Chapter 20

1969

Collinsport, Maine Old House

"So, gentlemen we are agreed we meet tonight at midnight here at the old house and we begin your journey to the year 1795, you Quentin will take over the body of Grand Duke Henri and you Barnabas will possess your own body. I am hoping that we will have you both arrive prior to Victoria meeting with Trask, if that is the case you will either distract him from ever meeting Victoria."

"I shall destroy him Professor, he is a bane on the butt of society and did not deserve to live. What he did to poor Miss Wycke was reprehensible. What he must have done in his perversion to other such women was nothing short of disgusting. He is a waste of air and does not deserve to live."

Quentin smiled, "I think maybe we should give him a taste of his own medicine cousin, perhaps he should be the one to be accused of witchcraft and put on trial. Perhaps we should bring in a renowned witch hunter of our own when Grand Duke Henri arrives and make accusations against him. Perhaps if he were the one under scrutiny, then he might not wish to pursue his perverse interests in young girls."

Barnabas smiled and nodded slowly, "Perhaps we should take it a step further and make him a guest of a succubus demon. I understand they are far more demanding than even Trask." Barnabas turned to Elliott, "Do you wish to come back and join us in Ben's body and summon a succubus to take Trask?"

Elliott smiled and nodded slowly, "I think that would be a wonderful idea my dear Barnabas, a very good and well thought out and fitting punishment for someone like Trask."

1795

Collinsport, Maine Old House

Victoria awoke in the drawing room of the old house, fear and terror filled her body, pushing her abused body up she rushed from the room out the door and down the pathway that would lead her back to Collinwood. Falling to the ground she closed her eyes and moaned softly, "Please, please someone help me!" Hearing a noise it was like a spur in her mind. The noise was enough to force her to stand and begin to run towards the front lawn that was the approach to Collinwood's porte conchere. Throwing herself against the door she turned eyes wide and seeing what she perceived to be a figure moving towards her she grappled with the door's handle and pushed the door open to stagger into the foyer and collapse into Roger Collins arms.

Not sure what time frame she was in she saw a familiar face and gasped out, "Oh Mr. Collins, please help me protect me!" She clutched his arms and looked wildly around the room that now held familiar resonance to her. It was her Collinwood and she was home realizing it she collapsed into a heap of grateful unconsciousness. Roger followed her down to the floor and cradled her body close to his, stroking her hair back from her face he looked gratefully into her pale face and saw the abuse that she must have suffered.

Looking around he shouted, "ELIZABETH! BARNABAS! SHE HAS RETURNED! VICKI IS BACK!"

1845

Collinsport, Maine Old House

Quentin paced the floor he watched the front bay windows anxiously then paced to the door only to turn and pace back to the fireplace and when the knock came he rushed to the door and flung it open. Standing before him stood Evan Handley and Barnabas' sister Angelique with her husband Peter. "Please come in, we have a family crisis and your powers are needed."

Evan looked curiously from Angelique to Quentin. "What powers would those be Quentin?" Evan was being glib with his tongue in cheek question. Angelique studied Quentin and found herself oddly attracted to him. "Perhaps you should be more specific on your request."

"Count Petofi is here, I need your help to defeat him and retrieve Barnabas' wife from his hold." Quentin spoke softly and watched the look on Barnabas' sister's face. He was immediately arrested by the look that Evan's brother displayed when he mentioned Barnabas' wife. He noted that Peter stiffened his stance and turned his back on them. "You have a problem with helping your brother in law Mr. Hanley?"

Angelique laughed lightly, "Why would you say that Mr. Collins? Surely, you know we as family usually stick together. My husband is a bit offended by the lack of courtesy my brother has failed to extend to family and would wonder why we should help you with this problem?"

"Because Angelique, it is your duty as my sister to help with the family or would you want my family here in America to think you do not have any family honor or loyalty as a former Collins?" Barnabas stepped from the area behind the louvered doors to enter the drawing room more fully.

"Where was your family honor the night we came to pay call to you brother? You chose to ignore us and send us on the way when a simple invite into your home for shelter would have been helpful and appreciated."

"I remember that night quite clearly and if you will recall my wife had taken ill that night. I needed to attend to her needs first and as you saw fit to absent yourself from my knowledge for years it seemed fitting to treat you as such and in kind."

