Fall Festival of Love, A Dark Shadows Original Series fan fic

by Jo A Curl

A/U with Barn/Vicki pairing. (1) It is fall and Vicki is facing where her life had been and where it is gone and with whom.. Mishaps and a mistaken identity from a powerful adversary threatens not only her life and Barnabas but the entire Collins Family. As Vicki learns about her parentage and where her heart truly lies. Will she find true love or be caught in nightmare?

17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Elizabeth immediately drew her into her arms and hugged her. "Vicki darling. I would have given anything to keep you. I wanted to bring you home when I hired you as David's governess. I just did not know how to tell you and then so much began to happen. Now, you know can you forgive me?"

Vicki hugged her, "I understand mother, I really do. I am just glad to be here now. I have a history and a past and I am complete. I not only have two sisters I also have two brothers."

Thomas came over and tapped her shoulder, she turned and he picked her up and swung her around. "Welcome to the family sis!" He kissed her cheek and sat her down and Jason then picked her up and gave her a big bear hug. "Yeah what he said sis, welcome to the family."

He set her down and then the boys looked around the large house. "Nice set up you have here sis, but I hear you are marrying that guy over there and will have your own digs. Hope you invite your brothers for a visit."

Vicki felt herself welling up with tears this time it was tears of joy. "Anytime, you all are welcome to our home right Barnabas."

Barnabas moved to her side and smiled, "Whatever you want my love."

He kissed her forehead and moved with her to the sofa. "Speaking of the wedding, we have an engagement party to plan."

Vicki lifted his hand to her lips. "Oh its all taken care of. I have a small band coming to play music, we have the same caterers that will be serving and an open bar, we have a theme and Dad, you and the boys and Penny have to come. Oh, and I need to find a place in the wedding for you all."

Vicki was bursting with happiness. Her heat was full as she looked around the room at all of her family. She felt loved and she felt like she was a part of something much bigger.

Roger stood up, "So, do you want your father to walk you down the aisle?"

Vicki stood and moved to Roger, "I suppose I need to call you Uncle Roger now."

She for a moment saw a look of pride and love in his gaze as he waited for her answer.

"I would like my Uncle and my father to walk me down the aisle to my future husband."

Roger stood up and took Vicki in his arms and held her tightly. "I would be honored Vicki, so what pet name should I call you, Carolyn is my kitten so you could be . . ."

He did not have a chance to finish, "Why don't we wait on that for now let us just say I am Vicki and you are Uncle Roger."

He smiled, "If that is what you want for now."

Vicki sighed happily and hugged him. "It is exactly what I want for now."

Vicki drove Barnabas home telling her family that she would be spending the night at the old house, she needed time with her fiancé to take in everything she had just learned.

Barnabas wanted this time alone with his future bride and was delighted with the idea of holding her in his arms for the rest of the night. Packing an over night bag she put it in the back with her second dress and prepared herself to go.

Barnabas made their farewells for them and moved to the door. Listening to the outside storm, he was glad that they would be under roof soon and in each other's arms for the rest of the night.

The night left a few trees down on the pathway to Collinwood so Vicki had to take a detour around the storm-wracked carnage. Picking her way around the heavy foliage she stopped thinking she was hearing someone else in the woods "Who is there?" She called out to the wooded area. The whole area had become deathly silent.

Ahead of the new trail Vicki caught the sight of a figure in a flowing white gown drifting along to pause and look back at her. "Josette?"

She whispered the name and began to follow her drifting ethereal form. "Wait Josette." The smell of jasmine filled the air around her. With the appearance of Josette and the sounds she heard earlier made Vicki pick up her pace only to find herself face down as her foot caught a raised root.

The sound of a rushing form met her ears and Vicki turned and rolled under a desiccated tree that lay on the new pathway. Vicki put a trembling hand over her mouth to silence the fear filled breathing she was experiencing.

Eyes wide and hearing attuned to what was going on around her. Uncontrolled fear filled her very being as she listened and then they appeared. Vicki watched as the figures of three men dressed in colorful bolero type vests with gold embroidery, bandanas tied around their head, and leather pants with brightly colored sashes around their waists.

The first thought that appeared in her mind was 'Gypsies.' Why were they in the woods and more what were they doing following her?

