Chapter 17

Collinwood Dining Room

1796

With the announcement of dinner, Henri turned to Vicki but watched as Barnabas stepped forward and offered his arm. Miss Winters? May I have the pleasure of your arm to escort you to dinner." He had glanced to Josette, smiled and winked. Jeremiah actually smiled, someone had stepped up to put a little distance between Henri presumption he could monopolize Miss Winters and her time. Turning Jeremiah offered his arm to Josette.

"My dear, shall we?" He was a bit anxious because he had his affections centered on one woman in the room and it was not his wife. However, he had to do what was right and tonight it was all about Josette. Joshua turned and offered his arm to Naomi.

"My dear may I?" He offered her is arm. Henri looking to Daphne smiled and turned offering his arm to her. "Daphne frowned, then nodded and started to put her fingertips to his arm and felt her hand grabbed and tucked securely into his arm. Andréas was now forced to escort Millicent to the dining room. The silly twit of a girl giggled and flushed.

"Oh my goodness Count Petofi, it seems we are the last to join the others. Shall we?" She walked to his side and he lifted his arm for her to lightly lay her fingertips on Petofi's arm. He smiled charmingly enough but found the girl so vacuous that the escort was made in virtual silence.

The group took up their positions around the table and as luck would have it for Henri he was seat next to Victoria on one side with Daphne on the other side. Sitting across from Vicki was Barnabas. Josette sat on Jeremiah's right while he took one end of the table and allowed Joshua to take up the other end putting Naomi next to Joshua and next to Barnabas, while Andréa took his seat next to Josette and placed Millicent between him and Barnabas. The table was easily seating male female and placed the parties close enough that they could carry on polite conversation.

Victoria smiled her appreciation to Barnabas and as Jeremiah tapped his spoon on the glass he cleared his throat and smiled, "Ladies and Gentlemen I welcome you to Collinwood and our dinner table. Tonight my wife has asked the cook to prepare something special she has an announcement to make." He turned and nodded to Josette.

Josette smiled and then blushed deeply. "I too wish to welcome you all to our table tonight. It is my 'onor to announce that Jeremiah and I are expecting our first child. The doctor confirmed it today. We will be expecting the birth of our first child by spring." She smiled and sat down. There was a slight applause as the guests congratulated the couple. Vicki noticed the glance that was exchanged between Josette and Barnabas and she was shocked.

"The child very well may be Barnabas' child and not Joshua, shyly she lifted her chin to glance towards Jeremiah as the news was announced and noticed for a man that was to have an heir he did not seemed to be that thrilled over the news. He had forced a smiled to his lips when the others began to congratulate him.

The gathering was distracted with the late arrival of two more to the table. Phyllis Wick entered the room on Peter Bradford's arm. Victoria looked behind Henri's back to catch Daphne's expression when she finally saw Peter and she paled visibly. "I beg your pardon, we are late because of my arrival to the old house just a few moments ago. I hope you will forgive us." Peter with Phyllis in tow walked to take their chairs at the table.

Joshua waited for them to come to the table and was seated then with a disgruntled retort he spoke somewhat gruffly. "You missed Josette's and Jeremiah's good news Miss Wick and Mr. Bradford."

Peter glanced up and smiled. "Really?" Turning his head he locked his gaze to Josette and noticed the soft flush gracing her cheeks. "What news is that my dear Mrs. Collins?" He was very polite almost too polite. Vicki found she had a hard time-sharing space with this man because she knew what he was and what he had done to Barnabas.

Jeremiah reached for Josette's hand and lifted it to place a sweet gentle kiss on her knuckles. "My wife has given me a child, Peter. We will be parents by spring." He smiled indulgently to his wife then looked with forced pride to those at the table. "Now that we all are present shall we allow the servants to serve us dinner?"

For Daphne and Vicki it seemed the dinner had been long and protracted. They just wanted the dinner over so they could adjourn to their room and meet up to speak about the night's activities. Unfortunately for Vicki that part of her evening was not to be. As soon as the meal was over, once again Henri was trying to monopolize her attention. If it had not been for Daphne sidelining him with her quick step in front of Henri, Vicki would have been trapped being escorted back to the drawing room.

