Chapter 21

Collinwood Drawing Room

1796

The grand and very distinguished man standing before Barnabas was every bit Quentin Collins in looks and voice. "Were you successful in keeping Trask from meeting Victoria?" Dressed in an expensive brocade jacket and pantaloons of satin Quentin looked every bit the distinguished Duke he was to represent. However; he felt uncomfortable in the fancy close fitting breeches and the heavy jacket.

"You know you should look more relaxed in your clothing Quentin, you are beginning to show your nature of wishing the convenience of the longer breeches." He stepped aside and walked to the fireplace. "In answer to your question, no. I was too late. He accosted her out by the cropping of rocks that divide Collins property from the public beach." He sounded disgusted with himself.

"Then I suggest we meet at the old house later and we shall summon the beast and Trask. It should prove interesting to see Trask consorting with a demon. You Quentin, will have Joshua present so he can witness the event him self." Elliott in Ben's body stepped into the room and it was odd to say the least to see Ben but hear him using the vernacular of Professor Stokes.

"That is impossible gentleman Joshua is in Bangor and will not return for another fortnight. I do not know what is going on here but it seems there is a plot afoot and I am surprised at you Ben Stokes being so well spoken for an illiterate. " Jeremiah stepped more fully into the room having come upon the conversation of the three conspirators. "Now I want to know what is going on and just who exactly are all of you?"

Barnabas turned with a sigh, "We Uncle are whom we represent in body but in mind we have taken over these bodies to avoid a grave injustice and to right a horrible wrong that is about to happen."

Jeremiah frowned, looking around at the three men and what a dichotomy of representatives they presented. One whom appeared to be his nephew, another a man of royal bearing and stature, and another a servant indentured to his brother but obviously was a lot more educated than he was led to believe. Shifting that gaze over each and every one of them he spoke softly, "Are you from the same future that Victoria has come?" He shifted his gaze back to the man that looked every bit as his nephew Barnabas.

"We have placed our minds inside these bodies, they are our ancestors. So, yes we are from Victoria's time. As a matter of fact we are from the time three years ahead of Victoria's time when she left. This we know Trask finds a way to transcend time and he comes to kidnap Victoria and we are here to stop that from happening. Now my question to you is how do you know this?"

"Because I told him Barnabas, I told him a week ago because I knew certain events and occurrences that happened that had not so I made a mistake. Unfortunately, your Aunt Abigail heard me and now she has Trask searching for me to try me as a witch along with poor Phyllis Wycke." Victoria had followed Jeremiah down the steps after hearing Josette sobbing in her room.

She had attempted to get Josette to open the door and was rebuffed and had horrible words flung at her from behind that closed door by Josette. Jeremiah turned and started towards Victoria to be passed by Barnabas. "Come my dear sit by the fire, you had a horrible ordeal earlier and should have been resting."

Quentin, Elliott and Barnabas huddled around her but her gaze traveled to Jeremiah. "I am sorry this has disrupted your home Jeremiah, I would rather have left and never returned had it not been for the fact I am here to prevent something horrible from happening and now Barnabas tells me they, that Gentleman whom he referred to as a cousin Quentin Collins and Ben, only I don't think it is Ben." She looked expectantly at the man she knew as Ben Stokes.

"it is Elliott Stokes my dear, Ben great many grandson and a Professor for Collinsport University, we meet once you have returned to your time. But I have grown to love and respect you as another daughter to me in the past three years we have grown close, just as you and Barnabas have grown close enough to be planning your wedding until an unfortunate set of circumstances interfered with your wedding."

Jeremiah was astonished that such a thing could occur and to hear Ben speaking so astutely was overwhelming. He had thought that poor simple Ben could never speak so correctly and with such a distinguished tone to his voice. "I must admit this is very hard for me to comprehend but as you are all here apparently it is possible in the future. He turned his hungry gaze upon Victoria dressed so pristinely in her white night gown and matching robe. Her hair comb over her shoulder laid like a dark luxurious cape down her back.

Barnabas immediately noted his Uncle had fallen in love with his fiancé and he would be damned if his Uncle would take from him what he had a right to claim in his new time. "Are you quite all right my dear? Barnabas said he had bruised you up and scratched you horribly."

Vicki flushed lifting the skirt to show the large bruise along her ankle up her leg, "Unfortunately it goes all the way up and there is a large abrasion on my back where he slammed me into the rock over hang." Vicki lifted her hair and from her neck to her shoulder disappearing under the covering of her clothing he could see an angry rock burn along her neck. "Then there is the large lump on the back of my head which gave me a slight head ache."

