Chapter 13

Elliott's House Collinsport Maine

Elliot checked the chairs and the table, and then set the unlit candles on the tabletop. He was not sure he wanted to do this with Victoria but it was something that was becoming a necessary evil. He had to send her back again. A part of him was worried that they had skewed time when they reset the events of the past. He knew he was sending her into danger and he really had no choice, he had to find out what happened once Quentin left the body of Henri and Barnabas had left his body. Obviously, the timeline for Barnabas was set as it had been. With Barnabas alive in this time line he had assume the natural course of Barnabas' life had continued.

Anything that had happened after that unless it was blocked by an unnatural event would never have occurred so Quentin would have gone on with his life, Barnabas would have not been released and would be in his coffin and any presence of Victoria in that time line would never have been because the events would not have happened. Again, that is unless something of an usual nature or affects by the eldritch happened. He chewed his bottom lip realized that was a habit he had long given up years ago and looked at the clock. Perhaps a spot of sherry would calm him when he had to tell Victoria she was making a trip back to the 1700's. He was not going to keep her in the dark this time.

A part of him knew that the time felt out of kilter and it had because of their interference with the past. Much must have happened to bring about the need of one King Johnny Romano attempting to contact him to tell him Petofi was back. Hearing the name of Victor Von Gibbon from Julia had been a red flag of sorts. Victor Von Gibbon was a name that Petofi had frequented when he took over Victor's body back in 1801. Walking over to his favorite side chair he sat with the small glass of sherry in his hand.

Elliott Stokes Driveway

Barnabas waited for Vicki to pull the car into the driveway of Elliott's home. Taking a deep breath she let it out slowly. "He is going to send me back in time again isn't he?" Her heart was beating fast and she was sweating at the thought of going back again. The tone of her voice was also reflecting the unsaid fear she held at the thought of this happening again. She was not sure she was ready to relive this life yet again. She had been debating mentally the need for her to be present for this séance and there it was her biggest fear of what might happen when she went back again.

Her anxiety increased with a thousand whys and questions as to whether or not she would still need to be Victoria Winters or would she be another governess or another person entirely. All she knew was this was not how she had thought her day would end and she certainly did not want to be separated from Barnabas. All of this said while she stared blankly at the dashboard. She felt him take her hand she had rested on the seat. He lifted the hand and kissed it and then smiled.

"I think or at least I hope this time it will merely be a séance. My dear it appears you are related to someone that is trying to contact us and it is important information or Elliott would not be asking us to participate. We must wait to see where this will take us. I am here my love know that no matter what I am always here for you.

Quentin had sat quietly in the back seat and allowed them their private moment. Leaning forward he spoke softly. "Well the only way we are going to find out is to go into the house and see what his plans are, I do know he specifically asked that Julia bring Daphne. We are going to try and break his hold over her." he glanced at Vicki and sighed deeply, "Just know that whatever happens tonight Vicki, you are doing it for Daphne." Although he had not mentioned Petofi's name, Vicki and Barnabas knew whom he had referenced.

The thought that someone was manipulating Daphne infuriated Vicki; she was angry and outraged she sat in silence and fumed. She definitely would go back to protect Daphne or find out who was responsible for what was happening to her. She let out a slow breath to ease the anger that had threatened her earlier.

"We will stop whomever is doing this Quentin, I promise you this. I fear this goes a lot deeper than we thought. It must be serious for someone from the other side to try and cross the barriers and contact one of us." Barnabas had tried to reassure his cousin and friend.

Vicki took a deep breath let it out slowly looked at the house down the street and shivered; it was vacant now that the creepy man and his sister had left. Just seeing it made her tremble thinking how close she came to becoming one of those dollies in that house. Shaking her head she forced a smile to her lips. "I suppose we need to go in. I am sure the Professor is anxious and wishes to get this over." Vicki spoke with a hint of trepidation in her voice. Barnabas opened his door, exited the car with Quentin.

