Chapter 13

George looked at Carolyn, "Stay with your mother I am going after him." George took off and did not see him when he got to his car. Knowing he would head for the old house, George got in his car and drove to the old house.

Cutting off his lights and rolling to a stop he moved out into the rain and up to the front door and knocked. Barnabas turned to look at the door and then moved to it.

"Who is it?"

George shouted, "Its Sheriff Patterson Mr. Collins." Barnabas opened the door and ushered the sheriff in.

"My goodness Sheriff, what brings you out on a horrible night like tonight?" He escorted George into the drawing-room.

"I was hoping to catch David before he got here. He over heard a conversation he should not have heard and he ran out of the house and I thought he might come here looking for Miss Winters."

Barnabas sighed, "Well Vicki has retired for the night. She is asleep in Josette's room."

George nodded. "I am pretty sure he will try to come and speak with her tonight."

Barnabas looked down at his fingertips and then at the Sheriff, "Am I to surmise that the conversation he over heard was about Vicki and who her mother might be?"

George nodded, "He knows that Liz Stoddard is Vicki's mother and I am her father."

Barnabas was shocked, "You!"

George nodded, "Apparently, Liz thought to keep that information from me to protect my marriage."

Barnabas extended his hand to one of the fireside wing back chairs. "Please sit down."

George sat in the chair and rested his hat on his knee. "I see, so young David . . . "

George rubbed his chin and sighed, "And Carolyn knows about Vicki's parentage."

Barnabas moved to sit next to him, "That is unfortunate, and how will your wife react to this information."

George looked at the braiding on his hat and the star that marked his hat as a sheriff's hat. "My wife died tonight Mr. Collins. Her dying wish was to make sure Vicki knew who she was."

Barnabas look saddened by his news and then extended his condolences for his loss. "Well since we are going to be related by marriage, please call me Barnabas."

George smiled his thanks, "I appreciate that Barnabas. I hope you know how lucky you are to be getting someone as talented, beautiful and sweet as Vicki."

Barnabas steeple his fingertips together studying them and then nodded. "I am most fortunate that she has accepted me. I promise you that I shall cherish her for the rest of our lives together."

"My concern now is that she finds out before Liz and I have a chance to tell her. I am afraid of what it might do to her."

Barnabas stood and moved to peer out the windows, having heard something there earlier. He motioned to the sheriff, and George stood up and moved over to the door. Using as much stealth as possible, George jerked the door open and moved to grab David.

"David, come on let's go back to Collinwood. You are soaked and will get sick and your aunt and I wish to talk to you about what you heard."

David pulled against his hold, and George lifted him up and carried him to the backseat of his car and put him in. The doors once closed could not be opened except from the outside.

David tried to roll the windows down and found they had been disabled. Sitting with arms crossed and a sullen look on his face, he waited until the Sheriff pulled under the Porte conchere.

George turned to look at David. "Do you want to hurt Vicki or your Aunt Elizabeth?"

David shook his head, "No, but she needs to know."

George sighed and looked out at the pouring rain. "Yes, she has a right to know, but that is not your place to tell her David. Her mother and I will tell her and we will do it to make is less harsh than it is."

David looked at his feet, and could feel himself beginning to shiver.

"All right. But you need to tell her soon."

George opened his door and got out and moved to open David's door. "We need to get you inside David and into some dry clothing. I promise you David that after my wife's funeral, we will sit her down with Carolyn and tell her she is a Collins. She will need time to adjust to her new family, I have 2 sons and 1 daughter, who are half sisters and brothers to her and Carolyn is her sister. We do not want to overwhelm her now do we?"

David sniffed, "No, but I feel bad because I was so mean to her. Do you think she will hate us?"

George watched him slid out and walked with him to the front door. "No, I think she will be confused and maybe hurt that she was not told sooner, hate us I hope not."

George opened the door to Collinwood waiting for David to enter, "Now come in and apologize to your aunt then up for a hot bath and dry clothing."

David with head hung low walked through the door following George back into the foyer. Carolyn and Liz moved from the drawing-room and looked at David.

"David you are soaking wet, you will catch your death of cold."

David looked up at Carolyn and ran to put his arms around her waist and hug her and then moved to hug his aunt. "I am sorry Aunt Elizabeth, Carolyn." He then turned and dashed up the stairs.

"Well." Carolyn said as she watched his retreating back up the stairs. "You must have put the fear of God into him."

George shook his head. "No, I explained how it would hurt Vicki if he told her and that we would tell her."

