Chapter 10

She had fought. Willie's face showed scratches and he was out of breath. Even now, wrapped tightly in the blanket and gagged, she looked like she might make trouble.

"You all right?" Barnabas asked Willie with concern.

"Yeah". He wanted to shout that he was not all right. That this whole thing was screwy. But it would be no use.

"You know where to put her?"

"Yeah." Same place where he had held Maggie years ago.

He wondered if Barnabas was fully aware of why he was doing this. Probably he was. With all the psychology books he read, there was no way he would miss the meaning of his actions. He was reenacting a particular unpleasant episode from his past and trying to tack a happy ending to it.

And he was going to help him do it.

Barnabas looked apologetically at Oriana who looked daggers at him, and managed sounds, that even muffled by the gag, sounded like threats.

"I know that you are uncomfortable." he said softly. "but it won't last long, and you'll find it worth it."

She snorted respectively.

"Just try to be patient, and it will be over before you know it."

He remembered other face, also with a cloth in her mouth. He remembered the fear and hurt in those eyes as he, downstairs, played a cat-and-mouse game with her father. Yes, it was over. Yes, she had recovered. Yes, she had a promising political career. Yet...

But there was only defiance in Oriana's eyes. he looked at Willie again and was shocked by the anguish he saw in him.

"It will be all right, Willie" he repeated.

"Yeah." Willie thought that it would be all right for him and for Oriana. But what about Barnabas? Would it be all right for him? Why did he keep hurting himself like this?

As the headlights approaching the house told them of Daniels' arrival, Barnabas descended the stairs.

"It ain't right." Willie muttered, holding Oriana closer. "It ain't right what he is doing to himself."

Oriana snorted again.

"Yeah, I know. It is a bummer" Willie agreed.

"Well, I see that you still live in this ruin." Daniels said as he entered. "when are you going to put modern conveniences?"

"When I can afford the taxes that will come with them."

"But this is your cousin's property."

"Elizabeth lets me stay here as long as she can use it as a tax shelter."

"And you put up with it?

"I do not find it too inconvenient most of the time. Well, you did not come all the way to talk about my living quarters. How are things at the grassroots.?"

"Bad. I can't drum up enough enthusiasm for the front runner."

"Carter, eh?"

"Carter" Daniels nodded. "What gets me is that we could have Kennedy."

"Not after Chappaquiddick."

...Carter, Kennedy. Chappaquiddick... Oriana realized what she was listening to. Daniels was a member of the local Democrats and knew what was really going on... She leaned forward a bit, trying to hear every word of it.

"I am not sure" Daniels grumbled. "From what I hear, Chappaquiddick seems to be a dead issue."

"Seems so because Kennedy is not the front runner. Let him be it, and you'll see how it all changes."

"There are a few Jerry Brown people."

"You are not thinking of endorsing Brown, I hope."

"At this moment I feel ABC: Anybody But Carter."

Were the Maine democrats so disenchanted with Carter? Oriana strained to listen.

Then Willie sniffled.

It was a small sound that didn't attract Daniels' attention, but Oriana turned her head around and shot murderous glances as Willie, who had to bite his lips hard not to laugh.

It was a while until Daniels had said all that he had come to say, and by then Willie was tired of standing still in the same spot trying to control his sniffles. Eventually Daniels got up, and soon the headlights outside announced his departure.

"Well" Willie said with relief. "it is over."

He had taken off her gag by the time Barnabas was up again "Well, what do you think?" he asked.

Oriana licked her dried lips before answering "Is that the inside dope on the local Democrats?"

"Yes, it is. Am I forgiven for putting you through this.?"

She waited until Willie had unwound the blanket from around her. Once her arms were free, she hugged Barnabas. "I know of people who would kill for this kind of story." she said.

He hugged her back, a huge grin in his face. "Don't you think that Willie deserves a hug, too?"

Oriana looked at Willie. "he kept sniffling all the time " she complained. "Daniels could have heard him and..." Suddenly she remembered her situation and laughed. "Of course, he deserves one, too." she said embracing him.

'You are a very classy lady." Willie said.

"Did you find what the trouble was a the Old House?" Vicky asked.

