Chapter 16
Collinwood's Private Beach Area
Victoria hissed under her breath, "That was rude of you." She matched his long stride and prayed for the storm to arrive so she could have an excuse to get away from this over bearing obnoxious man. Victoria was seriously considering hefting him into the ocean just to break his hold he held on her wrist and hand. He was speaking the right words they just rang flat an insincere to her ears.
"My dearest Mistress Winters, by marrying me, you are to secure a title of Countess for your family's benefit, you would be far more wealthy than you already are and you would have me as your husband and we would build an empire with lots of children!" He had smiled and she could see the lechery in that gaze.
"I suppose those children would share in the other bastards you surely have produced my dear sir. I will say as charming as you are and as grand as you make our life sound I can already tell that once you grew bored of me you would be slipping others into your bed to sate your needs and desires." She had tried to be polite but he was making it impossible.
He grabbed his chest with his free hand and a look of comical mocked surprised spread across his face with a rakish grin to follow. "Then if you know my failings ahead of time, what is to prevent you from taking your own lovers although I must admit I am the very accomplished lover and would think that I could easily satisfy any whim or desire you had."
Vicki tried to control her mirth over this alleged love making accomplishment and found it was near impossible and the chuckle came out more a snort then a full blow giggle. "Truly sir, you must have a high estimation of your abilities. I am sure that with all the practice you've had that you must believe your own lies." She felt his hand relax around her wrist, she considered since they had walked to the property boundaries he felt safe enough that should would not bolt on him.
"Any man or woman can copulate and produce children if it is the designs of the almighty. However; I find that it takes a real man to woe a woman, find the romance that is needed and when they have complete and total trust in one another that time to bond together is more than just copulation." She watched a slow calculating look cross over his face and he smiled and for some reason Victoria felt she had tried to be too clever and now she had thrown down her own gauntlet.
"Then Madam allow me the opportunity to court you and woe you to my way of thinking. I am sure should your father show up with Aloise in tow you would be more than happy to take me as your intended. I can assure you that Aloise would be less desirable than me as a husband."
"That is unless the lady does not find your attention to her liking cousin and I fear for you it will take more than attempting to sway her to your way of thinking. In the few short months I have come to know Miss Winters she has been a bright, very intelligent and sensitive woman that I believe is looking for more than a title or security in anyone's marriage bed."
Barnabas had arrived in time to hear his cousin's plea for Miss Winters hand and found that he was somewhat bothered by the thought of her marrying his cousin. It was as if nature was not in accord with this meeting when a roll of thunder vibrated over the land and a slash of lighting struck the ocean with a brilliant flash and explosion of water. Henri was irritated that they had been interrupted but he knew that Barnabas would be kept busy with his Uncle's wife later and then he would press his proposal further.
He had decided since she was the unattainable then he would do all in his power and Andréas power to make her see his offer as the only offer. He smiled charmingly enough for Barnabas and turned to see that he had brought a carriage for them. "I saw the weather was slowly churning in the ocean and would make landfall soon. I suggest we return to the carriage and head to Collinwood. I am sure Miss Winters wishes to change before dinner and I do believe that Josette had planned something special in honor of Miss Winter's sister arriving and her finding her identity."
Barnabas offered his arm to Vicki who reached to take it, when her arm was once again intercepted by Henri, "Then do lead on Cousin Barnabas and we shall gladly follow." Barnabas wanted to glare at the man that was pressing his suit to Miss Winters but found he was not entitled at this time to be so forthcoming with his ire. Instead he bowed to Henri and smiled for Victoria and began to walk back to the carriage and arrived as the skies over head began to open up sending the two following to scurry forward and rush into the shelter of the carriage.
Barnabas took the reins and set the horse forward through the sand. The hooves were kicking up th wet sand and sending it in a spray over Henri and Victoria. Using that as an excuse to secure the rear section from the deluge of sand, Henri closed the covering and turned smiling. Turning a half turn in his seat he grinned devilishly then on impulse he leaned over and kissed Vicki. It started out as a kiss stolen but quickly turned into a more demanding kiss. The carriage lurched hitting a particularly nasty hole sending the occupants in the back tumbling apart.
Barnabas chuckled softly then in a voice that was less than sincere. "Sorry, I am afraid I did not see that hole forgive me." He had heard Vicki gasped and surmised that Henri was being less than gentlemanly so he found the first pot hole he could find to send the wheel into the water soaked hole. Hearing another sharp intake of breath he did feel sorry for Vicki but figured she would much rather be jostled then hustled by Cousin Henri.