Liz moved back into the drawing-room and over to the fireplace.

"I have to tell Roger about you George."

George moved to put his hands on her shoulders and spoke softly. "I married Gretchen on the rebound Liz, she knew I had always loved you and she accepted it. I hope some day we can revisit those feelings, but not until we tell our daughter about us."

Liz covered his hand with hers and smiled. "I never forgot my feelings for you either George."

Carolyn started to leave, "I am going over to see if Vicki . . . "

George turned to look at Carolyn and smile, "She has already gone to bed. Barnabas said she was sleeping in Josette's room."

"Well then I guess I will go on up. . ." And the lights flickered. " . . . to bed. Great the lights are going to go out. Goodnight you two. I will see you in the morning mother."

George moved to Carolyn, "I think when we tell Vicki about us, you should be there with my children."

Liz nodded in agreement. "I will make arrangements to have a dinner here at Collinwood after the funeral."

Liz sighed looking down at her hands folded in front of her, "I will tell Mrs. Johnson that I will have it catered and we can tell everyone at that time."

George smiled and moved to get his hat from the table in the foyer. "Thank you Liz, Carolyn, well I will see you in the morning. We will have visitation around 11 a.m. Thursday. I hope to see you both there."

Liz and Carolyn escorted George to the door. "We both will be there for you George. You must promise me to take care of yourself in this weather."

He leaned over and placed a light kiss on Liz's cheek. "I will. Good night."

Liz watched him go out the door and then turned to Carolyn. "I hope you are not mad at me Carolyn, I did it because I had to protect our name. I had not told Father because he would have been livid and he would have blamed himself over what happened. I think that is why I rushed into a marriage with your father."

Carolyn hugged her mother. "I don't blame you for not telling me mother, I am happy to know Vicki is my sister. Now, she will be a Collins more than by marriage."

The lights flickered again, and Carolyn moaned, "I think we both would do well to go on to bed before the lights go out."

Mother and Daughter moved up the stairs and to their bedrooms, while in David's room a spectral visitor stood at the foot of his bed and spoke to him.

"Poor David, you must know you would have hurt Victoria very badly had you told her."

David leaned back on his pillow, locking his fingers together behind his head and gazing at the ceiling. "I know now, I was just mad that Aunt Elizabeth let me be so mean to my cousin."

Josette drifted to the corner of his room and peered out the window.

"David, no one let you be mean, you were being mean to Victoria because you were angry at your father. Victoria was nothing but kind to you unless you needed her to be stern. She has been through a lot and she will need your understanding even more now she has returned from the past."

Josette turned to peer over at her cousin, " She loves you very much David, and she will want you to support her when she has to make some decisions soon. Please promise me you will be supportive of her."

David closed his eyes. "Ok, I will promise, but . . . "

Josette shook her head. "No buts David, you must be there for her, she will need you more now than ever."

David closed his eyes and yawned, "Ok, I promise."

Josette drifted to his beside and kissed his forehead. "Thank you Mon petite, now to sleep with you."

He felt the covers drawn up over his body and he rolled over and closed his eyes and fell asleep instantly. Josette faded from view and reappeared at the old house in her room.

Victoria slept soundly as the storm raged outside. "My poor Victoria so much is about to happen and you are going to be tested. Sleep sound my sweet Victoria, make my Barnabas happy again."

Vicki shifted to a more comfortable position and smiled in her sleep.

Barnabas glanced at the mantel clock and worried that Julia would not make it in the storm to give him his injection. He paced the floor and when the knock came at his door he opened it to let in Julia.

"Julia, you are late, did the storm delay you?"

Julia shook out her scarf and set her doctors bad down on the hall table. "Yes, Elliott and I had a gathering of his some of his fellowship and they threw us a surprise engagement party at the college. We took the gifts to his house and the storm hit. It did not take long for the water to cover the roads and I had a terrible time getting here, you have a wash out at the end of the driveway. You really should consider having the drive black topped."

Barnabas moved to the secretary in the drawing-room and made a note on a slip of paper. "I will have Willie check into that tomorrow. I will be having a great deal of improvements done to the house and I can add on to that list." He took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeve.

"How much longer Julia do I need to wait to test this out in the sunlight?"

Julia drew the syringe and used a cotton ball of alcohol to wipe his arm. "I think it will be safe for you in 3 more days."

Barnabas smiled, "Good, because Vicki said the newspaper wanted pictures and I want to make sure I give them an image of me."

