Dane

Chapter 1

Collinwood 1971

Julia sighed and stretched the stiffness out of her back and shoulders. Glancing at her watch, she was surprised to find it late afternoon. She had been at the Old House since early that morning, and she still felt no further forward.

She rubbed her eyes, and returned her attention to the blood sample under the microscope, sighing wearily. Whatever was keeping Barnabas a vampire was eluding her, and she disliked mysteries. Especially where Barnabas and a cure for him, where concerned.

They had returned from 1840 over three months ago, both hoping that his cure then, would carry on in their own time. For awhile, it seemed that it would. Barnabas had been able to function during the day, and he couldn't have been happier. Julia was filled with hope, for the future; not once since their return had he mentioned Angelique's name.

Her close declaration of love for him still remained unspoken between them.

For reasons of his own, Barnabas was keeping his own counsel on the matter.

His expression had revealed that he had understood what she had been about to say, but the time was not yet right to voice such thoughts a loud. The smile he had offered her as he walked out into the sun for the first time, was that of one friend to another, but the look in his hazel eyes had been quite another. Which had made his admission of love for Angelique that much harder to understand and accept. She was slowly beginning to resign herself to the fact, that she would forever remain a friend to Barnabas. And yet that look in his eyes, haunted her, promising more if she waited.

Then, mere weeks after returning from 1840, the curse had returned, and Julia was at a loss as to the reason why. And after weeks of trying, the answer was as far away as ever. But she wouldn't give up; that she refused to do.

/

A sliver coloured car, stopped just outside the gate that indicated the beginning of the vast Collins Estate. A tall thin man, with sandy hair climbed out, a piece of paper in his hand. He studied it briefly, before hesitantly approaching the gate. Sure that a nameplate or other such sign, would indicate that he was at least on the right path.

Seeing none, he glanced at the paper again, making sure he hadn't taken a wrong turn at some point. Everything indicated that he was right, so he climbed back into his car, and slowly headed through the gate, and up the long driveway.

Julia sighed in frustration. Normally she could concentrate for much longer and far better than this. As a doctor, she expected to feel helpless at least at some point, but this was ridiculous. She rose from her stool, feeling stiff and cramped. Taking her notebook, she headed up the cellar steps; perhaps a short break would give her the answers she needed.

When she entered the drawing room, she found it empty; she frowned, wondering where Willie might be. Settling down in Barnabas' favourite chair, she engrossed herself in study. The lingering scent of Barnabas' cologne soothed her, and she began to relax. Somehow, sitting in his chair made her feel that much closer to him…

Abruptly she startled awake, what was she thinking of, sleeping at a time, when there was so much work to be done. She rose from the chair, hastily, and returned to the cellar. It would soon be dusk, and she wanted to have at least some idea of what was happening to him.

/

The stranger stared at the house, stretching towards the sky, in front of him. Brooding was a word that sprang easily to his mind. Well, if this wasn't the right place, then he was well up the proverbial creek.

His knuckled rapped loudly on the stout doors, and thrusting his hands in his light jacket, he stared out at the grounds.

He was about to knock again, when the door creaked open, and a dour woman, peered out.

"Yes? Can I help you?" she asked, her hands fidgeting nervously with the apron she was wearing.

His smile was friendly, if somewhat unsure, and Mrs Johnson began to relax.

"Mrs Collins?" he asked hesitantly.

"I'm Mrs Johnson, the housekeeper. You must mean Mrs Stoddard?"

"Then, this is Collinwood?" he asked, hopefully.

"Yes, that's right."

"Maybe you can help. I was told that Julia Hoffman lives here. Doctor Julia

Hoffman?"