Quentin had exited from Vicki's side of the car in the back passenger seats and immediately opened her car door. "Quentin!" The voice brought an immediate smile to his lips and his eyes lit up. Turning he watched the woman that was the love of his life walk across the street to his side.

Vicki had stepped around to the sidewalk and wistfully watched Julia awkwardly come down the stairs to the sidewalk and then begin to cross the street following behind Daphne. Barnabas had seen the look on Vicki's face and smiled. "She glows does she not? I mean she is about six weeks away from delivering that baby and she is happy."

Vicki leaned into Barnabas and nodded slowly. "I envy her condition. Perhaps in a year we might have a child to celebrate our lives together." She felt him hug her closer and plant a soft kiss on top of her head. Smiling she lifted her chin and waited for him to kiss her lips. Barnabas never wanting a lady to be without lowered his lips to hers and placed a little more than chaste kiss on his beloved's lips.

Daphne chuckled seeing Vicki and Barnabas on the sidewalk. "Hey you two can't you wait until later or at least get a room?"

She turned and found her own lips captured in a passionate kiss by Quentin. "Perhaps we should get a room too?" She flushed and giggled at his display of public affection. Julia waddled to the sidewalk and shook her head.

"I guess kids will be kids. Shall we continue on so Elliott will not be so distraught. I heard he had been pacing a hole in the floor." Barnabas and Vicki joined Julia on the sidewalk with Quentin and Daphne falling into step behind her and they advanced to the front door. Before they could knock, Elliott had opened the door with a tense smile and entreated them to join him.

"Do come in and Victoria, will you be so kind as to go into Hallie's bedroom and on her bed is the garment you will need." Vicki felt her chest constrict and then she nodded her head slowly. Then it was true he was sending her back and she was afraid. Turning one more time to face Barnabas he could see the look of fear that was edging her gaze. Her unspoken words and the look in her eyes told him what she was feeling and the fear that held her because she knew she was going back in time again.

"Until we are together again my love, I will always hold you in my heart." Her words were softly uttered and she kissed him deeply one more time before turning to climb the stairs to Hallie's room. The tender scene between them had made most in the room uneasy and a little sad.

"Speaking of Hallie, where is she tonight?" They had all looked around and saw he had prepared the room for a séance. Quentin held Daphne close to his body and she looked at him curiously when he asked about Hallie.

"She had a class and left a few minutes ago." Daphne made it sound like she knew the answer to the question why should he not realize that Hallie was in College and had night classes.

"Well that is one puzzle solved. So Professor what is on the agenda tonight and please explain so that Daphne; whom I am sure has not been to one of these before may know what to expect?" He led Daphne to the nearest chair and helped seat her. Daphne looked up expectantly her curiosity and confusion written in her eyes and across her face.

"What is going on?" She was now realizing this was not an ordinary night of friends enjoying company with the Professor that by the looks of things there was something darker at work. She looked with open curiosity to the Professor to enlighten her as to what was happening. "Professor?"

Elliott handed out small glasses of sherry to everyone and then took his seat across from Daphne. "My dear Daphne, tonight we will be doing an experiment. One of which we have done in the past, one which we've had some success but with consequences. You see Victoria has always been transported through time and space to another time and she has experience a life in that time. We do not know why she is the most successful one to do this but she is and she has managed to come back to us each time."

Elliott saw the uncertainty that filtered across her gaze and she sat forward. "So why would you need me here for this? Do you think that Victoria will be injured or suffer poorly from her experience." Her voice had held that uncertainty again because she was feeling totally lost as to why she was now involved in something dark that would or could possibly hurt her friend.

"She has been injured in the past and she has suffered cruelly at the hands of some of those she came in contact. The one constant that has guided her was she was always with Barnabas in one form or another."