"Now, now, now, this is not the time to go against one another when a family should be joining to help one another and I am sure that once this nasty little situation is over, that you two can find a mutual ground to reward one another." Nicholas smiled. When Barnabas looked towards the man and that smile all he saw was deceit behind a polite mask for society.

"I would be amenable to such a compromise, if my sister would agree and assist me with helping me get my wife returned." Barnabas shifted his gaze from Peter's turned back to Angelique.

"Well I might finally get to meet the woman that captured my brother's heart." Angelique had been curious about this woman that claimed to be his wife when she knew for a fact he had not been that long from his sealed coffin.

Barnabas smiled, he was going to enjoy both of their reaction to his revelation. "But my dear you do know my bride. You met her some time ago. I am sure you remember Victoria Winters?" He watched the look of incredulousness waft over her features. "Father arranged our marriage, I am sure you remember the one reason you left home was because you refused to allow father to arrange your marriage."

Angelique turned to Peter who had spun around hearing Victoria's name and hearing she was the one pretending to be his wife. Before he could control his outburst he rasped out, "That is impossible! She went back to her time, how can you say she is here?" It was the first that Peter had spoken since Barnabas arrived in the room.

Evan and Quentin studied the three and knew there was more going on with the three of them than was previously known. Quentin was the first to ask, "Her time? Her time is now what the hell do you mean by that Hanley?"

"Yes, brother, what did you mean by that?" Evan held his smile and then he quirked a curious brow. Angelique turned to Evan and Quentin and spoke softly. "Because when we first met Miss Winters she claimed to be from the future. Which was one reason father did not think she would be a good match for Barnabas because he thought she may be possessed, demented, or a witch." Angelique chuckled softly.

"Yes, but then father had a reconciliation with Miss Winter's father and then arranged the marriage, we reunited when I arrived in the states and sent her ahead of me after our marriage by proxy. That is when her carriage set upon by higway men and consequently her driver killed and the carriage over turned and she ended up at Collinwood in the west wing."

Barnabas pushed past the gathered group heading to the window to peer out over the front lawn of the old house. "I am sorry that I was not more forth coming to the two of you upon your arrival. Obviously, I was just beginning to meet the current family members of Collinwood, and then my wife's sudden illness distracted me enough to be less than cordial to family. For that total lack of coutesy I am truly sorry and wish now to extend this house and its amenities to your disposal." Barnabas felt as if his tongue would burn and fall off for being so solicitous to these two that had caused him so much grief.

However, at this point he had to do what ever he needed to get Angelique's co-operation to help him get Victoria back. Even now he worried she was being ill used by Petofi and intended to find a way to destroy him. Turning he looked from Angelique and could see that smug self-satisfied look on her face. Peter as usual was not as cordial or forgiving. If anything he was being more obtuse than before with his contained anger boiling just below the surface. For Quentin he had the feeling this was due to the fact he occupied the same room with Barnabas.

He turned to Angelique and spoke softly, his words clipped and stressed showing his anger was barely contained below the surface. "He is your brother you do what you wish. If it were me they both could burn in hell as far as I am concerned." He darted a dangerous look at Barnabas. He thought a moment seeing the anguish the loss of this woman was having on his arch nemisis and then he smiled. He remembered how lovely Victoria Winters was and how pure she seemed and the thought struck him that perhaps he could make him suffer more. What if he could be the one to make sure he took what Barnabas wanted and claimed as his own. Peter knew that Barnabas was after all attached to Miss Winters and he was obviously falling in love with her. That might be the ultimate way to make him pay for what he had done to Phyllis.

Angelique sighed softly, appearing to have contemplated his request and thinking of a thousand ways she could make him pay for rejecting her and daring to find happiness with this woman. Appearing to capitulate she spoke with a soft purr to her tone, "If you wish my help dear brother then who am I to deny a family member my expertise." Evan smiled he seemed to have seen how this would play out and he was interested in finally seeing this mysterious woman that held more of a mystery than the eye of Pandora. Which he knew Quentin had obtained some years back while he was in Egypt.

"Quentin do you still possess the Eye of Pandora?" He asked subtly looking to see Angelique's reaction to this news. Angelique spun around and looked at Quentin.

"You have the Eye?" Her breath had become raspy with the excitement hearing that such a revered object was near her reach. Eyes wide and feeling her breath come in short intakes she had to calm herself to prevent hyperventilation.