"There, look she is up ahead." They all rushed forward towards the image of a figure picking their way through the woods. Vicki took a chance to stick her head up and look to see what they were chasing.

Ahead on the trail was a female figure that appeared to look like her or at least dressed as she was. The air-filled with the scent of Josette. Josette was making the gypsies think she was Vicki as she drifted along on the trail.

Vicki lay still and quieted her breathing and then she got up and dusted her coat off and looked around. Feeling more secure, she moved back to the trail and walk swiftly to Collinwood.

Arriving at the door, she opened the door and went into the vestibule, taking her coat off, she hung it on the coat hanger and then stepped into the foyer. There she met Quentin.

"Good morning my dear Victoria." He smiled at her charmingly.

She returned his smile and moved to the drawing-room. "Have you seen David?"

Quentin had followed her into the room and paused. "Oh your mother said to tell you she was taking him into Bangor to pick out his suit for your wedding. I think something about he and Amy Jennings needed a fitting for a tux and a flower girl dress."

Vicki sat on the sofa. "I guess I could have stayed at the old house to over see the construction of the rest of the bathing chambers."

Quentin laughed and moved to stand by the fireplace and rest his elbow on the mantel. "You are something special Victoria Winters Collins, I would have never thought my cousin would have permitted any modern conveniences in the old house."

Vicki chuckled softly, "I don't really think I have anything to do with it. Barnabas realizes that a soon to be growing family will need to progress with time and look for the conveniences needed for that family."

Quentin quirked a brow, "Really are you expecting to start a family soon?"

Vicki flushed and nodded. "I am hoping Barnabas and I can fill the house with children. That would be lovely, to have three girls and three boys, I feel a house needs to be lightened with love and the feel of family."

Quentin moved to sit next to her, "Well perhaps that prediction will come soon. Cousin Elizabeth and Sheriff Patterson are going to be married as soon as it is proper after the death of his wife."

Quentin shifted his long lanky form sideways so he could better look at Vicki, "As a matter of fact, Mrs. Johnson was preparing bedrooms for the boys and Penelope, to move in."

He laid his arm over the back of the sofa and made himself more comfortable, " George is renting his house and will be moving into Collinwood by the time of your wedding."

Vicki smiled hearing that Collinwood was going to be full of life again. "That is wonderful." The sound of the doorknocker interrupted their conversation, Vicki stood nodding to Quentin, "Excuse me," Vicki moved to the foyer and then to the door.

Reginald stood at the door and waited for it to be answered. He turned and looked over the grounds. Then turning he peered at the ocean view. "Man this place is beautiful."

Vicki answered the door and he turned to smile at her. His smile was warm and inviting. "Hello there, it seems its time for dance lessons."

Vicki let him in and he stood in the foyer and took in the grandeur of the place. "I thought we could start with the Minuet first and then the waltz for this weekend's event."

Vicki turned as Quentin came into the foyer. "Oh Quentin, this is Reginald Dunst he is my dance instructor. Would you show him to the ballroom while I go change?"

Quentin shook his hand, "I would be happy if you will allow me the privilege of watching."

Vicki laughed and went upstairs. "As long as Mr. Dunst does not mind."

Reginald nodded, "Not a problem. If you don't mind I have some things in the car we need to carry the ballroom."

Quentin followed Reg to the car, and watched as he opened the trunk. There were 3 gowns and a record player and a stack of records. In the back seat lay a long container and Quentin queried, "What is in the box? A body?"

He chuckled at his joke and Reggie laughed, "Well, no its dance shoes. Mother had some and thought Miss Winters could choose some shoes to wear to do the waltz."

Quentin led him into the foyer and together they moved through the house past the kitchen to a separate wing that appeared to never have been used.

The smell of age met them and Reggie grew nervous. Quentin smiled and reassured him, "Don't worry about the smell or the look. The men have worked on the ballroom and it has a separate entrance. It was easier to bring you through this way."

Moving him along at a quick pace he led him towards the ballroom continuing his explanation. On the night of the engagement party and the weddings, guests will be directed to another place to park and then they will see the entrance from the west end of the house."

He paused to shift the items he had carried. "It really is quiet beautiful. I believe Elizabeth has hired a cleaning crew to come and clean the hallways here to the guests may use the restrooms."