Julia wiped his arm after injecting him and put the syringe into her bag. "That should not be a problem. So what kind of improvements are you planning?"

Barnabas handed her the list he had made with the estimates. "This will cost a small fortune."

Barnabas waved it off, "I have more than enough money. Victoria and I will be able to live comfortably on what I have until we are very old and great grandparents and some of my investments will pay for those great-grandchildren to go to college. "

Julia laughed. "I understand she came to see you, is she in Josette's room? I know she would not try going through the woods in this mess on foot."

Barnabas nodded, "She is resting upstairs in Josette's room, I had Willie find her one of Josette's night gowns and to make her comfortable for the rest of the night." Julia moved to sit in one of the fireside chairs and she cross her leg.

" You do realize that once you are relatively safe from your curse you will be able to father children with her. Have you thought about this?"

Barnabas smiled and nodded. "Yes, I have. I am looking forward to having a daughter that looks like Victoria and a son that looks like me."

Julia smiled. "Elliott and I think we are past the age of having children, we do not rule out adoption."

Barnabas looked at his old friend and smiled, "Julia, I hope you are as happy with Elliott as I am with Vicki, I am so happy that you found someone who can equal your intelligence."

Julia folded her hands in her lap. "Now our lives seem to be more settled, I cannot help but wonder about Vicki and what she learned in the past, and if Angelique will try to put a damper on your happiness together."

Barnabas turned to look out the front windows and grew pensive and silent. "I was so afraid to tell Vicki I loved her for fear of the same fate that took Josette from me would do the same to her. I feared that Angelique would come back and wreak havoc on my life and reign down death on those I loved, that was after all her curse for me."

Julia stood and pulled her jacket down over her hips and moved next to Barnabas, "Well perhaps that is over now we can all have a peaceful happy life."

Barnabas turned to face her and kissed her on her forehead. "That is what I hope for you too Julia, you have been a good and loyal friend."

Julia smiled and put her arm around his waist and looked at the storm filled night. "Perhaps we can finally rest and be happy."

Julia took leave and left Barnabas in the drawing-room and moved to the drive and her car. Barnabas sat reading in one of the side chairs and felt someone string at him. Glancing up, he saw Vicki standing on the stairs, dressed in Josette's gown and matching house coat he smiled and until he realized she was sleep walking.

"Vicki?" Rising he moved to her. She stared blankly ahead.

He watched as she moved down the stairs and towards the front door. Blocking her way, he softly called her name again, "Vicki?

Touching her arm, she closed her eyes and began to sway and he swept her up in his arms. "Vicki my dear, Vicki wake up my dear."

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked confused, "Barnabas?"

He moved to the drawing-room and set her in one of the chairs by the fire. Stroking her hair back from her face, Barnabas spoke softly to her. "Dearest are you well?"

Vicki blinked and then looked confused, "Barnabas?" She glanced around the room and then focused back on him. "What am I doing here?"

Barnabas smiled encouragingly at her, "Well, I think you were walking in your sleep."

She flushed sweetly and looked around the room. "I was?"

He moved to pull a coverlet from the settee in front of the bay windows. Covering her he knelt beside her, "Yes, you did not notice me when I came to your side and it was not until I touched you that you fainted."

"Well, I have not done that in a very long time. I remember as a small child, perhaps around 5 or 6 that I would awaken down n the parlor of the foundling home and I would be very frightened not knowing how I got there. The doctor said I was having some repressed memories that I was trying to resolve."

Barnabas stoked her hair from her face. "Come let us get you to bed." He helped her stand and she looked at him then went into his arms.

"I would sleep better in your arms my love. Say you will stay with me until I fall asleep."

He kissed her forehead and holding her close moved with her to the stairs. "Always and some day soon we will be together forever."

Vicki paused and laughed, "Wait did we not have this conversation in this very room before?"

He looked confused. "When you first came to Collinwood, I got trapped by that silly sticky door. You and I talked about this house and you made me define forever. . ."

He chuckled and walked with her arm and arm up the stairs. "Yes, I do recall that lesson. I found you as intelligent and enchanting then as I do today."

Reaching Josette's room, Barnabas opened the door and let Vicki enter. Moving to the bed, Vicki smiled and took off the house coat laying it across the foot of the bed.

"Come and hold me until I fall asleep. Please?"

She waited for him to lie down on the bed. Barnabas lay in a sitting position and held his arms out to take her in them. Vicki moved to the other side of the bed and laid down next to him curling into him.

