Winds Of Eternity Part 14

"That's understandable. She was certainly a beautiful woman. And I gathered from his letter that she meant a great deal to him."

"A very great deal," Julia agreed.

Willie had overheard the man's news, and entered the parlour at Julia's side. "Julia, he's gone!!"

"I expected it, Willie," she said, sounding defeated.

"But Julia, if he goes into town, the , way he's feelin'."

"I know. He doesn't have any reason to care about what happens to him now."

"You're scarin' me, Julia. We gotta stop him."

The sound of gla.s.s shattering in the bas.e.m.e.nt sent them both down the stairs, and into Julia's laboratory. Equipment was scattered, broken; test tubes and slides lay on the floor in a dust of gla.s.s, but of Bar-

nabas there was no sign. Julia felt perilously near tears. "Barnabas."

Willie looked frightened. "I don't know if we can handle him like this, Julia."

"We must, Willie. For his sake if for no other reason. You go into Collinsport and look for him. I have to stop by Collinwood and get Quentin to help."

Barnabas stood by Valerie Collins' grave, wishing he could cry. Even destroying Julia's useless equipment hadn't extinguished the rage in him. It wasn't fair. He began to laugh, hearing the edge of insanity in the sound. "Fair!" he asked aloud. "Since when has life been fair?" The laughter stilled as he knelt by the grave. "Oh, my darling Angelique. I managed to continue without Josette. But without you, I no longer care. About anything." It would be so easy to call her to him. To have her spirit appear there--but he couldn't. Let her rest in peace, he thought. Perhaps someday, when someone finally puts an end to my pitiful existence, I will join her. I hope it will happen soon.

Willie was standing outside the Blue Whale when Julia and Quentin approached. Pulling her coat tighter to ward off the chilling fog, Julia asked, "Have you found him?"

"Yeah. He's in there with Pam."

"The waitress he spoke to last week," Julia recalled. Pam Lucas was a local girl, a pretty red-head with blue eyes.

Quentin looked in the window. "Give me a couple of minutes to break them up."

Pam was sitting in a booth, obviously on a break or about to get off work. Quentin slipped in beside her uninvited, drawing Barnabas' angry gaze. He smiled charmingly and placed an arm on the bench behind Pam's shoulders. "h.e.l.lo there, Cousin. Pam."

"Quentin."

"It's been a few days since you were in," the girl said.

"I've been busy helping Roger at the cannery. What time do you get off?"

"Five minutes ago."33.

"Then I guess I'm just in time."

"For what?"

"To walk you home, of course."

"Oh." Pam glanced at Barnabas. It was clear that she wasn't used to having the attention of two such eligible men, especially Collinses. "I -"

"Don't tell me. Cousin Barnabas has already offered."

"Not at all, Quentin. I had been about to ask, but I will defer to you - this time."

"That's good. Because I think Julia just came in."

Pam seemed to sense the dangerous undercurrent to the conversation. "If you'll let me out, Quentin, I'll go get my purse from behind the bar. Thank you for the drink, Mr. Collins."

He stood as well. "It was my pleasure."

"I'll - wait at the door, Quentin."

Quentin finished his drink, put some money on the table. "Goodnight, Barnabas."

"Julia told you, I a.s.sume."

Quentin saw no need to lie. "Yes. I'm sorry about Angelique. I've been in that place, cousin. Can I give you some advice?"

"I doubt I can stop you."

"Don't shut out your friends. That lady that just came in is worried about you. Let her help."

"No one can help. I wouldn't keep Pam waiting."

Quentin shook his head as he pa.s.sed Julia on his way out. The doctor stood her ground as Barnabas approached her, meeting his look squarely.

"Since you're obviously here to take me back to the Old House, shall we go?"

"Barnabas -"

He looked straight ahead. "I will not discuss it here, Julia." She had no choice but to follow him from the bar.

Willie was on the dock outside. "B-Barnabas."

"Willie." That tope frightened Willie, touching something buried deep within his memory.

"The - the car's this way."

At the door to Pam's house, she turned to thank Quentin. "I enjoyed it," he told her. "But Pam, it might not be a wise idea to become involved with my cousin right now."

"Why not? He seemed very nice - and somehow a little sad." She smiled. "Unless you're-jealous?"

"Maybe just a little. But you are right about Barnabas being sad. He received some bad news about someone he loved very much. Right now, he might hurt you without meaning to."

"I see."

"You sound disappointed. Tell you what, you're off tomorrow night, aren't you?"

"Yes."