Subj: What if Julia instead of Vicki? Ch. 3
Date: 5/22/99 11:42:22 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Beverly LaCroix

Where's Barnabas?

1967 Collinwood:

"Mrs. Stoddard, I don't want to complain, and I usually wouldn't, but that woman is making my work three times as hard as it should be. What with her insisting that the vacuum cleaner is the devil's wind coming in to give women too much time on their hands, so they can paint themselves like Jezebels and practice the ways of harlots. It's bad enough I don't know what I'm doing here, it was either some witches doings or the Good Lord sent me here to straighten all of you out. That's the words she
said to me as she cut the vacuum cleaner cord," Mrs. Johnson said.

"Mrs. Johnson, I don't know what to tell you, except to try and be patient. I don't know how long she will be here, and I would appreciate your ignoring a lot of what she says and does, " Mrs. Stoddard replied sternly.

"Easy for you to say." Mrs Johnson mumbled walking away from Mrs. Stoddard.

"Elizabeth, have you seen Barnabas?" Roger asked walking out of the study.

"No, I haven't seen him since the night of the seance. Did you think he acted strangely that night?" Elizabeth asked.

"No, no more than usual. I'm quite used to our eccentric cousin, and quite fond of him also. I wish I could disappear," Roger said rolling his eyes up toward the second floor.

"Oh, Roger, it's not all that bad. But I'm getting concerned about Barnabas. You would think that someone with his love for the past, not to mention the disappearance of Ms. Hoffman at that seance, he would at least, come and see what's going on. " Elizabeth replied exasperated with her brother.

"I know he didn't want to do the seance, but did it to please you, but I do not blame Barnabas for not making an appearance with that woman here! She called him Barnabas, and he's read enough history and journals to have enough sense to stay away from here. You know, you've given me an idea, I'm going to go to the Old House and check on Barnabas."Roger said.

"Not without me you're not," David yelled sliding down the stairs, and taking off for the double doors.

"David! I thought you didn't like Cousin Barnabas," Roger said joining his son through the double doors.

Elizabeth heard David say, "well, Father, you know I think I was wrong about Cousin Barnabas."

"It doesn't have anything to do with our Bible study and one half hour of repentance on our knees every evening, since our ancestor has joined us, does it?" Roger asked in a mock stern voice.

"Oh, of course not, Father. Aunt Abigail made me see the error of my ways about Cousin Barnabas. Actually I think he's cool! And I can't wait to visit him. Do you think he would let me stay with him a couple of days to get to know him better," David asked him father pleadingly.

"You know, David, I think that's a good idea. Maybe we could both stay at the Old House and get to know Cousin Barnabas better, not to mention each other. Just us guys." Roger said excited now by the prospect of getting out of Collinwood as long as that woman was still there. No more seances, he said for what was probably the 100th time today.

"Abbbigail!" The deep voice said into her consciousness.

"Barnabas!" The woman awoke with a start, "you're dead!"

"Abbigaillll!" The voice repeated.

"No! No! You're dead!" Abigail repeated. Rising from her bed, she shook off what she thought was a bad dream, and went to prepare those two heathens for their nightly Bible study, and most importantly on their knees repenting.

1795

Exhaling the smoke of the first cigarette Julia had managed in what seemed to be days, in reality it had been three hours.

"Oooohhhh, that's good!" Julia said out loud, inhaling again. Oh damn, it's gone. I'd better get back before that Countess gets her tarot cards out., Julia thought, as two figures walking outside caught her attention, it was Barnabas and that maid again. So, Barnabas has always been like this. It wasn't just his "precious Josette," Julia was thinking and nodding her head at the same time.

"Are you all right, ma'am?" a deep voice asked.

Julia gasped as she looked around and saw one of the most handsome men she had ever encountered. This time period was starting to look much better, Julia was pondering also that he looked like somebody that she knew, but not exactly, because she would never forget this person. Some people could wear a uniform, and this man was one of them!

With nervous laughter Julia introduced herself, and she learned that this godlike creature was Lt. Nathan Forbes friend of Mr. Barnabas Collins. Julia wanted to question him about Barnabas, but when she looked up and gazed into his sultry eyes, her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and all she could do was appear to be gaping and batting her eyelashes, in other words flirting.

The fracas in the drawing room could be heard outside, it seemed that the DuPres' had arrived and there was no one to greet them, not even the fiancé, and more curious was where was Ms. Dupres' maid?

To be continued...