Dane

Chapter 12

Dane glared furiously at Willie, who cringed, in Dane's painful grip. "Barnabas' lackey!" he snarled. "If there's one thing I despise, it's a spy! Did Barnabas put you up to this!" he demanded, shaking the unfortunate man.

"I don't know what ya talkin' about!" whimpered Willie. "Barnabas hasn't put me up to anythin'!"

"Don't lie to me, Willie!" fumed Dane, pulling him closer to him, and glaring at him.

"I ain't lyin'!" he looked desperately in Julia's direction. "Julia tell him, I ain't lyin! I didn't even know you was here!"

Julia tilted her head slightly and looked at Willie through lowered eyes.

"Why were you here, Willie?" she asked reproachfully.

He swallowed, looking at both of them in turn, he thought desperately of an excuse. "I was lookin for fire wood. Barnabas usually sends me out for it round about now."

"Strange time to be looking for fire wood, Willie," said Dane, clearly not believing him. "I know Barnabas is a night owl, but he's got to sleep sometime."

"He's right, Dane," said Julia with a sigh. "Barnabas does send him out at this time of night. With him working out of town all day, it's really the only time he as use of a fire."

Willie offered her a relieved grin. He should have known that Julia would have stood up for him. "See? I told ya. How could I be spyin', when all I was doin' was getting' fire wood?"

Dane still held onto him. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I don't believe you Willie. Something tells me your lying."

"But Julia told ya I was tellin' the truth!" he protested. "How come you believe her an' not me?"

"I just do, Willie. Come on. I want a little chat with Barnabas."

"Julia…-" Willie turned her, panic in his eyes.

"Dane is that necessary? No harm has been done."

The anger faded, and he released Willie. He turned to face Julia. "I want to see Barnabas anyway. There's something, I need to talk to him about." He turned to Willie again, who looked as though he were about to run for his life. "If I find that you've been lying to me, Willie," he said dangerously. "Move!" he said raising a hand in the direction of the Old House. "I'm sorry Julia," he added, facing her. "I trust my instincts."

She smiled wanly. "I remember. Why don't we all go? I need to see Barnabas, myself."

"I'd rather talk to him alone, if you don't mind…man to man."

"But I'm tellin' ya…" whined Willie.

"Well see about that," replied Dane brusquely.

/

He entered the Old House without knocking, and as they entered Barnabas rose slowly from his chair, leaning heavily on his cane as he did so.

He looked from Dane to Willie, and back again. "What's the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"I want to talk to you, about Willie," said Dane, shoving Willie forward. "I caught him spying on Julia and I, as we returned to Collinwood."

Barnabas frowned, "Spying?" he asked, looking at Willie. Though he had a puzzled air, Willie knew that he was furious with him for being caught. "I find that hard to believe."

"He said he was collecting fire wood," continued Dane. "Frankly, I don't believe him."

Barnabas' brows knitted together, on his pale face. "May I ask why not? I often send Willie out for fire wood."

"I just doesn't ring true, Barnabas."

"I can hardly be blamed for that, Mr. Spencer," said Barnabas, clutching his cane, tightly. "I sent Willie out to do a job, and nothing more."

Dane folded his arms and nodded his head. "Why don't we be honest with each other, Barnabas?" he said. "I don't like you, and you don't like me. But for Julia's sake, we both try to get along. We're not at Collinwood now, so let's lay all our cards on the table. Julia and I have known each a long time; we grew up together."

"She's told me as much," agreed Barnabas. "But what as that got to do with all this?"

"Did she also tell you, that we were once engaged?"

Barnabas wasn't able to completely hide his shock at Dane's revelation. He sank back into his chair, numbed. "No, she didn't," he said slowly.

Dane remained standing with his arms folded across his chest. "Didn't she?" he asked, not completely hiding the smugness of his tone. "Well, there must have been a reason. But it's true. When she left to pursue her medical career, we agreed to remain friends." He paused and took a step closer to Barnabas. "You are aware, that she's in love with you, aren't you?" he asked bluntly.

Barnabas' dark eyes narrowed. "I am aware of it, yes," Barnabas admitted, reluctantly. "But I fail to see where this is leading."

"Doesn't it bother you that she's wasting her life here, and her talents, waiting for a man, she doesn't deserve."

"I think you've said enough!" said Barnabas, rising to his feet, slowly.

"Oh, I haven't even begun yet!" Dane assured him. "I've seen the way you've looked at her, when you thought she was alone. I've seen the carefully concealed anger, when you seen us together. I've never liked you, since the day I saw you; now I know why. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous."

"Don't be ridiculous!" snapped Barnabas, glaring at his rival.

Dane chuckled. "I'm going to do everything I can, to make Julia see you for what you really are, Barnabas. I can promise you that."

"Get out!" Barnabas demanded. "You've outstayed your welcome."

"I'll go," said Dane, readily. "But if I catch Willie spying again, I won't be responsible for what happens."

He turned and left the house, leaving Willie to face Barnabas' wrath alone.

"You fool!" he spat. "Why did you let him see you!"

"I didn't even know they were there, Barnabas!" Willie tried to explain. "Not until they were attacked by a bat...that was you, wasn't it?" asked Willie, a tentative smile on his face.

Barnabas' expression wiped the grin off his face. "I should go after him," he fretted. "And put an end to his interference, permanently."

"Ya can't Barnabas, he's Julia's friend!" protested Willie, holding him back. "Anyhtin' happens to Dane, and she'll know it was you."

"You heard what he said!"

"I heard. But hurting him isn't the answer Barnabas. If you do, you will lose her. For good!"

/

When he returned to Collinwood, Dane headed straight for the drawing room.

Luckily Julia was alone. "Julia, we need to talk," he said, sighing deeply.

She looked up from reading the notebook; she always seemed to read. "Dane, what is it?" she asked pursing her lips.

"When I first came here, you hinted that there was someone in your life."

"I remember."

"You wouldn't tell me who he was, but it didn't need a genius to figure out that it was Barnabas Collins."

"I see," said Julia, closing the notebook, and standing up. "Well, it's no secret, except perhaps to Barnabas."

"Oh he knows it all right," said Dane, his anger returning. "I promised that I wasn't here to tread on toes, but that isn't true any longer. Julia," he said earnestly, taking hold of her arms. "You deserve far better than him, Julia. I never knew you to stay around, when you knew a situation was useless."

Julia freed herself from his grasp. "Yes, I love him, but there is more to the situation than you could possibly ever understand! And I'd rather have him in my life as a friend, than not at all."

Dane shook his head, mystified. "For God's sake, Julia! You're a doctor! A psychiatrist! You should know better than that! Wake up and see what's right in front of you! I still love you, Julia. And I'm asking you to marry me."