Widow's Hill

Collinwood

With Daphne's mechanizations she was able to dart out of the house and take a quick stroll in the softly falling rain to widow's hill. Taking up her position on the hill Vicki hugged her arms close to her body and had to think about why she was there and for that matter why Daphne was sent back with her? She heard a sound of shoes kicking stones on the pathway and she turned fearing that Henri had found her. Darting down the pathway to the shoreline she paused to look with a degree of concern that the tide was coming in. Taking a deep breath she stepped to the sandy shore and started to walk quickly across the sand feeling the waves wash up and catch at her cloak.

She needed some alone time and had to think and she could not afford to be harassed or she was about to strangle Henri. He was really becoming as obnoxious as Trask. Walking quickly to the rocky abutment that lined the boundaries of Collinwood estate she took shelter against the rocky stones and found a place out of the rain and stood with her back pressed to the rocks. Closing her eyes she let out her breath slowly. "Standing here too long you will be trapped and won't be able to go back to the big house on the hill." The voice was deep and held a hint of an accent

Vicki jumped and turned looking at the man that now stood resting against another rocky escarpment. "You might find the rain is less penetrating here." His face slashed wit the white of his teeth. The smile was easy and inviting.

"Thank you." She stepped carefully over to his side and nodded an uneasy nod her body stiff with her tension being with a stranger that she had no idea if he would harm her or not. "I am sorry, my name is . . . "

"Victoria, and you are here from another time and King Johnny sent you back to me." He had said it so easily that she was taken aback that he knew whom she really was and why she was there. "Tonight is not going to be the night we talk little Julianka. Tonight you stay here until he who seeks your attention has gone to bed. He dreams of you often and he makes plan with the evil Petofi."

Vicki shivered. "Why is he here? Why does he have an interest in me? I swear I thought Trask was evil but this man is more evil hands down." She shivered in her cloak and watched the rain continue to fall over the rocks and the beach.

"Come we go into the cave where I have been living. I will build us a fire and you can warm your body. Then in one weeks time you will meet me back here and I will take you to the next King Johnny that lives in this time. He will tell you what you must do to end the reign of terror this man brings down on your family in the future."

He led Victoria into the cave and took her to the deepest recesses; she followed the torches he had left burning to the center of the cave. In the center was a natural vent that allowed the smoke to flow up and away form the main area of the cave. He had made himself fairly comfortable in the cave and back in the deeper recesses she was sure she had smelt the dung from horses. It was not as pungent as the dung pile at the rear of the stalls at Collinwood. The occasional sound of stamping feet and a snort or soft nicker could be heard.

He spread a blanket near the fire he had built. "You come here whenever he gets too much for you to tolerate. I leave blankets so you can rest and be comfortable when I move on." He looked around the cave and sighed. "King Johnny was visited by his great grandfather a week ago, he was told his future was in trouble and would die if something was not done. So he had you, a part of his future brought back. It was either you or your sister."

Vicki shivered. "She would not have understood how to handle this situation and might have found herself on trial for witchcraft." She huddled into her cloak. "I have been here before and know what needs to be done to survive in this time. I am curious as to why Daphne was brought back?" She watched the flames and hearing the roll of the surface beating itself out on the beach she was beginning to feel tired.

"To break the hold of the evil one had on her. She was brought to help you. It will take you both to do what needs to be done." He folded his legs into Indian fashion. "He is not going to be happy until he has you where he wants you and that is in his bed and as his wife. Petofi is the power behind Henri. He has been wreaking his destruction over the land for over three hundred years, and when he burns out one body he takes another body." The man spit saying Petofi's name.

"He is evil and the enemy of all gypsy kind. He kills all he come across because of King Johnny." He watched the fire an thought of all the hatred that Petofi had wrought over the centuries for his kind. "We were rid of him when he lost his hand. He had his hand back because Count Henri found it and returned it so he is indebted to Henri and does the bidding that Henri requests." He pushed himself up and walked to a bag laying on the sandy floor of the cave, fishing through the bag he pulled out a small bag and came back, Sitting he opened the bag and took out a silver chin and with oddly shaped symbol in silver dangling at the end of the chain.

"You where this and Petofi's evil magic will not harm you." He handed the necklace over to Vicki. Taking the symbol she looked at the oddly shaped symbol and smiled, it had been like the one she had seen in her dream when bunic had told her the story of King Johnny. Slipping it over her head she sighed and closed her eyes. She was tired and then she realized that Daphne was at risk. She fingered the necklace and felt her hand touched; opening her eyes she saw he had another matching necklace. "She will need to wear this at all times too. It will protect you both from the darkness that Petofi weaves."

