Subj: Angelique Meets Someone ch 5
Date: 5/17/99 4:11:12 PM Central Daylight Time
From: beverlylacroix

Echoes of Pain

The Greek Legend of Echo pining away for Narcissus until Echo was nothing more than a reverberating sound, Duncan thought watching Barnabas with the look of triumph on his face as he descended the stairs of the Great House.

Duncan felt a hate for Barnabas coursing through his veins that he thought he had overcome after an evening with the Marquis de Sade, but he found it wasn't so.

"Duncan, Josette, you are back," Barnabas said walking over to his wife and giving her a light embrace.

"Yes, darling. It was wonderful. Duncan is a most interesting man. He told me how he met you through your father. A fascinating tale. Your father has secrets, the good kind, of course, " Josette said teasingly.

Barnabas felt himself tense as Josette talked of Duncan and his father, and their unfortunate meeting. But Josette didn't notice, and Barnabas felt the tension leaving as the beautiful face and body of Angelique clouded his vision.

"Yes, I'm sure he has," Barnabas replied lovingly.

"It was my pleasure, m'lady," Duncan said with a slight bow at the waist as he took Josette's hand in his and held it lingeringly, thinking this lady deserves better. He had no doubt in his mind that Barnabas had been with Angelique, and though he did not feel the kind of jealousy that a mortal would, he felt anger at the injustice of this man playing with the very young lives of two incredible ladies.

Barnabas could feel his possessiveness and jealous nature taking over as he viewed his wife and McLeod in such an intimate state, it wasn't physical, but it was the meeting of the eyes.

Angelique stood on the balcony and watched Barnabas' reaction to Duncan's attentions to Josette and felt dispair. She had succumbed to Barnabas, and believed his lies. This time he had promised to leave Josette and take her away from here, and they could be together forever. Would she never learn? And Duncan, watching him with Josette made her sad. Looking at him, caused her heart to quicken its rate, and she felt the tears come to her eyes. He was so beautiful, and he loved her, really loved her. He had stood up to Joshua Collins for her, and it had been successful. She was a guest at Collinwood, not a lady's maid, because of Duncan. She had thrown it all away for a moment's passion with someone who did not love her, who was treating her like nothing more than one of the dock whores in Collinsport, and the painted women who had waited for the ships to come in on the Island of Martinique. Her mother had warned her about that kind, telling her no decent person would have anything to do with her, one day after Angelique had come in with her face all painted, and her skirt shortened. Thinking her mother would think she was very beautiful she had pranced in and saw her mother's darkened face, and knew it had been a mistake. That's when she had learned about women like that. She hadn't been able to sit comfortably for a week, but the message had been deeply instilled. Barnabas Collins would pay for her pain. This time he would not walk away freely with his sweet Josette as his wife, and her his backstreet affair. No, he had caused her to lose a man she really loved, one that loved her, even after finding out everything bad about her, and what she
had done to one of his oldest friend's family.

Duncan was going to marry her, and she had been ecstatic, and she wanted to run and tell Josette and share her secret like they used to when they were young girls growing into womanhood. Those days had been delightful and carefree, when she would relax and just enjoy her companion, and the envy and jealousy would sleep for awhile. Then Barnabas had come and her life was never the same.

When Duncan had come upon her at Widows Hill her dispair and depression had been so great she was going to end it all, and he had brought back the feelings of joy, wonderment of feeling in love, and being loved in return, now Barnabas once again was threatening to destroy it. Duncan knew, Angelique could tell when he looked at her, and now he was going to fall in love with Josette all because of Barnabas. She could tell he thought a lot of Josette. Her heart wrenched when she decided what she must do.

Duncan was going to take Josette to a play this evening, because Barnabas could not go. His father had summoned him earlier, and his father had been so angry that Barnabas could not refuse him.

Watching the handsome couple ascend into the carriage, dressed so elegantly, they looked like they belonged to a world made for the gods, and everyone else would worship them because they were so beautiful. Angelique did not allow resentment to stop her from carrying out her plans. She watched as Barnabas hurled a brandy sniffer across the room in rage, because of his jealousy of McLeod and his wife.

Walking in quietly Angelique said softly, "Barnabas."

