Chapter 18
1845
Old House Collinsport Maine
Barnabas' bedchambers
From somewhere in the depths of her state of unconsciousness Victoria could hear pounding noises. Sitting up and pressing her hand to her head she looked around and saw the mantle clock. "Who in the world is pounding on the door at 1:00 a.m.?" She braced her fists to the mattress, shifted and slid from the bed. Sliding on her shoes she padded to the bedroom door opened it and sure enough there it was again, a loud pounding.
Sandor opened the door having pulled on his breeches, "No Sandor go back to bed, I shall get the door." Magda had followed him out to the hallway. She looked with a degree of suspicion to Victoria and then patted Sandor's shoulders.
"Go, go, I vill go vith Lady Victoria." She smiled, kissed her husband's cheek. Magda did not like the look of her charge, she was too pale and was looking slightly ill if not weak. Walking up next to Victoria she hooked her arm with her own arm and tugged her along. "Come ve go see who is so rude to bang the door down in ze middle of ze night."
Victoria turned and smiled, "Magda, go back to bed with your husband, I can answer the door with no problem." She sighed deeply turned and tugged against her arm. Magda looked at her throat and saw slight bruising but was not sure if it was from a recent bite or an old one. "Ju let Magda get ze door, ju need to rest."
Vicki smiled shook her head. "Well if we wait long enough they will go away, no Magda, go back to your husband and be with him." Victoria turned and walked down the hallway gathering her housecoat close to her body unaware she had blood on the collar. Lifting the gown's skirt she walked down the stairs to the door as another round of pounding began.
Magda with Sandor following edged into the shadows of the stairwell and looked below. Victoria slid the bolt back and opened the door to a hand and startled face of a man that was about to pound on the door again. His eyes were at first filled with frustration then with pleasure seeing such a delightful looking lady at the door. "Oh Madam I beg your pardon for such a intrusion so early, but we had an accident at the bend of the road and my companion and I need help."
Victoria stood back to allow him entrance. The minute his image came under the light Magda recognized him immediately and she hissed and rasped out, "Aristides!" Turning to Sandor she whispered, "Petofi iz not far away. Ve must warned King Johnny, he iz 'ere! Ju go get Gregor up bring 'im to our room. Hurry Sandor, hurry, siz iz not good!" Sandor turned and shambled off down the road making the sign of the cross as he padded down the hallway.
Victoria hearing he had a companion turned to open the door and look out into the growing shadowy night. "My goodness where is your companion? Should I send for a Doctor?" The sound of staggering steps looked again and saw the outline of another person slowly moving up to the stairs. "Oh my goodness." She spoke softly and rushed down the stairs to help the large elderly looking man. Helping him up the stairs into the house. Magda continued to watch while Victoria helped the evil man himself into her house.
Turning she ran down the hallway, "Come ve got to go, she 'as zat man in zis house. Get Julianka, Gregor and Alex up and ve go, ve go now. Shake ze dust of zis 'ouse from our feet!" Magda's accent became more pronounced the more she got agitated.
Sandor had awakened Gregor who stood sleepily in the hallway. "Vhat iz goin on?" Gregor yawned turned to see Julianka and smiled at her then waited for his obviously hysterical aunt acting like a crazy woman.
"Petofi!" She hissed at them all which now a collective of all gypsies were in the hallway. "Ve must warn King Johnny! Julianka, ju must go to jour fadder now, tell him Petofi iz 'ere!"
All eyes were wide hearing the name Petofi, Julianka turned into her room dressed quickly and on silent footfalls slipped out of the back of the house and made haste to her father's camp, while Gregor and Alex began to gather the family's belongings gotten by legitimate or illegitimate means. Shoving them into the large bag he kept by his bed. "Ve vill hurry Aunt Magda. Ve vill leave dis night."
Drawing Room Old House
Victoria knelt by the elderly gentleman checking him for injuries. He appeared to be very old and wore thick blue tinted glasses. He laid back with a sigh of relief. "Please just rest here for a moment, while I get you something to drink, you appear to be dehydrated." She frowned noting he was sweating profusely. The old man reached for her and chuckled softly.
"No, no my dear just exhausted from the lengthy walk to your most welcome household. I just need to rest. Where is my man Aristides?" He glanced over her shoulder.
"I am here Uncle." He stepped forward helping Victoria to stand and then took her place by his side. Petofi watched Victoria leave the room. "Has she gone?" He Aristides whispered softly to his uncle.