He pulled up in front of the doors of Collinwood and waited for the groom to come out and take the reins. Jumping down from his position in the covered carriage he felt the wind buffet and send showering rainfall over his body. Opening the rear door he saw that Henri appeared to be somewhat disgruntled. "I would hurry this storm is starting to grow worse."
Henri stepped out and turned to offer his hand to Vicki, she took it and allowed him to lift her and set her on the ground. Feeling the wind bite into her and lift her dress she shoved the dress down and hurried to the front doors. They were opened immediately by one of the downstairs maids. Vicki offered a quick thank you and ran up the stairs to her room.
Reaching her room, she closed and bolted the door. Leaning against the door she let out a sigh of relief. She was startled when the sound of knocking reverberated against her back. Looking to the door over her right shoulder she called, "Who is it?"
"Vicki it's Daphne let me in!"
Vicki spun around unlocked the door and opened it, grabbing her arm, Vicki drug Daphne into the room, slammed the door and bolted it again. Daphne staggered forward then turned with a look of surprise. "My goodness my dear sister what ever is the problem?" she smiled watching Vicki push her hair back from her face.
"That cretin Henri tried to barter for my hand in marriage and then he accosted me in the carriage ride back to the house. He is incorrigible! Had it not been for Barnabas I am afraid he would have done more than tried to steal a kiss from me!" Vicki paced forward her face was flushed and her manner was filled with anxiety.
Daphne was somewhat amused but also feeling sympathy for her pretend sister. "Well you were the single one and I opted to be married, it is a shame we had not already had you married off before I got here!"
Vicki folded her arms over her chest and walked to the window and slumped down on the window seat. She watched the storm lash out its fury on the land. "It was too late for that to begin with and its hard for me to see what is happening since I already know the outcome." She bit her lip she could not tell Daphne that Barnabas was about to become a vampire along with Peter Bradford and if memory served her correctly that would be happening in the next three days.
"I know how hard it is for you my dear. Especially seeing how much this Barnabas looks so much like your Barnabas. You know he is involved with Josette behind Jeremiah's back and that the end for Jeremiah and Josette are so tragic." She walked to put her arms around Vicki and hugged her as any sister would hug another sister. Vicki put her hand over her arm and patted it then nodded slowly.
"It never gets better and for me this is really hard this time because the last time I was here . . . " She leaned her head back against Daphne's shoulder. "Jeremiah asked me to stay with him and Daphne I was tempted to stay. The he died and I had to watch him die all over again. Do you know that Jeremiah looks just like Burke and to loose him is like loosing Burke all over again." She sighed softly.
Daphne tightened her hold on her friend and spoke softly, "We will do this together this time. You are not alone." She sighed softly and spoke into her ear. "You need to change it will be close to dinner and I understand that Josette is planning something special tonight."
Vicki nodded, "Did you know this night was to be Jeremiah's last night alive, that had we not interrupted her and Barnabas . . . " She closed her eyes and trembled, "He would have found them and a challenge to a duel would have been issued."
"Maybe that is why we are here to stop that from happening." She watched Vicki shake her head.
"No I am thinking it has something to do with Henri and Andréas. I am not exactly sure what it has to do with them but I am pretty sure that it involves them some how. Andréas Petofi was a man I had dreams about and they were not pleasant dreams." She sighed and turned. "You see in my dreams I was a little girl named Julianka and my grandfather a gypsy that I called Bunic told me a story of King Johnny Romano and how he defeated an evil man by the name of Count Petofi. Now we have Count Petofi here with Count Henri who by the way looks so much like Quentin that it is rather unsettling."
Daphne smiled, "You see Quentin in him because you don't know Quentin as I know him. That man may have his looks but in no way other than a physical appearance does he even remotely resemble my Quentin." Daphne released her hold on Vicki's shoulder and stepped back. "I must go and change, I understand they dressed formally here for dinner and I have a maid that will assist me. I must say those that are here do resemble so many like we know from our time." Turning Daphne walked to the door and paused. "You might want to lock this behind me." She turned smiled and then winked.
Vicki followed her to the door, waited for her to go out and slid the bolt across the door securing it Walking to her closet she pulled out her one good dress, the one she wore the night she appeared on the road and came here, the one she wore when she played the part of Josette Collins at the ball. Laying it out on the bed she turned and walked to the wash stand and poured the water from the picture into the bowl, slipping off her dress she began to wash off using the lilac scented soap Josette had given her earlier.