Reg nodded and followed him down the long hallway. "This place is huge and beautiful."

Quentin nodded, "My Great- Great Uncle knew what he was doing when he built this place."

They came to a long hallway that had three double doors and one was opened. The smell of fresh varnish filled the air. Reginald and Quentin entered the room.

Even in the shadows of the closed curtains could not hide the grandeur of the room. Tall vaulted ceilings that held magnificent crystal chandeliers that gleamed when hit by a filtered light.

Quentin went to a set of tables and put the record player and stack of records on the table. Then moving to the wall of doors, he flipped a series of switches and the chandeliers sprang to life.

"Welcome to the Collins Ballroom Mr. Dunst." Then to add to the lovely lighting in the room, Quentin moved to the series of curtained doors. Pulling back the twelve-foot long red velvet drapes, the sunburst into the room giving Reginald a full look of the room.

He turned and looked up at the painted vaulted ceilings, from which hung at least 10 ornate crystal chandeliers. The scenes painted on the ceiling were indicative of pre revolution period paintings of cherubs playing in a field of exotic flowers smiled beguilingly down.

The ceiling had to be at least 20 feet tall making the acoustics in the room unimaginable in room of this size.

As Quentin talked the echo was minimal but traveled well for another to hear each word he spoke with no problem. The room held golden gilt-edged ten foot by four-foot mirrors accenting spaces between doors.

Each end of the room held the same mirrors spaced every four feet. This pleased Reg as he circled the room. Fresh paint on the wall of a neutral color, tables and chairs lined each wall and the dance floor, was a professional dancers dream.

It gleamed with the new varnish giving an invitation to walk or dance across its slick surface. "This place is incredible." Quentin nodded and invited him over to look at the patio that adjoined the ballroom.

Quentin pointed to the balustrades that complimented the railing around the patio. A large six-tier water fountain lay dormant in the center of the courtyard, long elegant steps lead to a side parking area and the doors opened to show a more public patio with tables that held chairs upended on the patio tables.

"Liz tells me on the night of the engagement party, the area will be lit with color lights and they will have more seating out here and they will be heating for the patio area. The grounds will be groomed and the water fountain will be working. I think this place will once again awaken to the grandeur of the by gone days."

Reginald was taking in the lovely setting when Quentin turned and smiled, "Speaking of bygone days, well Miss Winters if I did not know any better, I would have thought Josette Collins just joined us."

Reginald turned to see Vicki dressed in a 18th Century gown wearing satin slippers and looking breath-taking in her gown. "You look lovely Miss Winters. Breath-taking to say the least."

Vicki flushed and smiled, "Thank you Mr. Dunst."

Quentin pulled out a chair and sat down crossing his arms. "We had an ancestor, the wife of the man who built this house and now, Miss Winters looks like she stepped from the portrait and joined us here in the 20th century."

Reginald was duly impressed. "Really?"

Quentin expressively extended his arms. "Yes, really."

Reginald broke the moment reminding them why he was there. "Well then my dear Miss Josette, would you care to join me in the middle of the room to learn the minuet?"

Reginald went to the table with the record player and plugged it in, and then he thumbed through the records and found one and put it on. "The first thing we will do is listen to the music and as we do, I will explain about the dance. History time, the waltz that we will do next is the first of explanation of the dance."

Being the proper instructor he began to talk with a degree of knowledge about the dance. It was very clear he was well-informed and educated to the dances and his knowledge was vast.

"The Viennese custom is to slightly anticipate the second beat, which conveys a faster, lighter rhythm, and breaks of the phrase. The younger Strauss would sometimes break up the one-two-three of the melody with a one-two pattern in the accompaniment along with other rhythms, maintaining the 3/4 times while causing the dancers to dance a two-step waltz. The metronome speed for a full bar varies between 60 and 70, with the waltzes of the first Strauss often played faster than those of his sons."

He almost appeared arrogant in his knowledge of the subject as he continued with his explanation. "Shocking many when it was first introduced, the waltz became fashionable in Vienna around the 1780s, spreading to many other countries in the years to follow. It became fashionable in Britain during the British Regency Period having been made respectable by the endorsement of a wife of the Russian ambassador."