Elliott frowned, "He slammed your head into the rock and you have a headache?" He stepped forward and gently ran expert fingers over the large swelling. "Oh dear you very well could have a concussion my dear. You should not sleep for at least another ten hours and should be monitored." He gazed into her eyes and noted her pupils were slightly pinpoint. "Are you having light sensitivity?"

Jeremiah stepped forward and bent on a knee in front of her. Taking her hand into his he spoke softly, "As long as I live, I shall not allow that man near you again." Lifting her hand to kiss her palm. The action caused a slight gasp to escape Josette who had come down the stairs to peer over at the men gathered around Victoria.

Turning all eyes pinned the lovely young woman to the open doorway. "So, you have taken my husband and Barnabas from me! I cannot live with out you my love. I cannot live without the love we share!" Josette turned and rushed from the room in tears. Jeremiah had turned and started towards his wife when Vicki passed him.

"We must stop her, she is heading to Widows Hill! We cannot let her jump!" Vicki turned noting that Barnabas was already running past her and out the door running as he could following the distraught lovely French bride of his Uncle.

"JOSETTE! STOP!" Quentin, and Jeremiah ran past Victoria who was moving as fast as she could until she felt a sudden wave of dizziness over come her and she slumped to the ground unconscious. Elliott rushed to Vicki's side and sighed, bending he carefully gathered her to his chest and held her close while watching the three man run after the poor distraught woman going to Widows Hill.

Lifting Victoria, Elliott walked back into Collinwood and placed her on the sofa. "I fear my dear, I must return Ben to his body and bring Julia back to help me with you. Please do not die, I need you to save my life in the future." Ben felt his body lightened his mind cleared and then he blinked and looked down at Victoria.

"You must be pretty important Miss Winters for so many to want to help and save you." Ben stooped and lifted Vicki and carried her out of the house to the stables where he loaded her into a wagon and then hitched the horses to the wagon. Once he mounted the wagon he headed the horses towards the road that would take them to the old house. "Miss Winters whatever you do don't die. We have to wait for help to come back from the future."

Widow's Hill 1795

Josette stood poised on the edge of the cliff. Barnabas stood behind her. "Please Josette do not do this! Come to me, so we can continue our love. I only told that to Miss Winters because she needed to hear it from someone other than Trask." Even to his ears that sounded hollow. Josette turned to face him with open defiance.

"I had our baby Barnabas, I gave up our Baby and then I came here hoping that I could be with you and was married to Jeremiah. Now I have nothing because of Miss Winters. Let this weigh on your head from this day forward Barnabas! It is you and Miss Winters that caused this death! It is you that broke my body and my heart. It is she that betrayed my trust in her as a friend." With those words uttered she lay backwards and started to fall when she felt her wrist caught and her body pulled forcefully into the hold of the tall man known as Duke Henri. Clutching her body close to his he held her trembling body next to his with her head pressed into his shoulder.

He had managed to navigate around to the path on the right of the hill and had watched her as she began to fall, reaching forward he was able to grab her wrist and jerk her back to his chest enfolding her body to his. "Not tonight my dear, you surely realize that you would alter history and could have easily been the end to the Collins family." He stroked her hair from her face and looked down in her pain filled eyes now swimming with tears. "Surely, as a good catholic girl you would have condemned your soul to purgatory for committing suicide."

Jeremiah stepped up next to Quentin and gently took her into his arms. "I am your husband as such I should demand satisfaction from Barnabas for what he has done but I know that a heart cannot choose whom it loves and your heart loves Barnabas. Where my heart Josette is torn between you and Victoria. He very well may demand satisfaction from me. You see Victoria is from the future and is here to prevent a horrible wrong"

He held her close and could feel her tremble to his touch. Pulling her into his chest he gently cradled her head to his left cheek. "But Jeremiah you love her and I love Barnabas it is impossible for us to find the love we both need and share for one another." She cried softly into his shoulder lowering her chin to his chest.

"It is impossible but Victoria does not belong to this time and neither does that Barnabas, he has come from the future to protect Victoria from Trask who apparently has kidnapped her in the future and has taken her somewhere. Now we must allow them to do what they came to do so we can have our lives back and not alter history."

His voice held tenderness but his heart was breaking because he knew he had to give up Victoria. Though his heart was breaking with the thought of letting her go, he held to the woman that had just confessed to having had an affair with his nephew since before their marriage. That she had even had a child by him and had given it up for adoption. Now she was in the throws of hysterics and threatening to go into vapors.

Lifting her up Jeremiah turned to peer at his nephew and Duke Henri or was it Quentin. "I am taking her back to our room. I am sure you have other business to attend we can discuss this further at a later time. I would suggest instead of Joshua to observe Trasks debauchery, why not contact Judge Temple. He would make a far better witness to the man's faults than Joshua." With that said, Jeremiah turned with Josette held close and walked back towards Collinwood holding the limp form of his wife in his arms.