Daphne shot a glance that held a little judgment against him for his part in this new experience she was about to be involved. "I see so I am here for what purpose?" She looked from Elliott to Julia and then held her hand out for the feel of Quentin's hand in hers.

"Because she is going back in time to correct something we feel has affected you indirectly and may have far reaching consequences which could ultimately affect all of Collinsport and Collinwood." His words held an ominous tone and she as now feeling a unreasoning fear grip her. Then it happened. Her eyes fluttered and she slumped in her chair. Julia sat forward and grabbed for Elliott's hand. Quentin's reaction was immediate. He looked with concern from Julia to Daphne holding her close to his body to keep her from slipping from her chair. Daphne's head popped up and her eyes opened and she was staring straight ahead at nothing, she was in a trance.

"That is interesting, she must be connected to him still and she is in contact with him at this moment, we must hurry before he tries to stop what we are about to do." He glanced to the stairs and saw Vicki dressed in the very noble and beautiful gown he had brought from the prop department. He had thought to raid the drama class prop room and found the garments he hoped would fit Vicki.

The dress was long and draped with a small train in the rear, the color was of the deepest blue with lace around the bodice. The empire waist was very much the style for the newly formed America for the time period she would be traveling. She had carefully curled her hair on top of her head and for an extra measure had taken the faux jewelry to dress in her hair. She looked every bit the noble woman she would portray. "Then I suggest we get started and see if the spirits co-operate."

"You will not succeed, he knows and he is unhappy." Daphne's voice was devoid of emotion as she spoke. "He wants you to know to attempt this you will not survive this trip back this time Victoria Winters. He will see you are kept there and you will face the gallows this time."

Vicki shook her head and walked to the table. "Shall we proceed before I loose my courage?" She sat down at the table and cleared her mind and took a cleansing breath. Closing her eyes she prepared her self for what was about to unfold and she tried to push the words that were just spoken by her friend from her mind.

Elliott stood helped Julia to stand and led her to the table and set her next to Victoria, then Barnabas sat on the other side of Victoria, he curled his hand into her hand and looked at her longingly. "If you don't want to do this . . . " He left the rest of his words unsaid as he watched her chew her bottom lip and then with confidence he was beginning to admire watched her square her shoulders and smiled.

"This time, I go back with a little of you Quentin and you Barnabas in my body and in my soul. I will fix what needs to be fixed and see you on the other side." She nodded to Elliott who extinguished the lights in the room and took his seat next to Julia and Quentin. Quentin had pulled Daphne's chair close to his and watched her with concern.

"Now, everyone touch your small fingers and form a circle. Join your thumbs together like this." He demonstrated and realized he had not lit the candle, before he could light the candles they lit themselves. Popping on with a soft flame that flickered. "Well it seems that our host we are seeking is as anxious as we are to get this going. So you may close your eyes and clear your minds and concentrate on the name King Johnny . . . ."

Vicki's voice had excitedly taken on a new sound of a small child. "Romano, oh bunic will you tell me the story again of King Johnny?" Vicki had already slipped into a trance and taken on the childish voice of Julianka.

The room had grown cold and the candles flickered again then went out. A voice filtered around the room. "You seek me, Johnny Romano? I seek her, the one that carries the mark of the first of Johnny Romano's children, the one pledged to Prince Vlad." A shadowy figure appeared behind Victoria. "Much danger awaits those that take no action. He is coming to destroy the family she lives with now and he brings more death to the one that got away." King Johnny's fathomless eyes looked right at Quentin.

"This one is already under his control and he knows what you do and he is preparing to attack here. To protect the one whose heart he seeks I will take her to the time you wish so she can see what happened and why he is here and who is. Come Julianka, come with bunic, we need to leave before Petofi arrives and harms you all."

The room went into total darkness, Victoria screamed only to have her voice cut off and then silence. Elliott sprung up from the chair and walked to the door to turn on the lights. His gaze went to the chair where Vicki sat and it was empty and she was gone. Smiling Elliott sighed, "Let him come, we are in a . . . " He watched as Daphne jerked and then she too was gone in a blink of an eye. "Now I did not expect that but for now we are trapped in a time lock, I have prepared places for you all to rest until this is over."