"Yes, I have it. It's a paperweight in my room. I never believed in the old story of the fabled Eye of Pandora. It was a pretty egg shape rock so I took it from Ra's temple as a momento, it caught my eye. It appeared to be so innocently sitting on the pedastal so I brought it home. At first I thought it was worth something but was told it only had value for the eye of the beholder and it was useless unless joined with the right power."

Angelique smiled, "Then you will need to fetch it and give it to me. I will use it against Petofi and we shall release my sister in law from Petofi and send her home." Angelique practically purred with her request and her eyes lit up. Evan frowned he did not know what she was up to but he knew that she had something deliciously evil in mind and it would not bode well for Victoria Winters Collins.

1968

Collinsport Maine, Old House cellar

The group huddled around the table and waited for Elliott to drop the wands and place the 47th parallel on top. Watching Elliott with expert knowledge and precision place the wands on the table he stepped back from the center of the table turned and took his seat and spoke softly. "Now gentlemen close your eyes and concentrate on the top wand. Picture your body becoming light and you stepping from it and turn to approach a door. For each of you have different destinations to take."

Elliott took a deep breath and waited for Quentin and Barnabas to do as he had instructed. "The year for all of us is 1795, you Barnabas back before you were cursed by Peter Bradford, you Quentin to search for and take the body of your Uncle the Grand Duke Henri, whom I believe is in route to Collinsport, Maine, I shall follow to occupy Ben Stoke's body."

Barnabas was the first to etherally stand up from his body and step forward turning to enter the door that represented the 47th parallel and travel through time and space to find himself in the consciousness of his own body in the year 1795. Blinking quickly and acclimating him self to his surroundings he turned to note he was at the Plantation and was awaiting Josette's return from a visit to a nearby neighbors. "No, this is not right." Closing his eyes he knew he had gone back too far. Releasing his hold on this time and his body he turned he closed his eyes and once again vacated this body and stepped through the door to turn and re-enter the door and find he was on the beach and he saw Victoria.

She stood facing the ocean looking rather forlornly and appearing conflicted and lost as she watched the waves crash on the beach to withdraw and roll back to shore again. He imagined she was feeling like those storm tossed waves and felt his heart tighten in his chest watching the confusion wash over her face. He knew her so well he knew with the cross of those arms, the sucking of that bottom lip under her top teeth and the rise and fall of her breasts she was confused and afraid. Even with the wind tempting her hair from the ribbon and blow it across her face to obstruct her field of vision that she was troubled and afraid of something.

He had been with her long enough to know her moods and to sense her feelings. With a shift her feet he knew she was preparing to turn and walk back to widows hill when her gaze fell on him watching her. There it was that sweet innocent smile indicating she was hiding her torment. The voice behind him caused her forward movement to halt and a look of disappointment and embarassment fell over her features.

"Barnabas, my sweet! I tried to get away earlier but I was detained." Josette rushed to his side embraced him with a passionate kiss. Barnabas broke the kiss and looked up to see Victoria had seen them together he moaned inwardly.

"Oh my dear Josette, you must return to Collinwood immediately. I have business with Miss Winters." He glanced over Josette's shoulder and saw that Victoria had turned and began to swiftly walk away from the two lovers. Just by the set of her shoulders and the rapid retreat she made he could tell she was sorry she had witnessed the liason between the two star crossed lovers.

Josette frowned, "But Barnabas you said we must meet you wanted to talk to me that it was urgent and now you wish to toss me aside for Miss Winters?" The frown had turned to a petulant pout her eyes hidden with a flutter of her lashes. He knew both women only too well to know Josette had not become annoyed and perhaps a little jealous of Victoria?

"It is important my dear sweet Josette. I fear that from some information I have received that Miss Winters is in grave danger and I must make sure she is not molested by that despot Trask. I promise my love I shall come to you later for now, return to Collinwood. I know Jeremiah is looking for you." He kissed her forehead and turned her forcefully away from him. With a gentle shove in the direction of Collinwood he said softly, "Off you go my sweet. I promise until later I shall come to you and we will discuss what I wanted to talk to you about earlier." His words were sincere but she was not hearing the sincerity she was feeling his rejection with the polite rebuff and shove.

