Subj: Gone with the Wyndcliff -- 5
Date: 8/18/00 6:38:51 AM Central Daylight Time
From: DSRules

For their first date, Eliot took Julia to dinner at her favorite restaurant, the Thai Orchid in Ellsworth, then to the Bangor Museum of Natural History to see a traveling exhibition of occult artifacts from South America that was on display there.

"I had a wonderful time, Eliot." Julia said when he took her back to Collinwood.

"As did I." He responded.

She hadn't been on a date in a very long time, so was uncertain how to say her farewell. She thought about leaning forward and giving him a kiss, but thought that might be too presumptuous. {After all,} she rationalized. {I don't know if this is a date or just two friends going to the museum together.}

She settled for a warm handshake.

"Good night, Eliot."

"Good night, Julia."

As Eliot left, he made a promise to himself. {I will find a way into her heart. Whatever it takes.}

* * *

Late one night, Julia was stricken by insomnia. She arose from her bed and threw a coat on over her nightgown, then went for a walk. She walked out to Widows' Hill, then back to the house. On the way back to the house, she stopped by the gazebo. There she met Barnabas.

"Good evening, Barnabas." Julia strove to keep her voice calm. She didn't want him to hear how nervous his mere presence made her.

"Ah! Hello Julia." Barnabas looked at Julia with something resembling the same warmth his gaze had held in the past. Before his marriage to Josette.

His brooding good looks still had the same effect on him that they always had. Her heart pounded, and her palms began to sweat. She had to stick her hands in her pockets to keep from fidgeting. "You -" her voice cracked and she had to try again. "You're out late."

"Early, actually." He smiled at her. "I'm afraid you've discovered my secret."

"Your secret?" She was immediately consumed by her concern for him. {What kind of secret could he be talking about? Is there something wrong?}

"Yes. I cannot stand for the sun to rise without being out here watching it. Josette's not an early-morning riser, so I slip out in the mornings to watch sunrise."

Julia knew what he was talking about, only for her it wasn't the sunrise; it was Barnabas' presence. She would dare anything, go anywhere, be whatever he needed, just to be near him.

She couldn't tell him this, though. "Really?" She said in a calculatedly neutral tone. Then she yawned.

"You seem tired. You'd better get back to bed." He smiled at her, but his tone clearly said that he wanted to be alone for the sunrise.

She was crushed by his implicit rejection of her companionship. "Yes. I'll do that. I'll see you later, Barnabas."

"Yes. Sleep well, Julia."

Julia skulked around in the woods for a moment, just cherishing Barnabas' nearness, before she began the walk back to Collinwood.

When she arrived back at the house, Quentin was in the drawing room. "Good morning, Dr. Hoffman." His eyes took in the bottom hem of her nightgown peeking out from under her overcoat, and he gave her a knowing smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Collins." Julia replied in a frosty tone as she moved to the stairs.

"And how was Cousin Barnabas this morning?" He asked.

This brought her up short. "What? Whyever would you think that I'd seen Barnabas?"

"Because I know that he's up this time every morning. And you blushed when I mentioned his name." He smirked at her again, and his blue eyes twinkled as Julia turned and walked up the stairs without another word.

* * *

Eliot and Julia continued seeing each other regularly. She took him to a medical conference, he took her to an art exhibit. She invited him to go out on an excursion boat with her, he invited her on a guided tour of Acadia National Park.

All this time, they were gradually becoming more comfortable and intimate in each other's presence. They progressed from a simple good-night peck on the cheek, to handholding through their date, finally to desperate clinches on the doorstep when they parted.

One night, rather than their traditional good night kiss, Eliot said, "Let's go sit out by the fountain, Julia."

They walked, arm in arm, to the fountain, where they sat on one of the concrete benches.

They sat there in silence for a while, and eventually, Eliot spoke. "Will you marry me, Julia?"

The hopeful look in his eyes reminded Julia of a puppy, and her heart went out to him. "I don't know what to say." She responded.

"I accept that you still have feelings for Barnabas. Just please tell me that you'll consider my proposal."

"I can do that. Yes, I will consider your proposal, Eliot."

The smile that broke out on Eliot's face at even this response made Julia's heart go out to him. He walked her back to the front door of the house, where they shared their good-night kiss.

"Good night, Eliot."

"Good night. I love you, Julia."

* * *

The next morning, Julia came downstairs to find Josette waiting for her. "Good morning, Josette. Are you looking for Liz? Or Carolyn?"

"No." The young woman shook her head. "I was waiting for you."

"For me?" {Oh, God. She can't know that I have feelings for Barnabas. Can she?}

"Yes." Josette walked over to Julia. "Barnabas tells me that he thinks of you like a sister. So I think of you as my sister, as well."

Julia wondered where Josette was going with this. But she didn't have to wonder long.

Josette gave Julia a hug. "Barnabas and I are expecting a baby." She said with a glowing smile.

"A - a baby?" Julia stammered.

"Yes. I wanted to tell you before Barnabas and I make the announcement tonight. We'll be hosting another dinner at our house so we can tell the whole family at once. You will bring Eliot, won't you?"

"Yes. Of course." Julia responded in a flat tone. It felt like a hand reached into her chest and grabbed her heart and lungs and squeezed. She had to work to breathe. She blinked rapidly, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks.

Josette stayed for a few minutes and they discussed how Barnabas was going to turn Josette's old bedroom into a nursery for the baby, but Julia's heart wasn't in it.

When Josette left at last, Julia went immediately to the phone, the tears finally falling from her eyes.

"Hello? Eliot?" She said. "I've thought long enough about your proposal. My answer is yes."