Subj: 1795 Challenge
Date: 7/31/99 9:28:20 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Beverly LaCroix

Jeremiah's heart was beating at an alarming rate, but when he saw that blonde French woman, it was like magic. He loved her! No, he wanted her! What in he world was the matter with him? She was Josette DuPrés' or the Countess' maid. But she was so beautiful, enticing, and he knew she would be a very passionate woman. He would marry her -- no, no. He couldn't do that. Joshua would have a fit, Abigail a heart attack, and Naomi would remain drunk for the remainder of the century. He needed to get out of this house for awhile, so he could think clearly He'd stop at the shipyard, and inform Joshua he was going on a little trip, and would be back in a day or so.

Feeling better now that he'd made up his mind to get out of the house away from the beautiful Angelique, he noticed it was already dark. Well, no matter, he would just leave a note for Joshua and leave tonight. He stopped midstep on hearing voices coming from the servant's quarters. It was Barnabas, and his beautiful Angelique. They sounded like they were arguing. He'd make Barnabas sorry for upseting his Angelique. Stop it, Jeremiah! What are you saying, "my Angelique." He ventured on tiptoes a little closer to where the voices, and leaning back against the wall when he heard the door open, he saw Barnabas
storming out of Angelique's room! What was he doing in her room, Jeremiah wondered.

Afraid to breathe for fear of being caught skulking about like some old maid eavesdropping on young lovers, he couldn't bring himself to move. He heard the door open again, and it was Angelique. Uh-oh! She was coming his way, he straightened up, and pretended to be walking towards Joshua's study.

"Monsieur Collins," Angelique acknowledged his presence.

"Angelique," Jeremiah nodded, noticing the tears in her eyes. Barnabas had made her cry he thought with rage! Stop this right now! Get a hold of yourself.

Making sure no one was in sight he crept down to Angelique's room, and entered. He just wanted a tiny momento of her for when he was gone. Any little thing would do, he was thinking as he was opening drawers trying to find just the right thing. And when he opened the third drawer from the bottom of the old bureau that his grandmother had brought from Ireland, he saw it! His heart lurched in his throat as he picked up what appeared to be pieces of a tree branch wrapped in a spider's web, and a hankerchief. Was that his hankerchief? Yes, it was. With a song in his heart he wanted to shout to the world that Angelique loved him as he loved her. Yes, it was love. He felt a light joyous feeling just thinking it, admitting that he loved her. And now he knew she loved him too. It was supposed to be a bride, and the bride was Angelique, and he was the groom.

Taking the pathetic makeshift doll, he would keep it always. He would buy her a new one. One made of porcelain from China. His Angelique would have the best of everything. She would want for nothing. His beloved would be treated like a countess he thought sarcastically as a vision of Countess DuPrés flitted across his mind.

Jeremiah left without anyone knowing, but he had changed his reasons for leaving. Angelique was very upset by this, knowing she would have to postpone her plans for Jeremiah and Josette or change her plans altogether. Who knew when Jeremiah would return.

While Jeremiah was away Barnabas and Josette married in a secret ceremony at the Reverend Bland's house. The reason given why this sudden change of events was the DuPrés family wanted to start their trip back to Martinique before the winter storms in the Atlantic delayed them until Spring.

Angelique was in dispair. If only Jeremiah would come back, she thought, she would have no qualms about finishing her little plan. Barnabas and Josette's marriage could be undone just as secretly as it was done. Barnabas would not stay married to a woman who was carrying on an adulterous affair with his uncle under the same roof. Angelique laughed her evil laugh for the first time. She was desparate. She would have to leave with the others, and there would be no chance of her ever being with Barnabas, and that she could not bear even thinking.

Remembering the little bride doll she had fashioned from the spider's web, going to the drawer to get it she was interrupted by Josette.

Josette needed her help with getting a stain out of one of Barnabas' silken shirts. The two ladies didn't notice the shadowy figure at the other end of the hall. When they left for Josette's Room, he entered Angelique's room, and put the beautiful porcelain doll in place of what he thought was her makeshift doll.

Abigail noticed the noise coming from Angelique's room before she entered it. She was going to look around and see what this heathen woman had been up to, and that Reverend in the next town would know what to do if she found evidence of witchcraft. She froze when the door opened. She saw a man's boot, and pulled the little pistol out of her shawl and fired.

"Abigail, what are you doing here?" Jeremiah said as he was falling.

Abigail screamed, "JEREMIAH!" And then she fainted.

Jeremiah came to in his bedroom, and noted that Barnabas and Joshua were staring at him. Too late, they saw him awake.

"Jeremiah, what on earth were you doing skulking about a servant's room, and not even one of ours?" Joshua asked priggishly.

Jeremiah noticed Barnabas fighting to supress a smile wished he could get up and knock it off his face. He would ask Barnabas when Joshua left, what he had been doing in Angelique's room the night he left, and then he'd see how long that irritating grin would be on his face. Disrespectful! That's what he was. Well, he would remind him he was his uncle, and he wouldn't be forgetting it. That made Jeremiah feel better, then he noticed Joshua was waiting for an answer when Angelique walked in the room without knocking.

"Well, Jeremiah, I'm waiting for an answer. What were you doing" --

"Monsieur Collins, I can answer that." Angelique interrupted.

Joshua looked like he was going to say something, but noticed the look on Jeremiah's face, when the realization of what he had been doing in that room hit him! He was besotted with the DuPrés maid.

Jeremiah noticed Angelique held the doll in her hand. He was starting to feel sick and elated all at the same time.

"Monsieur Collins, thank you so much for this beautiful doll. And the answer is yes. Yes, I will marry you!" Angelique said holding her hand out, and on her forefinger was a very old antique engagement ring.

After Jeremiah and Angelique married, Jeremiah designed and built the House-By-The-Sea for them. And they lived happily ever after.

The End

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.