Barnabas had to admire his Uncle at that time he showed more courage over a situation that would have normally called for justice and satisfaction by dueling. Instead Jeremiah took the woman he married and not the one he wanted and left him with Quentin. "Allow him time to calm his wife. We have to get to the old house and check on Trask and it is growing closer to the time that Bradford will attack you and bring you over to the darkness of your new life."

"I just wished I did not have to go through that part of this return. I know what he will do and I do not relish that I am going to become what I was." Barnabas' voice was filled with remorse and anxiety. "It will be very difficult for me to allow that to happen."

Quentin sighed deeply looked at his cousin and shook his head. "Then you risk loosing Victoria forever. You will never come to the 20th century and will die in this century when she returns you will loose her."

Barnabas sighed deeply, "Unless I can convince her to stay here and be my wife in this time."

"You cannot do that dear boy, it would alter too much and it would cause the current family to not exist at all." Elliott stepped forward from the pathway. "You both must join me back at the old house, I fear Victoria may have a concussion and I had to go back and bring Julia to the old house along with Eric, they have come in transcendence form and will only be here for a short time. "

Upon hearing that Victoria was injured Barnabas was the first to start off towards the old house, followed by Elliott and Quentin.

Old House Josette's Room

Julia stood over Vicki, she looked at her eyes and then felt her head and sighed turning she looked anxiously at Eric. "I cannot tell without an x-ray to know if she is bleeding in the brain or not. We really should monitor her and keep her awake the rest of the night." Julia stood dressed elegantly in a gown of French make, the soft outline of her baby bump could be seen when she turned sideways. Eric stepped past her to sit on Vicki's bed gently he patted her face.

"Vicki, wake up my dear, we need you to stay awake. Open your eyes." He watched her anxiously then noticed the flicker of her eyelashes as they fluttered and then opened. She looked curiously at the white haired man at her side.

"Dr. Lang?" She was curious as to why he was there then she saw Julia. "Oh my goodness this must be serious if the Professor has brought you two here." She tried to sit up and felt a wave of dizziness over take her and fell back against her pillow. "OH dear that was a mistake." She spoke softly closing her eyes.

"Tell me Vicki are you feeling sick to your stomach? Are you suffering from double vision? Do you have a horrible headache?" Julie stepped next to Eric with concern edging her face.

Vicki opened her eyes and focused on the portrait over the fireplace. "No double vision. I do feel a little nauseated, and the only part of my head that is hurting rather horridly is where I hit it. There is a nice lump there." She gingerly moved her hand over the lump. "Otherwise no other problems."

Julia gave a sigh of relief. "No brain bleeds and she is just suffering a slight concussion." She rubbed Eric's shoulder then turned at the entrance of Barnabas who rushed into the room.

"Victoria! Please tell me it is not serious Eric, Julia?" He turned his gaze from Victoria to his two friends.

Eric stood wrapping a protective arm around his wife's waist. "It is a minor concussion Barnabas nothing more." Looking over at the oddly dressed Elliott and Quentin he nodded to them both. "We have done all we can here Elliott, now if you will excuse us we will rejoin our bodies back in 1969." He turned patted Vicki's shoulder. "I look forward to having to you back soon my dear, we have wonderful news to share with you."

She watched Julia and Eric disappear out of the door and found this all so confusing. That they were here with her in this time. She at least no longer felt vulnerable or alone but was curious as to why they were there. She began to think about what Eric had said, he was anxious to get her back to 1969? But it was 1966 in her time when she was in the 20th century.

Vicki was sure she understood him say 1969, that was three years from when she left Collinwood and in that three years she and Barnabas must have grown closer, since Burke's death. Closing her eyes she sighed deeply, this was really overwhelming her. Elliott dressed as Ben stepped more fully into the room.

"I think we need to set up the situation here, and summon Trask then we will summon our demon. Once we have Trask and the Demon in the same room, we will need to get this Judge that Jeremiah spoke of and Barnabas you are going to be the one to fetch the Judge."

Barnabas nodded, "Judge Temple will be the best to witness his despicable ways of dealing with alleged witches. Elliott, will the demon succubus look like Victoria? I do not wish Victoria placed in danger."

Elliott smiled, "The succubus will take on the characteristics of the male's desires and as we know that Trask wishes Victoria, of course it will be a tricky situation to maintain control over him. To Trask the succubus shall look like Victoria to us we shall see it in its true form unless it takes an unhealthy interest in one of us. Then it will use up Trask and try to target us."

"Is there any way to prevent that from happening?" Quentin was anxious over this bit of information. " I mean I do not relish having to fend off a succubus to take from me something I do not have in this body. If we have to contend with a succubus, I would rather just kill Trask. We do not need to complicate this situation."