He paused another moment as the minuet had played through and then he went to the table and turned, "In order to dance and understand why and what you are dancing are very fundamental in learning and doing."

His explanation began to become complex and complicated and his audience attention was beginning to wane. Ignoring the stifled yawns he stood and demonstrated the move. He moved around to face his audience and continued to explain.

He turned to Vicki who smiled, "So you seem to be so well versed in the history of the waltz do you know the history of the minuet?" She watched as he moved to the center of the room and beckoned her to join him.

But for you my dear for your wedding dance, we shall keep it simple and to form." He moved back to the record player and put on the record with Don Juan's Minuet. "Now, follow my steps and watch the mirrors.

Vicki felt nervous as she waited in the center of the room and she smiled shyly at Quentin whom during Reginald's dissertation appeared to be ready to fall asleep.

As Vicki extended her hand she focused on the mirror image and again, she felt herself lifted out of her body and transported to another time. She began to gracefully move with Reginald as they moved around the room doing the tiny steps that was the dance.

The very air around them filled with the scent of jasmine and Vicki could see herself in Martinique, she was Josette and they were dancing with Barnabas at one of the Plantation balls. She moved gracefully and did not need to peer at the mirrors she could feel the music and she was enchanted with her dance partner as he walked her through the steps.

Quentin immediately became aware of the sudden chill in the room and the scent though light was that of Josette's ghost. As she walked through the steps Vicki could see her body but the face was no longer her's it was that of Josette's.

Reginald was pleased and accredited her quick study of the dance to his instructions. When the song was over and the dance was done, they turned to bow and curtsy to one another. Vicki felt light-headed and moved to steady herself on one of the side tables.

"Miss Winters are you all right?" Quentin stood up and moved to Vicki, "She was here using you to dance wasn't she?"

Vicki nodded and Quentin looked at Reginald, "She is fine, she had a late night and this room is a little warm, perhaps I will open one of the doors to allow some fresh sea air in."

Vicki smiled up at him. "Thank you Mr. Collins."

Quentin looked down at her incredibly green eyes and smiled, "Please we are related call me Quentin."

She tried his name and it slid easily from her lips. "Okay Quentin."

Reginald caught up in getting the next record ready to play turned to look at the two standing by the table. "I found a wonderful waltz I would like you to consider for Saturday's demonstration. Mother picked out a few gowns and sent them with me. They are over there."

He nodded with his head to the plastic garment bags with zippered fronts. There are matching shoes to each gown. Mother said you might wish to consider the Red Chiffon gown with the sequins back or the black chiffon for this song."

He put on the record and the piano and violin filled the air with its hauntingly sweet melody. Then the soprano began to sing, ' we are the lucky ones . . . '

The music swept Vicki up into a tumultuous roll of emotional feeling that she wanted to move to the music. It was a sad song of a lost love and finding their way into the light together. Vicki wanted to dance to the song, to the music, which was so hauntingly sweet. She started to move to the music and she felt Reginald joining her.

Once again, while dancing with Reginald she felt herself taken away and this time it was to a long, long time ago, to some mountains to a castle high upon a hill and a man, not Reginald was now dancing with her as she moved to the song, she felt loved and secure in his arms.

He lifted her and spun her around and then let her down to the ground, they moved in sync to the music. As she danced to the song, she was unaware that she now had a growing audience, Carolyn, Penny, Liz, George, the boys and Quentin watched as the two dancers made poetry out of the music.

They stood amazed at how well Vicki took to the advanced form of the waltz, allowing Reginald to lift he over his head to spin her around and then gently put her back on the ground to pick up with flawless execution of the dance.

As the music swelled with the last note of the operatic singer, and the music played its last chord, she was lowered to the floor into a sitting position where she reposed in a high arch of her back.

Then the applause came and Vicki was no longer in her trance she was sitting on the floor in Josette's dress. Reginald picked her up and hugged her.

"That is how the waltz should go, we shall practice that and we will be a hit."

Carolyn and Penny rushed into the room, followed by Thomas, Jason, George, and Liz. "Vicki, darling that was so beautiful." Liz gushed as she moved to hug her daughter.

"Where did you learn to dance like that?" Carolyn asked.

Penny sighed, "The Dark Waltz was always one of my favorite songs and now you have created something as equally beautiful in dance."