Walking to her dresser she lifted the hairbrush and combed the tangles out and then formed the curls she had become accustomed to having while in this time frame. Walking to get the dress she slipped it on and sighed, she needed someone to button her up and she had to take a chance and go out into the hallway to Daphne's room. Putting her ear to the door she listened and heard only the servants moving about. Carefully she slid the bolt across opened the door, stepped out into the hallway and hurried towards Daphne's room.
Knocking lightly on her door she called softly, "Daphne dear sister open the door please." Just as she thought she as safe and about to be secure in her faux sister's room she heard his voice.
"Hello my dear having a bit of a problem?" He smiled seeing the back of her dress undone. "Allow me to assist you, after all once we are married I will be helping you in and out of your clothing all the time." He chuckled and she flushed deeply feeling his fingers deftly button her dress. He paused at the top button and placed a light kiss on her neck. Vicki shrugged her shoulders pushing him off her neck and back.
"I would think a man of your considerable talents would be more adept at undoing the buttons instead of doing them up." She had said this through her clinched teeth. Her statement only caused him to chuckle.
"I would be happy to demonstrate my adeptness later when you are done with supper and we might find some private time together." He saw how his comment had made her flush and he chuckled and leaned into her neck, placing a light kiss on the back of her neck and then she felt his hand tense and he stepped back and turned her around and looked at her closely. "Oh my god! You do look like Mina and now I see you must be indirectly related to her."
Vicki was puzzled and then she remembered her birthmark. "You mean the heart shaped birth mark? I think my grandmother was a Romano if that is what you mean." She felt the door behind her open and Daphne stood in the doorway. She glared at Henri.
"Sir, do you mind? I mean that is my sister and I am afraid I find your actions deplorable and would request you leave my sister alone!" Her eyes flashed dangerously as she caught the mirth and merriment in his gaze and for a moment she saw a little of Quentin in that gaze. Reaching for Victoria's wrist she tugged her inside and slammed the door.
"I see what you mean Vicki he is a rake. Do you think we could possibly request quarters at the old house once Naomi and Joshua have moved into Collinwood?" She looked lovely in her deep purple dress with an empire waist line. Daphne had pulled her hair up and it lay in ringlets down her back and over her shoulders.
"You look lovely dear. I like what you did with your hair." She stepped over to the big four-poster bed and sat. "I think Barnabas would welcome us there but I fear that Jeremiah might not be so quick to let us go to the old house away from his and Joshua's protection. I am telling you Daphne you have not met Reverend Trask and he is an obsessive horrible man." She set on the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around the end post and laid her head against it. "I am beginning to wonder who is worse Henri or Trask."
Daphne sat next to her and put a hand of comfort on her back. "Vicki we will figure this out, I am just as sure that if we do not get out of Collinwood and go to another place we will not find what we need to do to get back. I just know that we cannot go back until we solve the mystery."
Vicki nodded slowly, "I had hoped by trying to take a walk this afternoon that by happenstance that something would be revealed to me and that I would know what I had to do. The last time for Professor Stokes it was CPR that needed to be performed on Ben that saved Ben's life thereby saving Elliott's life. The time before that it was to break Daniel's fever to keep the bloodline going for the Collins family."
Daphne frowned, "I thought Barnabas was also a continuation or your Barnabas would not have been born." She watched Vicki's brow furrow she was not sure if Daphne knew the entire truth of Barnabas's existence. Taking a deep breath she turned and took Daphne's hand in hers.
"Daphne what I am about to tell you has to stay between us until the end of time do you know how important that is?" She held her gaze with such a deep intense look that it almost made Daphne afraid, Vicki watched her nod her head. "This Barnabas the one that is alive now is my Barnabas, a man that is about to embrace a curse he did not ask for or thought he would have but because he dabbled in an affaire with a certain witch that has an affection for Peter Bradford. Now Peter loves Phyllis Wick, I am sure you have met Miss Wick?"
She nodded slowly, "Well Angelique which you have yet to meet, loves Peter and Peter will reject her love which will set this house on a course of destruction." She looked down and then stood and paced to the window of Daphne's room, her voice had taken on a softer tone, "Angelique will curse Peter to become a vampire, from there Peter will turn Barnabas and then the whole Collins family will be doomed to near destruction. So much pain and anguish shall happen and it all starts with Peter attacking Josette and then Barnabas will attack and kill Phyllis in retaliation for what he did to Josette and I feel it is all because Angelique will be the one manipulating them."
She turned to see how pale Daphne had grown. "You know this from when you came back the first time?" Vicki shook her head no and walked to Daphne's side and sat again.