He stroked her hair back and kissed her forehead. Pulling the blanket up close to her shoulders she sighed as she relaxed into his hold. Sleep overtook her and soon he could hear the slow breathing and knew she was sound asleep.

His mind allowed him to visualize their life together as man and wife. He could even see their children every time he peered into her eyes. He had not felt this complete and happy since; he stopped and glanced at the picture of Josette.

Then he felt a sense of panic, when he had been that happy with Josette it was so short-lived. Angelique! She had damaged his happiness with Josette. Pausing in his thought he wanted to be fair and playing the advocate for the devils own, had to admit that was not entirely true.

His dalliance with her has created the conflict; it was her need for vengeance and her wickedness that caused him so much grief. So much death, and the curse had isolated him, making him as he was.

It was the love of a pure and good woman who had changed it all. That and the brilliance of a good doctor that believed in him. "Cher. Your happiness will be complete. But after you face another to save her from a fate much as your own."

Josette stood at the end of the bed and smiled at Barnabas. "She is not safe, and will not be safe until you claim her as your own once and for all."

Barnabas felt his hold on Vicki tighten. "What do you mean Josette?"

She drifted to the portrait and looked up. "You did not defeat the Prince of Darkness, you did not destroy him, he will rise again and he will come and reclaim what he feels is his to own."

Barnabas protectively held Vickie and gazed upon her face, "So lovely, she will not be harmed by him or any one."

Josette turned and smiled at him, "Protect what you love so that you can have the happiness you deserve."

Josette disappeared as Barnabas and put his cheek against Vicki's forehead, his words and resolve were wrapped in the passion of his words, "Nothing will harm you. Nothing will ever harm you or those I love again."

Barnabas held her until he had to leave. As the cock crowed announcing dawn's arrival, Barnabas instructed Willie to watch her and not leave her alone while she was in the house. Vicki awoke to the smell of eggs, bacon, toast and coffee. Willie set the tray on the demi table.

"So, Vicki you want to eat, get dressed and we can go over the house and decide where you want bathrooms. Um, the electrician will be in today and you can talk to him about where you want the electricity and the phones. I figured you would want a phone in the foyer hallway and kitchen and maybe one in the upstairs hallway and in your day room. Do you want one in the bedroom with you and Barnabas?"

His chatting was excited and she could not help but laugh as she ate her breakfast. "Willie, I don't believe Barnabas would want a phone in our bedroom. The places you mentioned are fine. Oh and one in his den. I am sure he would like one there.""

"Well what about the bathrooms, how many? The plumber is coming this afternoon. "

Vicki finished her breakfast and stood. "Well, let me get dressed and we will decide where we will need water closets, powder rooms and bathing chambers."

The morning went quickly and Vicki soon saw where more repairs would be needed in the extra guest bedrooms and what rooms could share a Jack and Jill bathroom.

She discussed with Willie where her and Barnabas' bathroom would go and where her and Barnabas would share a walk in dressing room and closet.

She went from room to room and ordered closets to be built and a shared bathing chamber. She looked over the area and discovered that she now knew her new home from the first floor to the attic.

Willie had been very adamant about waiting for the decisions in the cellar, there were still some broken steps and Barnabas said he did not want her injured and that they could wait until they were fixed.

He assured her that Barnabas had told him where he wanted the gas generator and the outlets and lights for the cellar. She acquiesced to his superior knowledge and went to make her notes on what was going where and what they had decided would be good bathrooms.

She found two rooms she thought David would like to claim as his own. It would be a matter of getting him to come over and choose.

It was early afternoon when she finished and was ready to head back to Collinwood. David had come in search of her and together she had walked with him to find a room he could make over as his very own when he came to visit and spend the night with her and Barnabas.

She had secretly picked out a nursery; it had been Sarah's. As she went from room to room, she could see the house filled with children, her children and Barnabas' children.

It had filled her with a sense of completion. As she finished up with David and Willie, Willie loaded them into his pick up truck and drove them back to Collinwood.

Vicki got out of the truck and saw Mrs. Stoddard and Carolyn dressed in black and getting ready to leave for Collinsport. The look of concern on Vicki's face told Carolyn and Elizabeth that Vicki had no idea that Gretchen Patterson had died.

Liz looked at David as he ran up and smiled, "Aunt Elizabeth! Vicki let me pick out a room to stay in when I go to spend the night!"

Liz smiled at her nephew "That is very nice of Vicki. Now go on in and see Mrs. Johnson, she has your lunch ready."