Vicki was not used to all the attention so she deferred to Reginald. "Miss Winters is a natural and takes instruction well. We are going to do a demonstration of the waltz at her engagement party this weekend. We hope you all will enjoy it as much as we will have demonstrating it."

Carolyn smiled beguilingly batting her eye lashes while sizing up Reginald, "Well if this is any indication of what to expect, then show me where to sign up!"

Reginald turned to Carolyn and gave her a most charming smile, "At my studio on Dockside Street in Collinsport."

Penny giggled and tried to work her way to the front of the class for attention from Reginald, "Me too! I mean when we were watching you and Vicki just now dancing to that beautiful piece of music, I felt like I was intruding on a tryst."

Carolyn nodded, "It was so intimate, it was like two lovers caught in a very personal moment between each other and it was like you were saying goodbye to each other and your love was so intense that good-bye was not an option."

George looked at Liz and hugged her close, "So what do you think want to take some ballroom dancing classes so when I get the father daughter dance at the wedding, I won't look like a clumsy fool?"

Elizabeth leaned into the strong arms and chest of George and smiled, "My dear George, you could never look clumsy or a fool."

Penny and Carolyn turned and looked at them and together said, "Aw, that is so sweet."

Then they looked at each other and together said, "Jinx!" and both began to giggle.

Vicki stepped back from the group as they huddled around Reginald making arrangements to take lessons and she moved on satin soft feet to the table holding the portable record player.

Taking the arm of the record player off the record, she found the jacket and put the record away. She stood for a moment organizing the records and then moved to peer out at the setting sun.

Fall had the most glorious sunset with all the colors of fall mixed into one and reaching with golden tendrils over the landscape. Her mind however was not on the way the sunlight danced through the colorful leaves on the trees, or the way the clouds enhanced the colors to smudge it with shadow and filter the light.

Instead her mind was on what happened to her while she danced. The waltz was different from the minuet. She had felt like she had been torn apart to become two very different people.

One filled with memories of a by gone era and another mourning a loss of someone very loved. Folding her arms over her chest she leaned against the door jamb and let her mind wander. She had never learned French, yet at the séance when she channeled Josette she spoke it fluently. She knew when Josette took her body. Josette was always careful to shelter her from harm.

This new form was second nature to her as she moved to the music. It was always the same each time she danced a waltz. Then there was the mysterious man with the dark mesmerizing eyes who was her partner in this dance.

Why was this happening and who was he? This man who danced with her like an intimate lover? "Penny for them." Vicki blinked and looked up over her shoulder. Quentin slouched next to her.

"My thoughts?" Vicki smiled up at him keeping her pose of thoughtful contemplation.

Quentin leaned over her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Yes."

Vicki did not move at the close proximity of their bodies and continued with her nonchalant poses against the door's jam. "Why?" She kept up the easy banter failing to give into his flirtatious mood.

"I was curious about what put such a lost romantic look in your gaze as you watched the setting sun."

Vicki sighed and looked back at the sunset. "I was just thinking about the sunset and the upcoming engagement party. I really want to make Barnabas a good wife."

Quentin moved to stand in front of Vicki. Peering down into her eyes, he tapped his finger to her nose and spoke with a sincerity that surprised even him. "You my dear would make any man who had your love a good wife. My cousin is a very lucky man."

A familiar and deep voice from behind them chimed in, "I know how lucky I am cousin, I have always said that anyone that had a chance to know Vicki was very fortunate in deed."

Quentin noticed how her demeanor brightened at the sound of her fiancé's voice.

"Barnabas my love." She moved to embrace him and was received with welcoming arms and a light kiss on her forehead. "I understand that I missed quiet the performance."

Quentin stepped around the two lovers and smiled broadly at his cousin. "Oh yes dear cousin you certainly missed a very interesting performance that touched the hearts of all our relatives. Why I do believe our dear Victoria captured the hearts of every one of our family members and our extended family members."

Barnabas took Vicki's hand and kissed it. "Then I look forward to the performance at our engagement party."

Carolyn came bouncing over to them. "Quentin, Barnabas, Vicki come on. Reginald is going to do a private demonstration of the various dances they teach. Penny and I are going to get our first lesson tomorrow. Mother and George are going to take lessons for your wedding dance. Isn't it exciting."