"I did not find out until much later right after my accident at Eric's and Julia's. That is when Barnabas confessed to me what truly happened and how he became to be what he is and currently he is what they call a daywalker. When I died and they used Quentin's and Barnabas' life force on me I got a portion of both their abilities. I heal quickly, I can hear things at a great distance, I am faster than most humans and I smell and see things three times better than most."
"Victoria you are engaged to a vampire, does that not bother you in the least?" Daphne was shocked, she had suspected things were not exactly normal for Barnabas or Quentin but she never had an idea that it was this extreme. She stood and now it was her turn to pace her room. "You are in serious danger when ever you are near him. I recall how he nearly killed you one time when he could not control himself and Aunt Julia hid it from the rest of the family. I knew a little of it because I had to take care of you, but this . . . ." She had to think of the correct word. "This is insane, surely you are not going to marry him knowing this about him."
Vicki stood and paced to Daphne, "Daphne, I love him and he hates what he is and your Aunt is doing her best along with Eric to cure him of this problem."
"He is cursed, there is no cure, and surely you all realize this!" Daphne was trying not to over react. What she had just learned was a little hard for her to comprehend. She stared at Vicki the concern for her dear friend was obvious in how she was acting.
"Daphne I not only intend to marry him, I plan to have children with him. Stop and think about this, has there been any more attacks on me or for that matter anyone in Collinsport in what over two years? No and that is because of your Aunt Julia and Eric Lang. They have found a formula and they have arrested the destructive cell in his blood and he has not had any blood lust since he started on the injections."
Daphne hugged her friend. "Then I will keep your secret and your trust. I will also pray that you are safe and you can find happiness with him." She glanced to the mantle clock and sighed. "Looks like we will be a little late to join the others in the drawing room. Shall we go?"
The girls hooked arms around each other's waist and walked out of Daphne's room to the upstairs landing. Vicki waited for Daphne to go down the stairs first when she felt someone come from behind. "I see the dress is still tightly done up and may I say how enchanting you and your sister look?" Henri had slithered into the upstairs landing and now had grabbed her hand and tucked it tightly into his arm. "Shall we join the others?"
Together with a tight smile on her lips and her eyes snapping with anger she let him practically drag her down the stairs and into the drawing room. He walked her to the center of the room and proudly boasted. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to announce that I have proposed to Miss Winters and am anxiously awaiting her answer. She has promised to think over my proposal and give me her answer by the weeks end."
Vicki was staggered by his audacity and the look of shock was hard to disguise. Her gaze shot around the room to the others and there were some looks of amused happiness for them and some dark looks that were being darted at Henri and questioning looks being shot to Vicki. Turning Henri took her hand in his and smiled, then reached into his pocket and pulled out an engagement ring and slipped a large blue sapphire ring on her ring finger. "A little something that will give you food for thought to accept my proposal and become my wife.' He kissed her knuckles, wiggled his eyebrows and smiled with a devilish twinkle in his eyes.
Vicki snatched her hand from his and turned looking at those in the room and then dropped her gaze when she saw the look of hurt that was quickly disguised on Jeremiah's face. "Well I suppose we will offer congratulations at the end of the week Cousin Henri that is if Miss Winters accept your proposal." Joshua stepped forward to kiss Vicki's cheek then turn and shake Henri's hand.
Naomi held her reserve as she studied the body language of Vicki and could clearly see this had come as a total shock to her and she felt sorry for the young girl. Walking to Victoria's side she hugged her whispering in her ear. "I will always be available to talk about this later if you wish. She kissed her cheek and stepped back.
Daphne glared at Henri and his audacity but held her tongue. Barnabas stepped forward and hugged Vicki, whispering softly to her, "You don't have to accept his offer my dear don't let him bully you into this." He turned to Henri offered his hand. "I will offer more congratulations later once it is official my dear cousin."
Josette was shocked by the sudden announcement and she rushed forward hugging Vicki close. "My dearest Victoria I am very 'appy for you." Turning she hugged Henri and stepped back. Then it was Andréas turn to step forward oddly he held back and waited for the announcement that dinner would be served. He studied Victoria and had a slight frown on his face.
"What Andréas no offerings of hope or congratulations?" Henri quipped watching his friend narrow his gaze on Victoria. He stepped forward reaching for Victoria's hand he looked so intently that Vicki felt she was under a microscope.
"I would say Henri anyone that could claim the Heart of the Romano would be a lucky man or a man courting disaster, surely you realize as a Romano she is protected by King Johnny."
Henri laughed, "King Henri is dead I have nothing to fear or worry about Andréas."
Before anyone could say anything else a servant entered and announced, "Dinner is served."