1796

Vicki felt her body lifted and then she was falling through a darkness that was cold and oddly familiar. She had been there before and the familiarity of it made her wonder if she was actually beginning to become accustom to time travel. When she was able to regain control of her body and discern her surroundings she was surprised. She stood in the center of the old house drawing room. It had a feel of occupation. From the cellar door a deep and familiar voice spoke. "Well hello, might I ask you my dear a question?"

Victoria turned and smiled, "Quentin?" She rushed to him and hugged him. "You came with me?" The smile that etched the distinguished man's face was pleased and a bit lecherous. She pushed back from the overly familiar hold of this man she had thought was Quentin.

"I wish I were Quentin, I could be if you insist my dear. However, and unfortunately for me, I am Duke Henri Limburg and it is a pleasure to meet someone as lovely as yourself." Vicki stepped away from him and looked with shock and dismay seeing that she had jumped to the wrong conclusion and this was not Quentin, she could see the subtle differences in him and it unnerved her. She had never heard of a Duke Henri until Cousin Henri appeared on their doorstep.

"I beg your pardon sir, it is you look just like someone I knew before." She turned hearing the sound of the door to the old house opening and another entered the foyer. Henri smiled seeing who it was.

"Ah, Andréas, do come in and meet Mistress?" He turned to get her name and was surprised when he looked upon her beauty and purity.

"Henri did you not recognize the Princess Mina, my lady it has been what six months since last we met one another?" He bowed to her and smiled a sly and deliciously evil smile that made Vicki feel like a fly about to be trapped in a web. She heard Henri reply with a soft chuckle.

"Andréas do you need your eyes checked? I know she looks a lot like the Princess Mina but I know for a fact Mina is in Romania visiting relatives at this time. So, I am sure you are mistaken. Is that not right Mistress?"

"Victoria, there you are my dear, you have had us all worried. You just disappeared and we have been beside ourselves wondering where you had disappeared." Jeremiah stepped into the foyer behind Andréas smiled at the two men he had met earlier and turned his rapt attention back to their house guest that had been missing for a couple of days.

"What an enchanting name, Victoria." Duke Henri stepped up to her took her hand in his and kissed it lightly. "It is an honor to meet you Mistress Victoria." He glanced to Jeremiah, "How is your wife? I know she was indisposed earlier and unable to receive visitors."

Vicki was if nothing confused, she had to estimate that if Jeremiah was still alive then perhaps Barnabas had not been bitten yet. In answer to her silent thought, Barnabas and Peter walked into the foyer joining the group. "Now Barnabas please let Miss Wick know I shall be by later this evening to pay court, for now I need to get back to town." He shook Barnabas' hand and nodded to the others. "Until later gentlemen I bid you adieu." Peter turned and walked out of the room.

"Why Miss Winters where have you been, we have all been worried sick looking for you." Barnabas walked to her side lifted her hand and kissed it. "I am so glad to see you are unharmed."

Vicki flushed deeply, "I had to just take some time to reflect on my situation Mr. Collins and well I decided to see if you were home and to inquire after Josette I know she has been unwell and was worried about her." She had glanced with a shy smile to Jeremiah. She knew that this was the time after he had kissed her on the beach, and had prevented Josette from jumping from Widows Hill in anguish because she thought she had lost Barnabas and Jeremiah.

"She is unwell because we are going to become parents my dear. My dearest Josette is pregnant." Duke Henri had shifted to stand next to Andréas and noted how he was studying Victoria intently.

"The resemblance is remarkable, she looks like Mina does she not?" Andréas has spoke softly to Henri and he had nodded, his gaze going over her from head to toe.