Nicholas shrugged. "Barnabas found out that Phillip and Iris were lovers and reacted accordingly. He now feels terrible about it, of course."

"Did he do anything to Phillip?" Vicky began tapping her fingernails on the table.

"He threw him around. But nothing broken."

"Except maybe a memory block?" Vicky said meaningfully. "Phillip escaped before he was ready. Up to now, he doesn't remember any of it. But if he did...

"Do we kill him?"

Vicky considered it. "No." she decided. We can't draw any attention to ourselves."

"With Jeb Hawkes..."

"Jeb Hawkes was a blind. He was supposed to fail. We are not. No, we have to find another way of dealing with him."

"We can use Pearce" Nicholas suggested.

"So you are determined to leave? Tom asked Angelique.

"Yes. I am determined. Barnabas is right. It is best for everyone if I leave."

They were sharing a cup of coffee at Chris's chicken farm, Angelique having accepted his invitation before he drove her to the train station.

"I am sorry" Tom said. "it is my fault, really."

"No. I am the one who did it this time. I just can't control myself and do these hateful things, and then sit back and expect a medal."

She began to cry quietly.

"Don't cry." Tom patted her cheek. "he's not worth it."

"Yes, he is."

"I love you, Angelique, more than he ever could." he said vehemently.

"Chris!" she said, surprised.

"I have loved you for a long time." he took her in his arms and kissed her.

"No.." he pushed him away, not violently. "thanks..." she managed to say. "but.."

"I will make you forget Barnabas." he said taking her in his arms again. "he's not for you. He was never for you."

"You are mistaken"

"We are made for each other. We think alike the two of us. Have done so since that first time."

"What first time?"

"Barnabas got you brainwashed into being a social worker. But that's not you. I know what you are really like. Do you remember how it was?"

'How it was? When?"

"In the mausoleum. Don't you remember? You came out only at night, then. You were the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

"In the mausoleum?" she stared at him, "Chris? ..How?"

"I am Tom Jennings. I never forgot you, Angelique. I know what you taught me. I know the real you."

"Tom!" all the color drained off her face.

"You were magnificent then. You knew what you wanted and you took it. And whoever crossed you, paid for it. yes, you and me, that's the way we are."

He held her closer, kissing her violently.

"Please...please, Tom."

He kissed her in the mouth. "Don't say please" he said when he released her to catch his breath "Don't beg. It doesn't got with you, begging. That's why I loved you."

She stood transfixed at him while he kept speaking.

"Am I not better for you than Barnabas ever was? I love you for what you are, no for what you might be."

She shook her head, trying to protest.

"He's made you forget what you area. But I'll make you remember."

Before she could react he caught her wrists and chained them in manacles.

"They are iron" he explained "and you are powerless against them. You will remain here until you come back to your senses."

"You can't keep me here." she protested as he secured her manacles to a chain on the wall.

"I can. No one comes here ever, and you are supposed to be leaving town, so no one will miss you. No, you'll stay here until you become again the girl I saw in the mausoleum."

He was in the bottle. Inside the bottle now.

And there was this creature looking down at him. Every now and then it would flick out a reptilian tongue.

But it looked more like a giant praying mantis than a reptile...

He was no alone. There were other bottles and each bottle held a man or a woman inside, all beating against the wall, all screaming at the same time...

He could see the face of the woman next to him...She looked familiar...

From the window Derek watched Phillip toss and turn in the bed. From the way he was acting, soon he would wake up screaming and bring Barnabas in, so that he could tell how much he remembered of the dream...

And that was what Nicholas had sent him to prevent.

He glided in to the room, floated over the sleeping Phillip.

Quickly he materialized, immobilizing Phillip under his weight, covering his mouth with his hand.

Phillip struggled as Derek drank of his blood and forced control over him.

"You understand that you must never dream like this again?" Derek said to Phillip, just as Nicholas had told him he must.

"I understand." Phillip nodded.

"You know nothing of bottles. You have no idea what happened after you fell from Widow's Hill."

"I don't know what happened to me after I fell from Widow's Hill." Phillip repeated.

Satisfied, Derek vanished to report his success to Nicholas.