He nodded, "I think she has gone to arrange rooms for us for the night. Quickly help me up, before she returns." Aristides sat his uncle up on the sofa and assisted him to stand. "You will need to go get our bags once she shows us to a room, I will need you to do two things for me . . . . "
Upstairs of the Old House
1845
Turning Victoria walked to the stairs. Moving up the stairs she called softly, "Magda? Sandor?" The house was silent. Walking to Sandor and Magda's room she knocked softly, "Magda? Sandor?" Opening the door she saw the room gave all the appearances of having been vacated in a hurry, things were thrown about the room left completely disheveled. "What is going on?" She walked around the room then turned and moved to the other rooms and found the same evidence of having been vacated in a hurry.
Sighing softly and feeling dreadful Victoria walked to two rooms down the hallway and quickly made up the beds and started the tenders in the fireplace to warm the rooms. Finishing up she walked back down stairs to the drawing room and found the older gentleman sitting up in one of the chairs by the fireplace. Victoria entered the room paused and thought he needed more heat by the way he was hunkered into the chair. "Oh my dear sir, are you chilled?" She had took the coverlet from the back of the sofa and walked towards him to cover him if he needed it.
"No, no my dear sweet child, I do not need your blanket, thank you for your kindness. It was I felt chilled when you left us and had my nephew," He nodded to Aristides standing by the window. "Help me to this comfortable chair. Now to whom do I owe my many thanks that will never be adequately repaid?"
Vicki glanced over to Aristide and smiled, focusing her attention back to the kind gentleman that had just complimented her she spoke softly, "My name is Victoria Collins. This is my husband Barnabas Collins and my house." She stood back and it was then both men noticed the bruising on her neck and the blood on her gown.
"My dear Mrs. Collins have you by any chance injured yourself?" Aristide spoke from his position in the corner. Then indicated her neck by pointing at his neck. He noted she glanced down and realized she had blood on her gown and glancing anxiously around the room she spoke softly, "Just a minor bruise from the other day it seems I got into a bit of a contested argument with a rose bush. I had not realized that it might have opened up and bled onto my gown."
He had made his appearance so silently that none of those present realized her was standing in the doorway. "You have inured yourself Victoria?" Barnabas stepped into the room as his wife's side and looked with concern to her neck and then her gown. "I believe my dear these guests have reason to feel alarmed, you have bled on your gown and your neck is bruised. Why don't you go up and change into something more appropriate for guests while I entertain our new arrivals."
Victoria took her fingertips and drew them to her throat she looked with open concern that she might have slipped up on their secret. "of course husband, but first allow me to introduce our guests, it appears they were involved in an accident down the roadway and sought help with us. I unfortunately could not locate Magda or Sandor or their family members it appears they have abandoned us." She sighed deeply.
Barnabas cupped her chin in his hand leaning over to place a chaste sweet kiss on her forehead he spoke softly, "It is all right my dear, tomorrow we shall hire new help or ask Edith for the loan of some temporary help." He had hidden his irritation over the fact he would need to be beholden to Collinwood and Daniel for help in their household.
Petofi stood and bowed to Barnabas, "My good sir, forgive our intrusion into your home may I present myself to you, I am Count Andréas Petofi, and this is my nephew Aristide." Barnabas moved to the liquor cabinet.
"Might I offer you and your nephew some libation I understand my wife may have prepared rooms for your stay. I am sure she will tell me once she returns." He waited for an answer about a drink.
"I would love a spot of sherry if you have some my dear sir and I thank you for your courtesy. It has been a most distressing night to say the least." Petofi assumed the pitiful put upon nobleman.
"Yes, I am sure you are most upset over what has occurred. Tell me whom were you visiting while in Collinsport Count?" He handed his sherry to him and another to Aristide. Stepping back he folded his hands primly in front of him.
Victoria stood poised in the middle of the entryway. She wore a gown of soft pale yellow that was button up to her neck. She walked into the room and spoke softly, "Excuse me husband, I have prepared rooms for our unexpected guests. I gave them the blue and green rooms. They are the ones that were at one time Jeremiah's and Daniel's."
She stepped next to Barnabas and studied the two men. "I am sure my husband can show you to your rooms, do you have luggage that you will need carried to your rooms?"
It was the perfect opportunity for Petofi to send Aristide out of the house. "Yes, my nephew shall go and bring them to us." Victoria nodded turned to place a chaste kiss on her husband's cheek.
"Now if you will excuse me I have not been feeling well lately." She stepped back and walked to the stairs. Barnabas bowed to the two men and followed his wife up the stairs. She continued down the hallway to Josette's room.