With a soft huff she turned and marched off towards Widow's Hill. Barnabas sighed and turned his attention to the now retreating form of Miss Winters down the beach to the out cropping of the rocks. Picking up his speed he rushed forward to go after Victoria. He was almost to her when she rounded the large abutment of rocks that designated a boundary of the Collins' beachhead and the town proper. That is when he heard her cry out with a sharp gasp and a subtle scream that seemed to have been cut off or suppressed.

Rushing forward he rounded the rocks and saw Trask pinning Victoria to the roughness of the rocks That is when Barnabas saw Trasks hands under Victoria's skirt and holding her by curve of her derriere. Watching Trask's hands taking such liberties sent Barnabas into a deep rage. Rushing forward he pulled Trask from her body and threw him to the surf. "You sire are a rake and a bastard. I will give you exactly one minute to get your sorry hide from my sight before i have you drawn and quartered!" Trask pulled himself from the surf and glared at Barnabas.

"I have a right to test her for witchcraft she appeared under mysterious circumstances and as such could very well be under the hand of the devil! You will regret this Mr. Collins, I shall have the woman to test her!" Trask turned and marched to his horse he had tethered on the other side of the rocks and mounted up. Barnabas watched him ride off then turned to attend Victoria.

"Miss Winters, please are you unharmed?" He noted she had received some scratches and was surely going to bruise from the rough treatment that Trask had delivered upon her. Inwardly he was angry he had not gotten here in time to prevent their meeting so now he and Quentin would need to go through with the second part of their plan. He watched her straighten her clothing and hug her ribs with her arms.

"Mr. Collins I did not wish to intrude on you and Mrs. Collins so decided to take my stroll away from your meeting. It seemed too personal for my attention." She pushed her hair back from her face and turned her back on him. "I apologize for interrupting your meeting."

He could hear it in her voice she was embarrassed and she was hurt by his attention to Josette. Walking to her turned back, he placed his hands gently on her shoulders and spoke softly into her ear. "Victoria it is I your Barnabas from 1968, I have come to rescue you from the attentions of Trask." He leaned into her trembling body and felt her turn to look at him in askance and surprise.

"My Barnabas?" She whispered softly and watched that familiar smile edge its way across his lips and he nodded slowly, tipping her chin up he gently placed a soft kiss on her lips. Then stepped back.

"There are circumstances that demanded that Elliott, Quentin and I come back to this time to prevent a series of events from transpiring to keep you from harms way and from Trasks unwanted attention. That meeting between Josette and I was to take place and Jeremiah was to discover us on the beach and issue a challenge, what I just did is change the course of history when I sent her back to Collinwood. My concerns and my attention is needed here with you."

From behind they heard a horse galloping at full speed, an outraged Jeremiah raced upon the intimate scene and he flung himself from the saddle and marched towards Barnabas. He had recognized the dress as one of Josette's and thought when he approach the two that he was having a tryst with his wife, he stopped short when his gaze fell on Victoria standing in the tender hold of Barnabas. "Barnabas? Miss Winters?" He looked at the disheveled condition of Miss Winters and frowned.

"Trask assaulted Miss Winters and I was within an inch of thrashing him. I sent him on the way and he threatened to return to take Miss Winters and test her!" Barnabas protectively held Victoria next to him and noticed that Jeremiah was now looking with the hunger of a man that wanted another woman not his wife.

Jeremiah turned away from them. "I will deal with Trask and Abigail I am just as sure she sent him out here to find her. I think for the safety of Miss Winters Barnabas she should return with us to Collinwood and make her residence there. It would be more appropriate for her to stay there and she would be excellent company for Josette. Which reminds me; where is she? The servants said she was here on the beach."

Barnabas sheltered Victoria close to his body. He had to remind himself that there were memories and history between them that Victoria had not experienced. "I agree Jeremiah. Miss Winters should be with you and Josette at Collinwood. As for Josette I am certain that the servants were not aware that Josette was just strolling along the peak of Widows Hill and returned to the house some time ago." Barnabas began to lead Victoria back to the main part of the beachhead and to the path that would take them to Collinwood.

"Yes, I am sure they were mistaken, come along Miss Winters let us tend to your cuts and bruises." Jeremiah collected the reins from his horse and walked with the two towards the hill. As they approached the front of the house they stopped and noted that a very ostentatious carriage was parked under the porte conchere. Barnabas smiled noting that a coat of arms proudly displayed on the carriage door meant that Count Henri ne' Quentin had arrived.

