Page 34 of A Perfect Devon Pub
Fiona bit down on her lip. She hoped Ru would have better taste.
‘I’ll leave you in the capable hands of our sommelier,’ said Kim, ‘and I’ll tell my Mum you said hi, Cora.’
The man spoke across the table at his wife. ‘I think an aged white Burgundy will go well with that, don’t you, Cora?’
Fiona might not like him, but she respected his wine knowledge; the rich, nutty, buttery flavours of an aged Chardonnay would pair beautifully with the fish, which was delicate enough to let the complexity of the wine shine. She ran mentally through the cellar, selecting a Chassagne-Montrachet.
A smile played at the corners of Cora’s mouth as she sat back and caught Fiona’s eye. ‘... unless our sommelier can recommend something from the New World at a fraction of the price?’
Sensing she was on treacherous ground, Fiona gushed, ‘An aged white Burgundy is an excellent choice, sir, but there are several alternatives I could recommend, which are very cost-effective.’
The man took a breath. ‘Go on.’
‘There’s one from South Africa, made also from the Chardonnay grape, called Palladius. And your wife is correct – although expensive, it’s much cheaper than say a Chassagne-Montrachet, which is what I would recommend from Burgundy.’ Should she mention that the South African winemaker followed biodynamic practices andfermented his wines in clay amphorae, which he believed allowed for purer expression of the terroir?
‘Let me think about that,’ said the man. ‘Write down the details of both and I’ll discuss them with my wife.’
Fiona did as asked, leaving the slip of paper with the couple while she went to fetch them some water.
She was returning with the jug of water when she bumped into Kim. ‘Is that for Cora and Ricky?’ asked Kim.
‘It’s for Table 5.’
‘Mr and Mrs Hastings to you,’ said Kim, sneering slightly. She tore a piece of paper in half, glanced at both pieces, then handed one to Fiona. ‘Swap you. That’s the wine they want.’ Sauntering off, Kim added over her shoulder, ‘Cora plays golf with Mummy,and Ricky is Daddy’s bridge partner.’
Fiona glanced at her own handwriting; the couple had chosen the French wine. It was nearly three times the price of the South African. Rose would be thrilled. She had a sudden thought, and gulped – she hoped the wine was still in the cellar.
Five minutes later, with the precious bottle in her grasp, Fiona returned to Table 5, presenting the bottle label side up for the customer’s approval.
He frowned, then waved it away. ‘That’s not the right wine.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry, sir. This is the white Burgundy I recommended.’ She checked the year. Yes, it was the correct vintage.
His face reddened.‘Exactly!’ he hissed. ‘We ordered the South African wine. You swapped it on purpose, didn’t you? Trying to pull a fast one on us?’
Telling herself to speak calmly, and wishing the man would lower his voice, Fiona said, ‘I assure you, sir, it was an honest mistake.’ Except Fiona didn’t think it was – she’d seen Kim check the paper before she handed it over.
‘Can I help at all?’ said a simpering voice. It was Kim, smiling sweetly. Fiona scraped a hand through her hair and adopted an authoritative tone. ‘Thank you, Kim, I can handle this.’
But Kim didn’t seem to want to leave.
‘Here she is,’ spluttered Mr Hastings. ‘Kim, which wine did I choose? The South African or the French?’
‘The South African. That’s what I told thesommelier,’ said Kim, managing to convey the impression there was something illicit in Fiona’s profession. ‘Has she made a mistake?’
‘Thank you, Kim,’ said Fiona through clenched teeth. ‘Why don’t you see what’s happened to the starters.’
‘Of course, Fiona.’ Kim smiled.
Mrs Hastings reached out a steadying hand, covering one of her husband’s. ‘Richard let’s not escalate this. It’s just a mix-up.It hasn’t even been opened yet.’
‘A mix-up?’ snapped Richard. ‘She’s deliberately trying to fool us into paying for a wine that’s three times the price of the one we ordered. You heard Kim – I ordered the cheaper wine. This isn’t my mistake. Why should I just gloss over this?’
‘Because we’re here to enjoy an evening together,’ pleaded Cora, ‘and I’d rather not start it off with a fight.’
Fiona risked joining the discussion. ‘I can bring you the correct bottle right away, sir.’
‘Fine but I’d better not be charged for this!’
