Chapter 7



Dear Diary:



We've been invited to dinner at Collinwood tonight. I'll actually get to see where Quentin lives! Dad says there's a girl there around my age and maybe I'll be able to make a friend. He also slyly told me that David Collins, the heir to the Collins fortune would be there. Oh and that Barnabas guy is gonna be there too. He is like so weird. I hope I get to sit next to Quentin. I'd love to "accidently" drop my fork or something and run my hand up one of those sexy thighs. Maybe tonight if I can get him interested, I'll get to touch something other than just his sexy thighs! *sigh* he's so sexy, and kinda mysterious. I bet David Collins isn't half as sexy as his uncle, and besides it seems like Quentin is the guy in charge now anyway. Oh my gosh! Like what am I gonna wear? I'd better go through my closet.



Ciao for now.





Collinwood dining room later that evening:



"Well Mr. Shagena," said Quentin as he cut into a thick steak, "How are you enjoying Collinsport?" "Well Mr. Collins, it's taken a bit of getting used to, but Charlie's made some friends at school and I'm hoping Rhiannon and Nancy will become good friends." he said smiling at both young women. Rhiannon sat quietly next to Barnabas during dinner, talking to Nancy on her right and making quick, secretive little glances at Quentin. He must have noticed because once when nobody was looking, he winked at her. Barnabas tried to make polite conversation with her and she politely as she could, responded but in her mind he was just too "freaky." Because of the seating arraingment, Rhiannon kept a firm grip on her silverware.

She learned that Nancy worked as a waitress at the Blue Whale several days a week and had graduated Collinsport Community College. The two girls were becoming fast friends. Finally there was someone she could relate to. The girls went up to Nancy's room and Charlie joined David in the study for a game of checkers after dinner. The adults met in the drawing room for after dinner drinks and to generally chat. "yes," said Mrs. Shagena, "We are worried about Rhiannon. Nancy seems like a very nice girl and hopefully some of her manners will rub off on Rhainnon. Is she your niece Mr. Collins?" "My ward actually," replied Quentin. "Her mother was my cousin and well I raised her." "Oh I see, well as I was saying, if she had better manners and all, I'm sure she could get a job around here. She's always been a problem child." "Well," spoke up Barnabas, "If you'd like I could, well sort of tutor her. That is, if you'd like me too. And Charlie too of course. People around here are usally more polite and I don't want them to feel like outsiders. My dear departed Julia and I never had children, so I'd be happy to." "Thank you Barnabas," Robert said feverently, as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "I'm seriously hoping this change of scenery will change her for the better. That's why we moved here you know, she was hanging around with a bad sort of kids. Now that there's no late night discos or shopping malls for her to stay at all hours, maybe she'll do something productive, more important with her life." The Shagena's left soon afterward, and Barnabas shortly after that. Quentin was heading up to bed when he decided to pay Nancy a visit in her room. He knocked softly on her door. She was still awake. "Come in Quentin," she said sullenly, "It's not as if you need my permission, you'd come in anyway." "Nancy, I just wanted to make sure you ah, don't give Rhiannon Shagena a bad opinion of me. I feel that she likes me very much. You wouldn;t want to do that now would you?" he asked carressing her cheek. "You're a dispicable bastard Quentin Collins! You've got me, what do you need her for? Fresh blood eh? Or are you just power hungry?" Quentin's eyes hardend like chips of ice, "remember who you're talking to." He warned softly, chillingly. "Or have you forgotten the last girl you felt you had to warn?" No, Nancy hadn't forgotten.