He whirled around and saw her, and exclaimed angrily, "What are you doing here? I have no need of you right now!"

"Oh! I thought you loved me, and we were going away together! You promised it would be different this time." Angelique said.

"Oh, Angelique," Barnabas said looked at the beauty before him, "you know that is not possible. I can't leave Josette. I know that now. There is no reason why you can't remain here, and I will come to you when I can," Barnabas said seductively.

"Barnabas, why did you change your mind? I believed you!" Angelique cried.

"Angelique, I love Josette! You must believe that," Barnabas said cajolingly, with a mental picture of Duncan and Josette together. He had not liked the menacing look Duncan had given him, at the same time, his hand had been on the deadly sword he had always carried with him.

Before Josette had left with Duncan, they had had a drink, waiting for her to come down. Duncan had told him he knew what had happened with him and Angelique, and the price he would pay would be longlasting and painful. Barnabas had wanted to challenge him to a duel, and Duncan looked at him and said, "Barnabas, you do not want to challenge me," as if he had read his mind, "I would kill you before you lifted your sword, because that would be the weapon of choice. Maybe you don't think much of your family, but I think way too much of your father to grieve him
over your debauchery. No, there is a better way, and she is coming down the stairs now." Duncan said in a voice so deadly that a cold shiver went through Barnabas.

Angelique watched Barnabas' features cloud, and slowly grow dark. She did not care what he was thinking or why he was upset anymore, she wanted him to suffer as much as she was suffering.

Barnabas decided after Duncan's words rang through his head, it might be a good idea to keep Angelique away from him for awhile. Funny, he didn't feel the desire for her that he had earlier, the jealousy was gone also, only to be transferred to Josette.

"Angelique, I think you should go. You should leave Collinsport, my dear, and travel. I will give you a large stipend, and"... Barnabas was interrupted by Angelique.

"Oh, no, Barnabas! You destroyed something precious to me. Duncan McLeod loves me, and he knows! Now, he hates me, I know he does. He doesn't have to tell me. I don't care for myself anymore, you see, I don't love you. I don't know how I could have thought I ever loved you, and would have settled for being your mistress. And you refused me. I lost everything then, and now I have lost to much to care anymore. I'm going to Josette, and I am going to tell her about you and me. I will
prove it, Barnabas. Then I'm going to watch you squirm while Duncan McLeod romances Josette right out from under you, and you will be helpless to do anything about it!" Angelqiue said with fierce anger.

While Angelique had been talking Barnabas had picked up the duelling pistol he had been cleaning earlier and pointed it at Angelique, and fired!

Angelique looked at him, and said; "You didn't do the job well enough, Barnabas. I'm still alive. You wanted your Josette so bad then you shall have her, but not in the way you thought.

"I call a curse on you, Barnabas Collins"....

Duncan and Josette heard the screams as the carriage stopped in front of the Old House. Duncan jumped out of the carriage, lifting Josette out, sword unsheathed, ran in just as the demond bat flew toward the window and disappeared. Duncan saw Angelique, and held his breath. She looked so wan and pale lying there, but she was alive. Josette had run to Barnabas, and Duncan cautioned her to stay away from him, and she had listened. Duncan knew what his fate was, and smiled.

Two months later...

On a ship bound for Europe, Duncan McLeod stood at the bow of the ship holding the woman he would gladly spend an eternity with, "Mrs. McLeod, are you happy?"

"Delerious, Mr. McLeod," she replied in a low husky voice, feeling excitement course through her as he pulled her tightly to him. His body was hard, and she could feel the well-formed muscles of his thighs pressing against her, whirling her around, his long blue-black hair blowing wildly in the sea air, he kissed his wife long and passionately.

They walked to their honeymoon cabin, Angelique marvelling at his breathtaking looks, but more than that, marvelling at how in spite of what she had done, he had loved her through it all. She had to pinch herself several times a day to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Duncan and Angelique saw Josette walking towards them, smiling, she had someone with her. Angelique looked at him with approval and smile at Josette as Josette introduced the tall, dark and handsome stranger. His hair was as black as Duncan's. He exuded danger, Angelique looked sharply at him when he Josette introduced him as Ares.

Collinsport:

There are rumors of bloodless, strangled women....