Elliott shook his head. "Not a real option to just kill him, otherwise he will take Victoria and torture her until Barnabas rescues her and then kills him. Then we have the situation we are in right now. Victoria missing in another part of time and needing our help."

This truly frightened Vicki hearing this. "He comes to Collinwood and kidnaps me and I get lost in time again?" She had actually looked like she would faint. Barnabas rushed to her side sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I will do all I can to prevent this from happening." Turning to Quentin he sighed deeply, "I suggest that I shall bring the Judge, while you and Elliott find a simple protection spell to avert the demon's interest in either of us." He watched Elliott smile.

"Of course we could easily use a protection spell and enchant an object to hold on our bodies while the demon is in our presence. I can assure you she will wish to consume as many as she can because her desires are insatiable."

1969

Old House Cellar

Julia and Eric sat eyes closed sitting bolt upright in the middle of the room with Elliott, Quentin, and Barnabas, their bodies motionless. In ethereal form Julia and Eric stepped through the walls and walked to their bodies remerging their bodies together with their ethereal souls they opened their eyes turned and smiled. "We made it back now let us hope that the other three are successful and we have an end to put to this whole mess." Eric smiled reached for Julia's hand and squeezed it.

"Shall we sit a little longer and wait to see if they return successfully from their experiment?" Julia asked her voice holding hope and a softness that Eric had not noticed before.

"if you wish my love, I will do whatever you wish as long as you are safe and . . . " He reached his hand and placed his palm flat over her stomach. "Junior is unharmed." He smiled and it melted Julia's heart. Placing her hand over his she nodded.

"It is as you wish my dearest Elliott, we will wait and see what the outcome shall be. We know time moves differently from the plainer worlds. We should know the outcome shortly."

(Collinsport)

The Eagle's Nest Tavern

1795

Reverend Trask sat on the edge of his single bed and closed his eyes. "God, I know you mean me to search out the evil and destroy it. I only ask you bring me to Victoria Winters so I might save her soul from eternal damnation by your divine touch through me!" From the air around him he heard a voice call out to him.

"Trask! Trask come to the Old House at Collinwood there you will find what you seek, you shall have your heart's desire and the ends to the means you have sought, come to the old house at Collinwood!" The voice sounded eerily spectral. Hearing the voice, Trask was so sure he was being given the highest honor a holy man could get, an answer to his prayer through the voice of his guardian angel.

"Yes! I will obey my lord, I will obey." He slapped his hands together and smiled a devilishly evil smile, turning he drug his cape over his shoulders, lifted his tri corn and turned to peer up to the ceiling. "I knew you would answer my prayer, thank you." Just the thought of finally having what he had wanted he was already excited and could feel his desires growing stronger with each step he took going out the door and mounting up on his horse. This night was finally going to let him have what he deserved, the very pure and very delectable Victoria Winters.

1845

Seaview Cottage

Victoria paced to the window and looked out to the sea below, she had loved this house at one time even thought she and Burke would share this as their house after they married. Now she was a prisoner in the house she had fallen in love with so long ago. Closing her eyes she searched for Barnabas, she was connected to him in this century as well in the other century through the bite he had inflicted on her. They had shared the destructive cell between each other from this time. Though she would not fall under his thrall she would sense him and have a mental connection to each other. "Barnabas can you feel me? Can you hear me?" She waited.

The sense she held for him and the connection was weak but it was there and she could feel his thoughts. "Victoria!. . . Hold hope . . .we . . . are going to rescue you soon." There was a pause and then she heard him again, stronger this time. "Do you know where they have taken you?"

"Yes, I am in the house by the sea about a mile from Collinwood, the house is called Seaview." She knew this cottage as Seaview she hoped that the others knew it as Seaview.

"Quentin knows the house well, it belonged to his cousin that went to sea and was lost. I want you to stay calm do not allow Petofi to know we are coming to the rescue, he will try to stop us with what we are planning." Then his voice was cut off and so was the connection. She sighed but for the first time since her arrival here she had hope, help was on the way.

Another part of her was feeling unsettled and the air around her was filled with static and then she felt her world shift. Feeling sick to her stomach she closed her eyes and when she opened them she was standing in the center of the room and it was empty of furnishings. The house held a disused smell to it and she felt sick to her stomach. Turning around she noticed the skyline had changed and dusk was upon her. Walking to the door she tried the handled and found it was unlocked; opening the door she stepped into the hallway and looked around.

The house had been deserted and disused for sometime. "What is going on?" She looked around at the growing long shadows. Slowly she walked down the hallway to the stairs and paused, taking a deep breath she began her descent to the main floor and the foyer. Stopping she turned hearing a noise behind her and with a gasp she stepped back peering up at a huge hulking form standing in the center of the room.