"Oh Aunt Elizabeth! Vicki and Willie fixed me lunch at the Old House."

Elizabeth smiled at Vicki then turned to David, "Then tell her to pack it up and save it for later, you can have some of it for a snack."

Vicki waited for David to go in and she turned to look at mother and daughter, "Did something happen?"

Liz bit her bottom lip then glanced down at her gloved hands. "Sheriff Patterson's wife, Gretchen died last night and they are making her arrangements and having a showing tomorrow with the funeral on Friday. So, Carolyn and I were going in to order flowers and to see if we might help the family."

Vicki looked down a feeling of sadness filling her. "Do you want me to stay here with David?"

Liz nodded, "If you would. Mrs. Johnson is going to make up a tray of cold cuts and cheeses and a casserole, when she gets it done, if you would drive her to the Trask Funeral Home, I would really appreciate it."

Vicki nodded, "I would be happy to help, any idea when the funeral will happen?"

Carolyn stepped next to her mother, "Sheriff Patterson said he wanted a day for showing and then he wanted the funeral services the next day. We know you and Barnabas have a lot to do with your wedding coming up, so if you want to come for the visitation and not the funeral, mother and I thought we would leave it up to you."

Vicki sighed and felt a burn of tears as she thought about the vibrant dark-haired woman with bright loving blue eyes. "I am sure that Barnabas and I will be happy to be at both, Sheriff Patterson has been a dear friend and so very helpful to us all."

Carolyn got in the car and Elizabeth leaned over and hugged Vicki, "He is a very kind man." Vicki smiled as she got the hug from Liz and stepped back as they drove off.

Vicki entered the front door of Collinwood and started up the stairs when the phone rang. Turning she moved to pick up the phone, "Hello?"

The line crackled and a voice called, "Hello? . Hello? . . . Is this Collinwood?"

Vicki held the phone back because the loud male voice was aptly heard as the static cleared, "Yes, it is. May I ask who is calling and to whom do you wish to speak?"

The male voice laughed, "Oh great, I get a wonderfully sweet voice just as the phone lines clear up and I probably blasted your ear drum. I beg your pardon."

Vicki could not help but chuckle. "It is all right. I am sure you had trouble hearing me."

He laughed with her, "Yes, I did. Well is this the lady of the house?"

Vicki fiddled with the telephone's curled cord and chuckled, "Well, I am a lady in the house but the Mistress of Collinwood is in Collinsport, may I take a message for her?"

The voice became flirtatious. "Yes, you certainly may. You may tell her, that her devastatingly handsome cousin Quentin Collins has landed in Bangor and will be driving down tonight. I understand some roads may be washed out, so my drive may take longer than I intend."

Vicki looked confused. "I am sorry, I don't recall her speaking of a devastatingly handsome cousin, let alone a Quentin Collins."

Roger entered the front door, and hearing her say Quentin he smiled, "Vicki is that Quentin on the phone?"

Vicki turned to see Roger and nodded, "Excuse me Mr. Collins, Roger Collins just came in, I think he wants to speak with you."

She handed the phone over to Roger and went towards the kitchen. She could hear how happy Roger was speaking with the mysterious cousin and was happy for the family; someone pleasant and interesting was about to visit.

Moving into the inner sanctum of Mrs. Johnson's kitchen she was greeted with the very wonderful smell of a ham and cheese casserole. She noticed the heavily laden tray of roast beef, ham, turkey and cheeses with a relish garnish in the center of 2 rings of meat and 2 rings of cheeses.

"Oh Mrs. Johnson that looks lovely. Mrs. Stoddard said when you were ready to take it into Trasks' funeral home, I was to drive you."

Mrs. Johnson wiped her hands on her apron. "I just want to freshen up before we go." Vicki nodded, "I do too, so I will be down in a few minutes."

"Mrs. Johnson!" Roger popped his head into the door and stopped seeing the tray and smelling the casserole. "Oh, is that for the Patterson Family?"

Mrs. Johnson nodded, "Yes, it is." Roger lifted the tin foil off the casserole and smiled, "Well, when you get a chance I need Quentin's room cleaned and fresh linens put on his bed, he should be in later tonight."

Mrs. Johnson was about to fuss, when Roger held up his hand. "The room just needs to be aired, dusted and the sheets changed, that is all you need to do."

Vicki looked at Roger and then to Mrs. Johnson and she smiled, "Mrs. Johnson, just tell me what room is Quentin's and I will do that if you Roger will take Mrs. Johnson to Trasks' Funeral Home."