challenge the rules and leads Sophie into situations that they later regret, at least Sophie does!
An hour later, deep in the cellar of Dawson’s Wine Merchant’s, Evie and Sophie sat on a wooden bench sipping another sample of white wine. Lanterns spilled out golden light, which banished the dark into the far corners. Although it was cool in the cellar, it wasn’t terribly cold. Workers rolled barrels onto trolleys, which were hoisted up to the warehouse floor above and put on canal barges.
Mr Dawson and his two sons, Bobby and George, strapping young men the same age as Evie and Sophie, were very attentive to them. Glass after glass of different wines arrived and they sipped and discussed the flavours until one wine resembled another.
‘I like this one better than the last,’ Evie said, feeling a little light-headed.
‘They all taste the same now.’ Sophie hiccupped. ‘Even the red and white taste the same.’ She giggled.
‘They do not! One is red and one is white!’ Evie suddenly found it hilarious.
Sophie laughed and held up her empty glass. ‘May I have a sam… sample of that one again?’ She pointed to a heavy red wine from Burgundy.
Mr Dawson Senior shook his head anxiously. ‘I do believe you have had your limit, Miss Bellingham. I fear you may have sampled too many. Your mother will be expecting you home.’
Sophie stood and swayed. ‘We have outstayed our welcome, Evie…’ She swayed again, her eyes closing.
‘Steady now, miss.’ George, a large, burly young man with a pleasant face, hurried to hold her upright.
‘You are terri… terribly big…’ Sophie leaned close to stare up at him. ‘Such arms…’
Evie stood, her focus wavering slightly. The steep staircase they’d come down would be impossible to get back up without help. The trolley was winched back down and workers, giving the two ladies a laughing glance, rushed to wheel more wine barrels onto it.
‘I want to go on that!’ Evie pointed to the trolley.
‘Oh no, Miss Davenport.’ Mr Dawson held up his hands in protest and seemed ready to pass out at the idea.
‘Those steps are dangerous!’ Sophie declared. ‘I nearly broke my neck coming down.’
‘Ladies, we will help you up the stairs.’
‘No. We shall ascend on that.’ Determined to climb on the trolley, Evie knocked away Mr Dawson’s hand that he held out to stop her. She realised she still held her glass of wine and gulped it down in one go before passing the empty glass to an amused Bobby Dawson.
‘Move the barrels, men,’ Bobby instructed.
Laughing, the men removed the barrels from the trolley. ‘Isn’t this a sight?’ one of them yelled.
Bobby gave assistance to Evie to step onto the trolley. ‘Hold on to the side, Miss Davenport.’
‘Sophie, hurry up,’ Evie encouraged.
‘Gracious me.’ Sophie stepped on board, giggling. She missed the side of the trolley and nearly fell to her knees, which made her laugh even more.
Bobby helped Sophie upright. ‘This is a first. Women on our trolley.’
‘Good God!’ Mr Dawson rubbed his eyes. ‘We’ll never have another Bellingham order again once this is known around the district.’
The Soldier’s Daughter is released 8th September 2022.
For more information, please visit AnneMarie Brear’s website. www.annemariebrear.com