Chapter Four.
At Collinwood, Victoria Winters hung up the phone from talking to Mathews and Elizabeth Collins Stoddard were in the drawing room when Vicki was talking Liz about having a guest for dinner and some tea that night. She and Elizabeth sat down on the sofa and she asked Winters about Juliet. "Oh, Mrs. Stoddard, Juliet is such a very good painter." Vicki said with a chuckle as Liz nodded at her words that Juliet was a very good artist indeed.
Victoria told her that Mathews donated her paintings at the art galleries around the country and around Europe and she makes good money on them. "And I was wondering if Juliet would come here tonight for tea and dinner. If that's all right with you, Mrs. Stoddard." She said hopefully that Elizabeth would have Juliet over and even spend the night at Collinwood if the storm was too great.
Liz nodded thoughtfully. "Well, Vicki, I suppose it's all right for your good friend, Juliet Mathews to come over to have dinner and tea with us tonight." Elizabeth said to the Governess. "And have Juliet spend the night if the storm here can be too much." She added. Liz would love to meet Juliet and know about her. She would tell Roger and David that they would have a guest coming.
After they spoke some more, Winters stood up and went up the stairs to her room to get changed for Burke to come and get her. She contacted Devlin on the phone and told him that Mathews was coming over to meet the Collins family. Elizabeth walked over to the kitchen to where Mrs. Johnson was preparing for dinner.
"Mrs. Johnson," The maid looked up at Liz when she called her name as she walked over to her. "We have a guest coming tonight for dinner and tea." She said as Mrs. Johnson looked on with curiosity, wondering who this guest was coming over. "Miss Winters and Mr. Devlin are picking Miss Juliet Mathews up at the Collinsport Inn to come here and we all like to meet her." She added.
Mrs. Johnson raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You mean the painter from New York we have heard so much about is coming here tonight?" The maid asked her. Elizabeth told her that Juliet was coming over. Mrs. Johnson smiled from ear to ear. "Then I'll prepare dinner for one more person for you, Mrs. Stoddard." She said happily and then, she began preparing dinner for everyone.
When Roger came home around four thirty to almost five, Liz saw him and she told she him that they were having a guest coming over for tea and dinner. Her brother was wondering of who it was and she told him. Roger was very glad that Juliet was coming to meet the Collins. Just then, there was a knock on the front door. Elizabeth walked over and answered it. And it was Burke picking up Victoria. Liz let Devlin in and he waited for his girlfriend.
Roger stood in the foyer and just gave Burke the stoic straight face poker face and Devlin gave Roger the same look on his face as Roger's. But at least, they greeted to each other. They still never liked one another after what had happened between the two. A moment later,
Vicki walked down the stairs and she greeted Burke with a hug and a kiss. Winters told Roger that they were picking up Juliet from the Inn and they would be right back. Roger and Liz were okay with that before the lovely couple left to get Mathews. Liz told Roger that she was going to go to the Old House to see Barnabas to know if he was coming for a visit. Her brother agreed to this. Elizabeth went over to get her coat and she walked out of the door to see Barnabas.
At the Inn, Juliet got dressed before she grabbed her purse. She would sometimes bring her music box with her and place it in to her hand bag for safe keeping. She would never leave her music box out of her sight what so ever. Juliet took out her bag for her clothes and she placed her sketch book, pajamas a long with her shirt and pants for the next day.
She needed to bring her over night bag just in case there was a storm coming. She had a funny feeling that there was a storm coming later on that night. At least, she was bringing her sketch book and her pencils to keep herself occupied. Her drawings kept her in a good mood and the music box always helped her when she felt sad and depressed.
When she got ready to go, she put some Jasmine perfume on and she had her hand bag and her over night bag before she walked out of her room and she locked it before she walked down the stairs and waited for Vicki and Burke. Moments later, Devlin drove the car as he and Winters picked Mathews up round six that evening and they drove to Collinwood.
Around at that time at the Old House, down the stairs in the basement, a coffin opened up and Barnabas woke up from his sleep and he sat straight up when Willie Loomis walked down the stairs to meet the vampire. Loomis saw Barnabas as he greeted him after he climbed out of his coffin and he turned around to close it. He saw Loomis walking towards him. "Good evening, Willie." The vampire said with a smirk as he closed the coffin top.
Barnabas was thinking about Juliet Mathews that whole time. This woman had dominated his thoughts ever since he first saw her. He could not get her out of his mind and the smell of Jasmine he could not resist. The perfume was intoxicating to him. Willie knew the minute the vampire woke up from his slumber, Loomis knew what he was about to say in greeting and he went to go do his duties. Barnabas walked up the stairs and went into the drawing room.
Moments later, there was a knock on the door. Barnabas was not expecting any one that night. The vampire was surprised that some one would come around this time of evening. He went towards the sound of knocking and he opened the door and he saw his cousin, Liz. "Well, good evening, Elizabeth, it's a surprise to see you here." He said to her. He was wondering as to why she was there. He moved to the side to let her in.
Liz walked in to the Old House she looked him straight in the eyes with greetings. "Hello, Barnabas, it's so good to see you as well." She said. The vampire knew that there was something on her mind and he wanted to know what it was. "We have a guest coming to Collinwood tonight and I was wondering if you would like to come for a visit to meet her." At her words, Barnabas warmly smiled at his cousin.
He read Eliabeth's mind that Vicki told Liz about Juliet coming. Barnabas practically knew about who this woman was when he saw her the night before at the Inn and he would love to meet her. Barnabas and Liz were talking some more before the vampire went to go grab his cape coat and his wolf's head cane. Liz waited for him patiently before they walked out of the door and walked back to Collinwood. He would love to meet Juliet when she gets there.
At Collinwood moments later, a car pulled up near the door. Burke, Victoria and Juliet climbed out of the car and they were laughing at something Burke was saying. Vicki knocked on the door and seconds later, they heard foot steps and Carolyn Stoddard answered the door.
She was happy to see Devlin and Victoria as they walked in. Carolyn saw Mathews the minute they were walking towards the drawing room. "Hello there. I'm Carolyn Stoddard." She said as she introduced herself. Her and Juliet shook hands and Mathews introduced herself to her and Roger. Both Carolyn and Roger were very pleased that they met the painter.
Just when Juliet and the others sat down on the sofa and arm chairs, Mathews placed her hand bag and over night bag right next to her. Juliet told them that she loves to draw and paint and donating them to the art galleries and museums. Just then, both Elizabeth and Barnabas walked in to the house and right off the bat, Barnabas was smelling Jasmine perfume and he could smell it coming from the drawing room.
As soon as he walked into the drawing room, Barnabas heard her talking to them about what she does and about her life and then, he saw the most beautiful woman right in front of him. Elizabeth and Roger introduced Juliet Mathews to Barnabas and the vampire just could not take his eyes off of her. She was so beautiful to him and he was very drawn to her stronger than ever. The smell of Jasmine coming from her was wafting his senses.
The vampire greeted Vicki, Burke, Carolyn and Roger and he walked further into the drawing room towards Juliet. She saw how handsome he looked. "Good evening, Miss Mathews, I'm Barnabas Collins." He said introducing himself as he gently took a hole of her hand in greeting and he kissed her hand. This would be an interesting night for Juliet indeed. He had finally found his Josette.