"Victoria?" Barnabas followed her into the room and took her in his arms. "My dearest one what troubles you?" He studied the concern and hurt look on her face. Victoria had tensed when he touched her and this alerted Barnabas to something that was not right between them.
Victoria looked up into his sad concerned filled eyes. "Barnabas you bit me earlier and left me. Why?" She was worried and hurt that he had taken from her without her offering to him. She saw him tense in return then drew her to his chest.
"Victoria I was concerned over what I had heard earlier and Quentin and I decided that Mr. Trask needed someone to speak with him about how he treated you and that he should stay away from you. I did that tonight and before I went I took from you to keep from killing the man."
Victoria looked up into his eyes. "I don't mind that you take Barnabas but you did not ask, I would have freely given to you what you needed. I love you, I loved you for over three years now and we are planning our wedding in my time. How could I deny you, it was not an honest thing for you to do especially to me." The tears stung her eyes and this touched his heart.
Cupping her chin in his palm he looked deeply into the ever-changing colors of her eyes. "My dearest Victoria, I must confess to you something I have held back for over seventy-five years." He led her to the settee and seated her. Then he knelt at her feet.
"That day I saw you shall we say in delectate in Josette's room, I have thought of nothing else but you. While I lay in that coffin and waited for someone to come and release me, I thought of you to keep me from going insane. It was you Victoria Winters, it was you that held my thoughts, my fantasies and my life in your tiny delicate hand." He reached for her hand and planted kisses on each fingertip.
"I wanted to know all I could about you and then when I saw Trask holding you in the cellar here and how he had treated you, I wanted to kill him for harming you the way he had. I have to say I did that but when I went to look for you after I had blocked him up downstairs. I could not find you. After that life was not worth staying around or living. I asked Father to kill me but he could not bring himself to do that."
Victoria stroked his face looking through eyes of love at the one man she knew was to be her destiny. "Barnabas I love you and I forgive you for not asking me about tonight. I only want you to know should you ever wish to do something like that again, just tell me what you are doing?"
He stood and sat next to her gathering her into his arms. "I promise you I will never take without asking you first." Vicki went willingly into his hold. He stroked her hair from her face and smiled tenderly as he spoke. "Know I would do nothing to harm you my dear and I hold my hope that we shall always be together even in the time from which you come."
Vicki nudged his chin and sighed. "I am tired my dearest one, I suppose I shall prepare for bed. Are you going to assist the Petofi's?" She glanced up into his eyes and smiled.
"Yes, my dear I shall go with the nephew once I settle the Count in his room. I suppose I shall give him Jeremiah's room and the nephew shall have Daniel's old room. You go change and rest before I retire I shall come to check on you." He kissed her forehead pushed he back peered deep into her eyes then lowered his lips and kissed her deeply.
He was surprise to feel our pliable and willing she was to give of her self to him so readily. Rising he turned and walked to the door pausing to peer back at her. "Until later my love." He walked from sight.
Collinwood 1797
West Wing
Quentin moved from closet to closet watching to see where his stairway through time was hidden. Feeling frustrated he walked back to his bedroom where he found Victoria waiting for him.
"Any luck?" she looked at him with half heated hopefulness in her voice. He shook his head and collapsed on the bed. Pinching his fingers on the bridge of his nose he moaned softly.
"I checked every closet and nothing could be found. I know it is one of them I am just not sure which. I keep hoping I shall catch the right one. Once I find it, then I could take you back. Then go and find you and take you back to the correct time and date."
Vicki thought about this for a moment. "From what you tell me I am going back after I complete why I have come back to this time. If that is the case, then you must go on without me You must promise me this Quentin, no matter what happens."
Quentin sighed deeply he did not want he to face what he knew she was about to face. He did not want her to have that pain or face the despicable Reverend Trask. "I promise you this Victoria if I go back I know I will see you again and I will find you in that other timeline and bring you back to your beloved Barnabas."
Vicki looked down it was hard for him to speak of her Barnabas as her beloved when she was still trying hard to get over the death of Burke and now there was the death of Jeremiah. It was like loosing Burke all over again. She stood and moved to peer out his window. She noted Joshua seemed to be very agitated and was ordering the servants about. "Odd." She spoke softly.
Quentin stood from his bed and walked to Victoria's side to the window and watched the antics of Joshua below. "I wonder what that is about?" A soft knock on Quentin's open door frame brought his attention over to his doorway. In the doorway was Millicent Collins. She was very upset and appeared to be near hysteria.