Vicki smiled her appreciation and nodded, "Thank you, I don't know your name." She felt at a disadvantage. He knew all about her and she knew nothing of him. "You know my name and that I come from the future."

He smiled sitting back on his blanket he grumbled then spoke softly, "I am called Ivan, by my mother but the tribe calls me Rocky." His smile slashed his face with a set of white even teeth. He held out his hand and Vicki covered his hand with her small one and immediately there was a spark and a connection with the touch of her hand to his. He jerked his hand back and jumped up stepping back his eyes wide.

"You are not a normal Romano. You have touched death and death has touched you. No wonder King Johnny chose you!" He dropped to his knees and bowed to her. "It is an honor to meet the one that will end Count Petofi once and for all."

Vicki was taken aback and felt embarrassed by his effusive display of respect. She was near speechless watching him rise from his bowed position before her. "In my tribe you would be royalty. You bear the mark of a Romano and now you have shown me that you have been touched by death and defeated it. You are what we prayed for when Petofi got his hand back and oppressed us all."

Vicki had to know more about Petofi if she was to defeat him but did not know how. "You say I am destined to defeat him but how? I mean I have no powers like what he has and can use. I am just a woman a simple woman." She was a little overwhelmed she had never challenged or defeated anyone before and this was becoming more surreal as she learned more from Rocky.

"You will learn how when you go to meet the new King Johnny. He will teach you what you need to know and tell you how." He grew quiet and the sounds of the surf being churned up by the approach of another storm could be heard. "You should rest it will be early when you go back to the big house on the hill."

Collinwood Drawing Room

Daphne set with the women in the drawing room. Naomi was quietly drinking her cordial, while Josette anxiously watched the door and looked down at the needlepoint she had brought into the room with her. Millicent was babbling on about how exciting it was to travel the world and she had never been further than New York. She giggled incessantly and prattled about nothing. Then she grew quiet and watched the outside windows. Daphne had to agree with Vicki, Millicent was nothing like Carolyn. She was vacuous and a blank slate of vapors and giggles.

The one redeeming part of having lost Vicki to somewhere in her need to seek some distance from Henri was the fact that Miss wick had joined her and they now were sitting on the clavichord bench and she was playing a few pieces of music she had learned. They were lively pieces and Daphne was enjoying their conversation until the men rejoined them and once again Phyllis was enamored of Mr. Bradford and left her to pick at the keys attempting to play out the one song she knew by heart and that was Ode to Joy. She ran her slender delicate fingers over the keys and closed her eyes enjoying the piece and playing it quiet well.

Henri looked around the room and frowned. "Where is Miss Winters? I was hoping persuade her in a dance to the lovely music her sister is playing."

Daphne opened her eyes and rolled them and quit playing. "I believe that my sister needed some fresh air and decided to take a stroll. She has been troubled over the letter that father sent with me and frankly Mr. Limburg, I think she is conflicted." She smiled sweetly, stood from the clavichord and closed the lid. "Now if you all will excuse me, I am feeling somewhat fatigue and will check to see if Victoria returned to her room. Goodnight everyone." She walked past Henri and felt him shoot his hand out and grab her upper arm.

"Allow me to escort you upstairs Mrs. Harridge. I would not like to see a lovely lady such as yourself unescorted anywhere and as your sister is not here perhaps I can try and plead my case for her hand to you on my behalf." He had turned and leaned forward putting his nose about an inch from her nose and smiled into her gaze. For a moment Daphne could see where Vicki could see some of Quentin in the man before her but for the most part the only resemblance he bore to her Quentin was in looks only the rest of him was a debauched over confident buffoon.

"You know Mr. Limburg, I feel my sister is of her own mind and at this moment that mind is not on you." She watched that mock surprised look filter across his face, then he grabbed his heart with both hands in dramatic pose, thus releasing his hold on her arm.

"Oh my I do think the lady doth protest too much! Do you not think so too Andréas?" He had not seen Andréas come up behind but knew he was standing there with a smirk on his face. Henri turned to raise an eyebrow and look from Andréa back to the slowly and quietly fuming Daphne.

"I think Henri you are coming on a bit too strong for her prim and proper way of viewing the world and you are talking to a protective sister, which if I were to compare you two as sisters I find that you both are very different so does that mean one of you looks more like the mother and the other looks like the father?" Andréas stepped around into view.

