Winds Of Eternity Part 35

The sound of the iron gate squeaking on its hinges made her turn quickly. "I thought I saw you come in here."

"Quentin. Were you following me?"

"Just trying to make sure you didn't get lost. Cousin Barnabas would never forgive me if you did. It's easy to do in these woods. Why did you come in here?"66.

"I don't really know. Joshua and Naomi were the first Barnabas' parents, weren't they?"

"Yes. And Sarah was his younger sister." He noticed that her hand reached out again. "Let's get out of here."

She paused beside Jeremiah and Josette's graves, then at another, well-kept grave, an oddity in this forsaken place. "Valerie Collins. Died -1840. Who was she?"

"The daughter-in-law of the first Barnabas. She died while she and her husband were visiting Collinwood."

"How did she die? Do you know?"

"She confessed to having been a witch and was shot by a religious fanatic."

"What about her husband?"

"That was the irony of it. The marriage had been in trouble for some time. Barnabas, the son, thought Valerie selfish, uncaring of other people's troubles. But when she risked her own life by admitting to being a witch in order to save the lives of her husband's cousins, Barnabas was confused, uncertain of his feelings. He was about to tell her that he loved her - that he always had - when she was killed."

"How tragic."

"Oh, Barnabas, returned to England, eventually remarried, but he never recovered from Valerie's death. His heart was still here. That's a problem with most men in the Collins family. Our big weakness is always a beautiful woman."

Her blue eyes met his. "Are you speaking from personal experience?"

"Could be. Come on. By the time we get back, lunch will be ready, and Maggie is due back from the village."

"She's very understanding, isn't she?"

"She has to be."

Julia left early, Miranda agreed to meet her at the Old House later. The doctor gave Barnabas his injection, telling him about Miranda's latest dreams. He agreed not to pressure her, but Julia could see that he was disturbed by the things she told him.

When Miranda arrived, Barnabas poured her a gla.s.s of port. "Did Dr. Hoffman tell you about my dreams?" she asked.

"Yes. They coincide with entries in my ancestor's journals," he told her.

"Why don't we go and find those rooms?" Julia suggested.

"A good idea, Julia. Which one first?"

Miranda thought for a moment. "His room, I think." She led them unerringly to a room on the second floor, then opened it, entering. "Yes," she said, turning to look at Barnabas. "This is the one. The furniture is-almost the same." She seemed uncertain. "It was his, wasn't it?"

"Yes. What is different about it?" He watched in silence as she moved to the window, began to finger the drapes.

"These. They were a different colour, material."

He nodded at Julia, then looked back at Miranda, uncertain of what he saw in her eyes. She smiled. "And now her room."

Again he and Julia followed, this time up to the old servants' quarters on the third floor. Barnabas had restored them along with the rest of the house. Miranda knelt before the cold, dark grate. "Yes," she said softly. "This was where she performed her spells and incantations. Where she caused Jeremiah to elope with Josette and be married on the very day Josette was to have married Barnabas. She used Josette's handkerchief and lock of Jeremiah's hair, fastened them together with the web of a spider. Then she made a love potion. But all of her scheming achieved nothing. It never got her the one thing she wanted: Barnabas' love."

Julia's gaze moved from the woman to Barnabas' taut features. Reliving it all this way was agony for him. "Miranda -"

She didn't seem to hear the softly spoken name - nor did Barnabas move as she continued to remember that time. "She never thought that Barnabas would challenge his uncle to a duel, and to insure Barnabas would be the victor, she gave him an amulet with special powers. He agreed to marry her, then changed his mind after67.

seeing Josette again. So she used his love for Sarah against him."

"She got Sarah's doll, and some stickpins and caused the child to be near death. When Barnabas came to her, distraught, half out of his mind, she agreed to prepare an herb tea to cure Sarah - on the condition that Barnabas marry her once Sarah was well. He gave his word, and the child recovered. She convinced Barnabas not to wait, and they were married in this house, downstairs. But even that first night she realized that he still believed that he loved Josette. When Barnabas discovered the truth, that his wife was a witch, he tried to shoot her." She placed a hand to her right shoulder, as if she could still feel that wound. "Thinking that she was dying, she placed a curse on him: that all who loved him would die. When she recovered, she tried to stop the curse. To save his life, but it was no use. Barnabas died, and when she went that night to destroy him before he could rise as one of the living dead, he strangled her in his fury, making her the first victim of her own curse. But she did not remain dead. She caused Josette to run from Barnabas in terror and jump from Widows' Hill. She never wanted to harm anyone. All she wanted was Barnabas' love. Had Jeremiah lived, so much would have been different."

Barnabas stood motionless, listening to her retell the events that had destroyed so many lives, hearing the regret - and the guilt. She was right about Jeremiah. If he only accepted Josette's marriage and not challenged his uncle to that duel - . He met Julia's eyes, asking a silent question. Perhaps, with Angelique's memories so fresh in her mind, the time was right. Julia nodded slowly. Moving quietly, he went to stand before the kneeling woman. "Angelique."

Her head came up, the blue eyes revealing confused recognition. "Barnabas." She looked around, disoriented. "What are we doing here?" she asked, coming to her feet.

"Don't you remember?"

She placed a hand on her head. "I'm -not sure. I - " She collapsed into Barnabas' arms.

"Julia."

"Put her on the bed."

He watched anxiously as Julia did a hurried examination. "What's wrong with her, Julia?"

"Perhaps, the shock of remembering everything so suddenly."

"She'll be all right?"

"With some rest, I think so. Let me go get my bag so I can tell more about her condition."

As Julia left, he pulled the quilt over Angelique to ward off the slight chill of the room. They had another chance, he thought to himself. Things would be very different this time.

"Barnabas?" she whispered, her eyes opening. "Why are you here? Has Mademoiselle Josette arrived?"

"No," was his quiet response, realizing that her mind was in the past, before the tragedy had begun. Perhaps - Perhaps he could use this to prove some things - to himself, at least. "I wanted to talk to you." He rose from the side of the bed and went to the window.

Angelique sat watching. "About our talk in your room earlier?" she guessed.

"Yes. I was wrong to send you away as I did. I should not have denied my true feelings."

She got off of the bed, not noticing her modern-day clothing, and came to stand at his side. "And what are those feelings?"

"That I love you," he said simply, and was rewarded by a sudden glow in those eyes.

But she was still wary. "And -Josette?"

"What I feel for her is different." He looked down at her. "I must marry her, Angelique. The plans are made, too many people will be hurt if I refuse to do so now."