Vicki stumbled feeling the pains of the abuse she had taken from Trask and felt close to fainting. Jeremiah handed his reins to Barnabas and swept Victoria up in his arms. He hated to admit it but he was feeling a strong attachment to this mysterious young beauty that had just appeared on their doorstep. "Allow me Miss Winters to help you the rest of the way to the house." His eyes looked deeply into the turmoil riddled gaze of his new houseguest. For a moment he imagined what it would feel like to drown in the depths of that gaze and to taste those lips that were pressed together to hide her pain.

Barnabas bristled; he had lost Josette to Jeremiah he was not going to loose Victoria to him. "Uncle, why not allow me to have Miss Winters while you attend to the new arrival which appears to be some kind of royalty by that coat of arms proudly displayed on the carriage. You might wish to join your 'wife' to welcome the new arrival while I see to the comfort of Miss Winters." Barnabas turned to gently take Victoria his Uncle.

Reluctantly, Jeremiah knew he was right and he relinquished his hold on Victoria. Turning he walked to the front of the house, while Barnabas took Victoria to the servant's entrance and up the backstairs. Pausing briefly to tell the upstairs maid, Lilly to prepare a bath for Miss Winters and to see that the room he had selected for her had the bed made.

"Do you know if the front green room has been prepared?" Barnabas shifted her weight in his arms and looked expectantly to the young girl standing before him wide eyed and staring with open mouth at the deplorable condition the regal lady Victoria displayed while being held by Mr. Barnabas.

"Yes, milord Barnabas, the room is ready for the Lady, if you please take Miss Victoria to the room and I shall go to the bathing chambers and prepare a bath for her. Should I inform Mistress Josette she is in the green room?"

"No, your mistress is currently welcoming guests in the drawing room. Once I see to Miss Winters comfort, I shall be joining them." Barnabas passed Lilly walking to the room that Victoria had occupied upon her arrival to Collinwood. "I thought you might like your old room back while you are in residence in this century."

Vicki laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes wincing as she found a new bruise on her tender flesh. "Thank you Barnabas, I have been half out of my mind with fear and anxiety since I arrived and I have no idea why I am here." Her breath was warm against his neck.

"You are here to prevent a wrong from being committed. Essentially there is a function you must perform to see that the Collins name and linage continues my dear, so you have a very important part to play." He wanted to press his lips to hers and taste the sweetness that she offered with that pretty pout that only enhanced her beauty.

"I must return or you would not be here to watch out for me." She looked up as they arrived at the door that was her bedroom. "I can stand now Barnabas you can put me down if you wish." She smiled shyly. He watched her flutter her lashes and knew she must be in a great deal of discomfort but was trying to hide it.

Slowly he lowered her to the floor and held her close to his body. "In our new timeline you and I are about to be married Victoria, how does that make you feel?" He whispered against her ear as he turned the doorknob to her room. He watched the soft color edge its way from her neck up to her cheekbones. Her eyes opened wide and she looked at him in surprise.

"We are to be married? I suppose we are very much in love?" She hinted at his saying the words so she could hear them instead of how fond he was of her, which had always been the big crux for her to get closer to him. She did not want to entangle her emotions with someone that was only fond of her.

Barnabas looked deeply into her gaze and smiled, "I can say without hesitation that Victoria Winters I love you will all my heart and would lay down my life to protect you. I am anxious for the day we pledge ourselves to each other." His words were said with such intense sincerity and their moment was so intimate that neither of them knew that they were being watched and was over heard.

Josette gasped softly turned and scurried down the hallway her heart breaking and her eyes filling with tears. Her mind in turmoil she could not believe she had been so blind as to not see that Barnabas had felt trapped with her in an impossible situation and now he had confessed he was in love with that woman! Rushing past her husband she ran to her room and slammed the door to slide the bolt into place and then to throw herself across her bed.

Jeremiah walked to her door and knocked softly, "Josette? Josette? My dear what is wrong? Are you ill?"

"Go away Jeremiah! I have a horrible headache! Go away!" she called through her sobs. "I am ill please ask Duke Henri to forgive me, I am not well!" Her voice was choked with her emotions and all she wanted to do was curl into a ball and die.