PART TWO

Ally had a wonderful tour of the island after her complimentary lunch. It was a large buffet of continental cuisines and local dishes as she was lead on a short tour of the island and its facilities, but when she inquired of her guest quarters, she was taken to the main house on the estate on the island and asked to wait in a grand study. Still sipping a rapidly refreshed tropical drink, she soon turned her head to Mr. Roarke coming to join her.

"Mrs. McBeal," He slipped behind his desk as his black manservant gave him his mail. "How are you enjoying your visit?"

"I can honestly say I've never been anywhere like this in my entire life." Ally lightly smiled like a little girl as she nervously pulled her hair back. Mr. Roarke lightly grinned back to her.

"Thank you." He beamed pleasingly. "The island does have a magic all its own." He picked up a folder and opened it. "I noticed that your associates paid for your vacation here. Apparently, they informed me, that even when you worked for your previous firms in Boston, you never took a vacation."

"Well," Ally sipped her drink. "That's not true, I once had a short trip…"

"A very short trip…" Roarke grinned enigmatically as if he understood. "And the questionnaire I sent that I might better find a way to indulge your wishes was actually filled out by your daughter, Madison."

"She did that?"

"She did." Roarke responded a bit amused as a wry grin formed on his lips. "And she focused primarily on your lack of success in romance."

"She did?"

"She did." Roarke started. "She mentions a Billy Thomas."

"My first love." Ally confessed. "He married someone else."

"William Collins?"

"Married someone else."

"Larry Paul."

"Returned to his ex-wife."

"Jason Smart."

"Married to his job." Ally paused a bit annoyed. "Whatever it is…" She looked up romantically deprived as Roarke looked back to her. He knowingly closed her file as he gazed upon her.

"I take it that if you could have any fantasy, it would be to be married to any of these gentlemen." He replied hauntingly sincere.

"Of course," Ally pulled her hair back insecurely. "But we all know it's not going to happen." She watched as Roarke rose and gestured to her. He turned to a hall in his home as Ally rose to follow him. Moving past native art and sculptures, Ally paused as the manservant took her drink. Roarke was waiting for her as she carefully treaded unaware of what was actually occurring.

"Mrs. McBeal," He shined warmly to her. "Did you ever read Mr. Collins' novella called 'Infinity?' It told the story of a room in a large mansion that shifted among different timelines, other possibilities, and the hero in it discovered how his present might have been better had he changed but one fact in his past. Now, let's say, you are the main character in that book, and at sometime in the past, one of those men actually married you. At the end of this hallway, you will find that other reality you have been missing and become the married woman you actually want to be."

"Really," Ally refused to believe him, but she knew she just had to humor him. Wondering if he was being condescending to her, she pictured look-alikes of either Larry or William at the end of the hall planning to lead and patronize her. She was not willing to be a part of this tomfoolery. She expected a vacation, not a charade to humiliate her.

"Aren't you the least big curious?" Roarke added as if he was trying to warn her of the truth.

"Maybe, I'll just take a peek." She tried to be condescending right back to him as she stepped forward and lightly glided down the hall. Rolling her eyes for being so foolish, she passed under an arch and past a separate egress into a descending stairway and then left to another long hallway. It suddenly dawned on her that Roarke's manor house was much more smaller from outside than its interior. She had not figured such a long hallway in such a place. At the far end, she glimpsed on a large room ahead leading into another room. At the top of more stairs on her right side was a huge plate glass window and to her left was a large expanse lined with portraits and sculptures. The last room seemed familiar as she gazed from the windows to the fireplace mantle and then a ship model on top of a cabinet and then over to the grand piano. Her hand lightly gazed over the papers on a Victorian desk turned to face a television against the far wall. Stepping back out of the room, the hallway had vanished. She was in the foyer of an obvious great house as she heard voices from afar.

"I know this place." Ally mumbled out loud as she tried to recall. "I've been here before…" She turned to the nearest portrait and leaned to read the name on it. Her eyes widened before it.

"Barnabas Collins 1770 – 1840."

"Oh my god…" She was actually spooked. How did Roarke re-create so faithfully a place she had only seen but twice in her life? "This is Collinwood!"

"Mommy!!!" Two cherubic girls with long dark curly hair can rushing to her and started grabbing her. Recoiling from them more confused than she'd ever been, she started backing from the little one bouncing up and down to be picked up as her eyes widened to the lady coming down the stairs. It was Carolyn Stoddard-Loomis, the matroness of Collinwood and aunt of William Collins!

"Ally," She grinned as she set down a suitcase. "You know, I love your daughters very much, but I love them even more when they're not here."

"Daughters?" Ally was not accepting this.

"Where's daddy?!" Little Georgia Collins cried out as her little sister hopped up and down still begging to be picked up.

"Daddy?" Ally's eyes were getting wider as her heart started beating faster. "Oh my god, I'm a mommy!!"