Secrets Past 15
Date: 6/27/98
From: barnster
"Sabre, heel!" ordered Barnabas, but the dog took no notice.
His teeth bared in a vicious snarl and his eyes blazed, evilly.
"Julia!" shouted Barnabas, alarmed, as she stepped forwards. He pulled her back in time to save
her from would have been a nasty bite.
"What's gotten into him?" she asked Barnabas, her face pale with shock, and fright. "He's like
some wild animal!"
"I don't know," he replied, his tone heavy with worry. "But I do know, that for some reason, he
doesn't want us to enter that room. Come on," he said taking her by the arm, and drawing her
back.
"We'll have to wait until Barnabas decides to show himself. Sabre's not going to let us within an
inch of that door."
As they retreated down the hall, Sabre calmed down, considerably. He pawed at the door, and
whined softly. Then turning around, he settled down to guarding the room.
***
When Barnabas returned form the cannery, later that afternoon, there was still no sign of
Barnabas, Jr.
On checking the upstairs hall, he found the dog still guarding the door, to his son's room.
Sabre growled a warning, and Barnabas felt little like arguing with it. Wondering what this latest
development might mean, he headed back downstairs.
When he entered the drawing room, he poured himself a sherry. 'Perhaps I should have made this
a whiskey,' he thought to himself, gloomily. 'After Barnabas hears what I have to tell him, I'll
need it.' Taking the sherry glass, he headed over to the window, and stared gloomily out.
He was still stood there, when Julia returned from her laboratory. Immediately on seeing his
bearing, she knew he was worried about telling the children, the forthcoming marriage.
With understanding she said, "Perhaps it would be better, if we didn't tell the children about the
marriage, until things are settled?"
He shook his head. "No, I want to tell them, now. Give them time to get used to the idea."
"Its Barnabas, you're worried about, isn't?"
He nodded, and downed his sherry in one. "He already hates you, and when I tell him this_." he
said, despondently. "I hate to think how, he'll react."
Julia knew exactly how he felt. While he had been difficult to deal with, in the past, his behaviour
hadn't really worsened until Sarah's illness.
Now, added to the strangeness that had come over him, made to a strained situation, between the
three of them.
Even Sarah, who, as the only girl in the family, had usually gotten go quite well with him, now
avoided him. Commenting that he was 'spooky.' Though she wouldn't admit this to Barnabas, she
silently agreed with the girl.
Julia sighed, and placed her head on his shoulder. "I have a pretty good idea, what he'll say," she
said.
He shifted, so he could put his arms around her. "I know what you're thinking, that I'm betraying
Maggie's memory."
"Barnabas, can I go into town?" asked Willie, as he unexpectedly entered the room.
As he finished fastening his jacket, he looked up, to see them still in an embrace.
His jaw dropped, in surprise. Recovering his poise, a sly grin, crossed his face. "Well, it's about
time, Barnabas!" he said jubilantly. "I thought there was somethin' different about ya both, this
mornin'."
Barnabas, looking like a small boy, caught in the act of stealing from the cookie jar, quickly
released Julia.
"Hey, don't mind me," said Willie, innocently. "I'm headin' into town, so you two can be alone,"
he added, the crafty grin still on his face. And quickly left the house.
***
Shortly after 6:30, Barnabas, Jr. made his first appearance since that morning. Sabre followed at
his heels. Who now showed no signs of being the vicious animal of the afternoon.
"And where have you been, all day?" asked his father, on seeing him.
Barnabas remained silent. The strange feeling, that plagued him during the day, was still with
him. But this feeling seemed different. More insistent, more demanding.
He felt restless. He frowned, and turned to look out the window.
His frowned deepened, as if he were listening intently, to something only he could hear.
"Barnabas, are you listening to me?" demanded his father. "Barnabas!"
Slowly he turned back to his father, his eyes burning with a feral gleam.
Barnabas stared at him, in shock. Had he seen what he thought he'd seen? 'But that's impossible!'
he thought to himself. 'It's got to be!'
"Julia's waiting downstairs, in the laboratory. She has some tests, she wants to do."
The lad frowned. "I don't need any tests. And certainly not by her."
"It's only a precautionary measure, Barnabas. We want to sure, that you won't be ill like Sarah
was."
"If Julia has anything to do with it, I will be."
"That's enough! Now you're having those tests!"
***
Barnabas sighed as he watched his son, disappearing towards Widows' Hill, with Sabre following.
He'd been as difficult as possible, but at least Julia had gotten a blood sample. Now all that
remained was to complete the tests.
He wondered again, if he could ever hope to have the same relationship, he'd had with his eldest
son, before Maggie's death.
Julia broke into his thoughts. "Barnabas, I think you should see Barnabas' blood slide."
With an alarmed expression, he turned from the window.
"It's the same as Sarah, isn't?"
"I think you'd better see for yourself."
He followed her down to the lab, and she indicated the microscope.
He applied his eye to it, and almost immediately brought his head back up.
"Oh, my God!" he gasped in a horrified whisper, his face draining of all colour.
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