Vicki chuckled at the excitement Carolyn had as she practically bounced on the balls of her feet. "And Reginald is soo dreamy too." She reached for Vicki's hand and tugged her to the direction of the chairs being set up by the open doors.

Vicki turned to Barnabas and Quentin, "Come on, you heard the lady."

Barnabas watched her move across the room dressed in Josette's gown. "When she came in earlier, she looked like Josette." Barnabas stood shoulder to shoulder with Quentin and watched as his second love moved across the room.

"There are times I too think she looks like Josette, but Josette had brown eyes and auburn hair. Where Josette had the fiery temptress looks, Vicki has her tender qualities and is a softer tempered temptress which is beyond compare. She is full of love, compassion, and tenderness. She puts others ahead of herself and is willing to sacrifice herself and happiness to save another."

Quentin chuckled, "Cousin I swear if I did not already know that you were in love with her, I would say you were in love with her."

"Hey come on you two, Vicki and Reginald are going to do another dance for us." Carolyn called and then sat and practically bounced in her chair as she waited.

Reginald turned to Carolyn and smiled, "I promise that once you are done with lessons, you will be able to do this too. Now, would someone be kind enough to put on the waltz we danced earlier?"

Jason popped up, "I will do it." He moved to the record stack and found the record Vicki had earlier put away and set it on the record player. Turning up the volume he waited until the music a piano and violin opening of ethereal quality.

Once again, Vicki felt herself transported to another time another place and she began to move, her look was focused and distant as she moved her body to the music. The operatic singer began her lines into the tune, 'we are the lucky ones. . .' The two melded together and began to move in harmony, with fluidity and grace.

Reginald lifted Vicki and spun her around, while Vicki curved her body into his and Vicki assuming an angelic pose and moved into position as he lowered her to the floor and they began to dance and sway, twirling and moving in poetic unison. The whole dance appeared to be effortless as the duo moved and glided around the dance floor.

Barnabas felt a pang of jealousy as he watched Vicki with Reginald and wished he were the one partnering her in this almost erotic dance of love lost and tragedy.

He found himself looking at Vicki's face and for a moment it was as if she were no longer Vicki but another personality, another entity and he felt his heartbeat race.

She was it seemed to be possessed by another personality. She moved like an angel but her face was set and too focused, it held a hint of sadness that was comparable to one who had lost everything. A look and feeling he was very familiar with on the very basic levels.

As Vicki danced with Reginald, she would turn in her dance to look at him, and once again that man, dark eyes, intense stare hidden behind a mask of gold.

His face appeared and as she spun away she could see she was dressed in a more ancient period dress perhaps the 14th century and he was dressed regally in garments of the same period. When she went into his embrace she felt breathless and excited.

The dance for them was a form of love-making as they expressed their feelings with a simple caress, the turn of the body into each other's arms, each lift. For a dance that lasted 4 minutes, it seemed like a lifetime from the moment he lifted her and spun with her in his arms, until he lowered her to the floor to pose with leg folded and elbow bent and folded fingertips touching her cheek.

Again, the room erupted with applause. Vicki and Reginald bowed to the audience. Flushing with her exertion and embarrassment, Vicki moved to Barnabas, who had stood up at the end of the dance. "My dear you did an exquisite job. I look forward to your performance with Mr. Dunst on Saturday."

Vicki flushed and lowered her gaze with a flutter of her eyelashes, "Thank you Barnabas, I did it for you. I can now dance the minuet and the

waltz."

Barnabas moved to pull her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "I hope that when we dance the minuet for our wedding dance, you will be as exciting and alluring as you were with that waltz and the music was very lovely. It was rather sad but touching."

Vicki laughed uncomfortably, "Thank you my love. I really don't know where it comes from. It is like when I hear the music, I become possessed and have to move. I go to a place in my mind and it just comes naturally."

She was getting uncomfortable explaining what was happening to her when she danced. Barnabas felt her statement was answering his convictions and he pulled her into his arms and cradled her against his chest.

"Vicki, my dearest Vicki, I watched your face and your demeanor during your dance recital was very intense and for a moment I wondered if it were really you. You just confirmed this when you told me you felt possessed."