"Oh Miss Victoria could you go to Miss Josette's room she is very upset and she has just learned some terrible news."
Vicki walked to Millicent and looked at her disheveled appearance. Victoria knew the petite blond was a bit addled patted and very sensitive to her surroundings and having lost her chance to make a match with Barnabas had turned her attention towards a Lieutenant Forbes who had been commissioned in the Militia.
"Millicent what is the problem?" She put a hand of comfort on her shoulder, which resulted in her breaking down in tears. "There, there Millicent, calm yourself and tell me what is going on?"
Millicent looked over to Quentin then rushed to him throwing her arms around him for comfort. "It is Barnabas, Joshua just came back and said he found him dead!" Victoria frowned turned from Quentin who was comforting Millicent and made her way to Josette's room. From the outside she could hear her sobbing with heartfelt deep grief driven sobs. Knocking softly on the door she spoke, "Josette?"
Opening the door she looked upon the tear soaked features of Josette Collins and she looked horrible, she had not bathed or combed her hair and was in a soiled gown. "Josette my dear sweet Josette!" She rushed to her bedside and felt the woman wrap her arms around her neck and sob into her neck.
"Oh Victoria, it is all so horrible! First Jeremiah and now it is Barnabas! Joshua says he found him dead and put him in his room. Please Victoria go and check to see if it is true!" Victoria shushed her softly and cooed to her.
"Now Josette, first let us get you cleaned up so we can properly greet those that will come to help us grieve. Now come along while I fix you a bath." Vicki lead her down the hallway to the bathing chambers and ordered the servants to prepare her a bath. Helping Josette bathe Victoria promised she would personally go to the old house to make sure it was true. Washing her hair and bathing her Victoria helped her dress and then dried and combed her hair and plated it down her back.
Walking her back to her room she looked up to see a very distraught and upset Naomi who was tearful and full of pain filled grief at the news. Then there was Sarah who was clinging to her mother's skirts. Together the two walked to Sarah's room where Naomi put her to bed.
After trying to calm and offer support to everyone that was very upset over the news of Barnabas' demise, Victoria slipped to Quentin's room where she found he was napping lightly. Not wishing to disturb him she walked down the stairs to see Joshua standing in the middle of the foyer bellowing, "Find his body! I tell you I want his body found!" He turned to Victoria and seeing her as a island of calm in a sea of insanity he moved to her and grabbed her shoulders. "If ever I needed a strong shoulder to lean on I need yours now Victoria say you will stay with me until I have word on Barnabas' body!"
Victoria slid her arm around his waist and lead him into the drawing room where she seated him by the fireplace then turned to get him a stiff drink. "Joshua were you sure he was dead?" She turned and carried the drink to him handing him the stiff whiskey she just poured. Joshua took it and downed it in one gulp.
Victoria patted his shoulder. "There now Joshua let us think this through. You found him and you were sure he was dead?" She had to ask him again he had not seemed to comprehend the first time she asked the question. "You said you carried him to his room now think Joshua when you did this was he cold to the touch and stiff or was he pale? Did he have a heart beat?"
Joshua handed her the glass, "Another." He appeared to be reliving the moment he walked in and found his son lying on the bed of his best friend. He rubbed his forehead and thought about that moment. He certainly looked dead, he was pale and he was cold to the touch but he had not grown stiff. Perhaps it was that strange disease he had heard about where someone appears to be dead but they are not.
"Do you think it possible?" He began to look for hope in a house that was now filled with the darkness of death, with Jeremiah just laid to rest how could he possibly have lost his only son? He stood and walked to the window to look out at the darkness that now encompassed the entire grounds. "I know he felt cold to the touch and he certainly did not appear to have a heart beat. He was pale but he was not stiff."
Victoria sighed softly, "Do you wish me to go to the Old House and check again, if he had merely passed out or went unconscious he could have gotten up and possibly gone out of the house and perhaps was confused and well . . . " She was sounding like she was grasping at straws for any explanation. There had ot be more to this than what was presented after all there was his great, great grandson living in the old house in her time.
"Would you mind going to check one more time for me Victoria? I am exhausted; take two of the servants with you when you go. I don't trust these woods what with wolves running around and attacking people."
Vicki walked to the hallway where she found Jacob and Joab, "Gentlemen, for Mr. Collins we will go back to the old house and check one more time perhaps Mr. Barnabas was not dead." Vicki put on her cloak and followed the two men out of the house and to the pathway that would take her to the old house.