"Almost identical. Do you think she is a Romano?" Though they whispered, Vicki had her excellent enhanced hearing and could hear every word. Henri was a part of Petofi's life and now they thought she looked liked someone called Mina. Barnabas took Vicki's hand and guided her into the drawing room.

"We realized that perhaps all the upheaval with Josette's emotional malaise and then Trask." He had said the name Trask with a hint of anger edging his voice, "We wondered if you went back home to get away from everything, then of course we realized you still have no memory. So we were afraid of dire other inconveniences that might have been caused." Jeremiah still watched her with a protective puppy dog look, clinching his jaw while Barnabas led her into the drawing room to help her be seated.

"Well, the truth of the matter is that in the woods there was this abandoned cottage and I stayed there. I had to vacate some residents that were not fond of humans and then I had to clean the place and made it more habitable."

Jeremiah frowned, "Were there gypsies about? I heard in the woods was a band of gypsies." He too had stepped to Victoria and from the perspective of the two men standing near the doorway, they observed how nephew and son had started posturing for the attention of this woman. One the married man to the very desirable and delectable Josette duPres and the other the swain that had hoped to garner her attention if not her bed. Now they were making fools of themselves over this newest arrival to the household.

Victoria frowned hearing their comments and abruptly stood. "Excuse me, I think I need some fresh air." She nodded to Jeremiah and then Barnabas and walked briskly to the door paused next to Andréas and Henri. "Gentlemen, I have far above average hearing and if you are going to discuss me or my friends do so out of my range of hearing unless you wish me to comment on your inadequacies and the lack thereof manners. Now excuse me, I need fresh air because the air in hear had become stagnant." Cheeks high with a flush she spun and walked from the room leaving the two men in stunned silence.

Pathway between the old house and Collinwood

Vicki muttered under her breath in her own outrage at such effrontery to Jeremiah and Barnabas. She was feeling very sensitive since her transition through time and space and had tucked her chin until she saw a modern pair of shoes in front of her. Those feet were attached to legs wearing a pantsuit and when she lifted her gaze up she was stunned. "Daphne! Oh my goodness did they bring you back too?" She noted that Daphne was still disoriented and Vicki surmised that she must have just arrived after her.

Reaching forward she grabbed her wrist and began to tug her back to Collinwood and around the back to the servants entrance. "We have to hide you. Dressed like that Abigail would think you are a witch and send for the bailiff, come along and quickly my dear." Vicki felt her follow her easily with little resistance and was slowly coming out of that weird trance she had been in earlier. Vicki was an old hand to the time traveling and thank goodness it was during a time that she was accepted.

Taking her through the rear servants entrance she led her back to the servants stairs and quickly up them, making sure no one was in the hall Vicki ushered Daphne into her room. "Now we have to change you into one of my gowns. We cannot afford to have you thought a witch, I could not go through that again." Vicki opened the closet and saw the few dresses she had hanging in the closet and chewed her lip then reached in and pulled out a red dress of modest fit and size.

Quickly Vicki divested Daphne of her modern pantsuit and dressed her quickly in one of her gowns. "Now we must think of who you are to me so they won't question why you are here." A soft knock on the door made Vicki moan inwardly. Taking a deep breath she looked to Daphne, "Sit there and let me answer the door." Daphne's mind was just slowly beginning to comprehend what had happened and where and when she had arrived. Looking at the panic on Vicki's face she smiled.

"I know what to tell them. Tell them I am your sister that came to find you and bring you home." Vicki chewed her lip and then nodded slowly.

"We will see how that plays out." Walking to the door she opened it to the apologetic smile of Henri. Vicki cringed he looked so much like Quentin in age and looks that Vicki was afraid of how Daphne might react. "Yes?" She was politely formal as she waited for him to respond, closing the door behind her she stepped into the hallway and waited for him to speak.

"I came to apologize and to do this." He grabbed her dipped her back and planted a deep passionate kiss on her lips.