"Now see here!" Naomi feeling empowered by her cordial did not like the way the two men were circling Daphne or did she like the topic of the conversation that was now taking place between the three of them. "I find that comment completely out of line and rather insulting Mr. Petofi." Naomi drew herself up and glared at the two men. "I think you owe the lady an apology."

Henri bowing slightly but not looking too ashamed spoke with a hint of sarcasm, "Then by all means Mrs. Harridge I do apologize." Andréas chuckled softly.

"There is an apology for the public annals. My dear my decorum was less than gentlemanly so I do apologize for noting the differences in coloring between the two of you claiming to be sisters. You will forgive me Mrs. Collins if I am a bit skeptical considering those that wish to come in on unsuspecting families and would wonder if she and her sister are charlatans."

Jeremiah entered the room hearing this comment and was immediately angered at any aspersions being cast upon the good reputation of Mrs. Harridge or Miss Winters. "My good Count, they may assume such things on the contentment as you just suggested but I can assure you that since Miss Winters has arrived she had been nothing but honest, helpful and a lady. For this woman whom you seem to be badgering has shown me nothing but the utmost respect, which I might add; you have not. I find insulting and overly mean tempered on your part sir and would request you immediately offer an apology to her."

Josette stood laying her needlepoint on the sofa and walked to her husband's side. "I might also remind the two of you whose house you are now occupying. Whose gracious and cordial invitations allows you to rest in comfort and by coming here and insulting a very valued guest if not slowly becoming a member of this family's good reputation is reprehensible." She laid her protective fingertips on Jeremiah's arm and glared at the to men in front of her.

Andréas raised a brow of admiration at the way she stood up for the two women who were becoming increasingly more appealing to him. Turning to Daphne Andréa took her hand kissed it and spoke with a sincere apology. "Madam, it seems I have over stepped the boundaries of common civility and would humbly beg your forgiveness." She watched him stand up bow to her and bow to the others. "I now beg all your forgiveness, I see that the humor that is popular amongst those on the contentment are not to your taste or liking here. I apologize to all of you for my bad behavior."

He nodded to Henri. "I will discuss our concerns in my room later. To the rest of you, I bid you good evening." Not quiet like the scalded dog, he slunk off up the stairs and out of sight. Henri smiled and there was something rude and insulting in that smile as he too turned and bowed.

"Until morning." He smiled, lifted Josette's hand kissed it, turned to Daphne's lifted her hand and kissed it bowed to Naomi turned and walked up the stairs with a soft chuckle. He was amused and leave it to Andréas to provide the excitement for the evening. Well these two had something to hide and he and Andréa would easily find out what that might be but first they had to plan their next move. He had thought he was growing bored with this small fishing village and now there was actual intrigue afoot and he was always one that wanted to embrace the dangerous, unknown and most definitely dark powers that were so intoxicating.

Old House Peter Bradford's Room

Angelique slipped out of her dress and slid under the covers and watched the door anxiously. She could hear him escorting Phyllis down the hall to her room and she smiled. She would get his attention this night and if she managed to keep his attention she would have his attention for the rest of their natural lives and Phyllis, well she would be the companion of that fool Trask. There was Trask spouting out his holier than thou attitude. His belief that he was seeing witches around every corner. She had to smile, looking up at her image in the mirror seeing her image there she laughed, "Do not look too hard Mr. Trask you just may find what you are looking for and you would not like it."

The door opened and Peter paused in the door way, in mock surprise she dropped the coverlet from her body and from the waist up she sat naked as the day she was born smiling her invitation to Peter. Peter would have been a fool not to be aroused seeing a beautiful, willing and obviously needing woman in his bed. Undoing his cravat he smiled looking at her with the desire she wanted to see in his gaze. "Hello Peter, mind if I just rest here a while?" She spoke in that deep husky passion filled voice

"Not in the least." He walked to the bed sat down, grabbed her by her hair and pulled her roughly to him planting a demanding and deep kiss on her lips. She did not give him much time to react to her next move, which was to unbutton his shirt and slide it off his shoulders. Wrapping his arms around her he twisted her around on the bed and laid on top of her and felt his arousal become more insistent. Her soft throaty chuckle only enflamed him and he was desperate to get the rest of his clothing off and be a part of her before another minute passed.

She laughed, her spell had begun to work far better than she had hoped. He was more than ready to spend the night in her arms and forget Phyllis.