Subj: Fiery Forbidden Love: Burning Embers Chapter 3
Date: 1/5/99 10:20:01 AM Central Standard Time
From: Irishcoda

Maggie wandered alone along the path leading from Collinwood back to the Old House. Realizing what she was doing, she veered off and headed instead toward Widow's Hill. She felt an overwhelming depression seize her; how could she possibly compete with the rich and powerful Elizabeth Stoddard for Nicholas? She was no one--just a governess and nothing special. She could hear the roar of the surf now and could feel the salty spray in her face. She found herself standing at the edge, looking down, wondering what it would feel like to just close her eyes and step out into space, floating on the air. She imagined that that was exactly what she was going to do. She felt herself being jerked back roughly. "Hey, be careful there! You'll go straight over!" She looked into the eyes of Willie Loomis, who was obviously very concerned about her well being. Odd, she thought. I was just kissing him a few hours ago and probably would have let him go further if not for...if not for...she felt confused and puzzled. Just what had happened to her and Willie? "Hey, are you all right?"

"Willie?" Maggie asked in a dazed voice.

"Willie! Gee, you are confused, aren't you? What are you doing out here so late and in the dark? Don't you realize that you almost went over that cliff?"

"I--I must be dreaming or something. Didn't you fall down the stairs?"

"Me, fall? I'm getting more and more worried about you--you better let me take you to the Old House. My cousin's just come back, you see, and he's married to a doctor now."

"Your cousin?"

"Grant--do you know Grant Douglas?"

"No--I--I'm afraid I don't. Is he new in town?"

"I think he's been here a year at the very least. I'm new--I just got here to visit him. He and his wife are going to help me, you see."

The person who looked like Willie but claimed to be someone else began to whisper. "I'm cursed, you see. That's why I was out walking. Sometimes I don't sleep too well--especially when I know there's a full moon coming."

Maggie was completely confused now. "A full moon?"

"Yes, tomorrow night. But let's get Grant's wife to look at you now. You know, it's really kind of funny--I only met her tonight, and I don't think he even told me her name. I can't remember it, anyway."

Maggie began to remember some of what had happened after Willie fell. "You believe you are Christian Shane Douglas?" She pulled back a little.

He gripped her elbow more tightly so that she wouldn't get away. "I know who I am. I go by Shane. What's your name?"

Frightened, Maggie just looked at him a moment before finally replying faintly, "Maggie Evans."

"Come on, please don't be afraid of me--I just want to help you, Maggie. Let me take you back to Grant and his wife." This time, Maggie allowed herself to be led away from Widow's Hill and back to the Old House.

Quentin was back upstairs, knocking at the door Julia had locked on him. He could hear Roxanne softly weeping but put the sound out of his mind. "Julia!" he called, trying to be loud enough to rouse his wife but soft enough not to disturb Roxanne or alert her to the fact that he was in the hall. He rattled the doorknob. Finally, Julia opened the door a crack and looked out with furious resentment in her eyes. "Please let me in!"

"You have a lot of nerve asking to come in here now!" Julia hissed at him. "Go back and resume your affair with Roxanne! How dare you come back here!"

Quentin lost his temper and pushed the door back. Julia wasn't strong enough to hold him off, so she tried to turn and run. He grabbed her by the arms and kicked the door shut with his foot. "Listen to me--would you listen to me? I have something I have to tell you!" She stomped on his foot, hard, and he let go of her. "Ow! Dammit, Julia!" he howled, hopping on one foot. She ran across the room until she was safely out of his reach and then picked up her hairbrush and held it up menacingly. He hopped over to the bed and sat down, glaring at her. "You can put that down, my dear, I'm not going to touch you. I just wanted to talk to you."

"I think I can guess what it is!" Julia cried angrily, her eyes filling with tears of betrayal. "I should have known better than to think you could be faithful to me, Quentin!"

"I haven't been unfaithful!" he protested.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, please! I saw where you went! I know what you did!"

"Oh? You can see through walls like Superman, can you? I admit I went into the bedroom with Roxanne, but I swear to you that I stopped. I stopped, Julia, do you hear me? I didn't do it with her because I love *you*! And I was on my way back to take you to the Abbey with me--"

Julia lowered the brush a little but still looked very doubtful. "If you're lying to me, Quentin--" she began in a threatening voice.

"I'm not lying! I swear it, Julia! I love you, only you--and the kids! Please!" He looked at her pleadingly, his remarkably blue eyes soulful and sad.

Julia set the brush down and came to sit beside him. "I'm sorry I stomped on your foot," she said softly. She started to kiss him, but he turned his head a little. "What is this?" she snapped, growing angry again.

He sighed. "Barnabas is at it again."

"What are you talking about?"

He looked at her again, and now there was a little fear and self-revulsion in his eyes. "Julia, I love you--only you--but I don't want you. The only person I want right now is Barnabas."

"Barnabas!" Julia's voice scaled up high.

"Ssh, sssh, would you? I know it's crazy, but he's doing it to me again--to get revenge on me. He told me so--you've got to help me, Julia. When I think about being with you, I-- well, all of a sudden it's not you I'm kissing anymore. It's not your hands I feel on my body anymore." He covered his face. Julia's mouth set in a firm line. "Please--please help me, Julia!"

"Don't worry--I'll go to see Barnabas in the morning," Julia decided, thinking: how dare he do this to us!

"Grant! Grant!" Shane/Willie shouted from below.

Julia and Quentin both started. "He's going to wake Roxanne," Julia grumbled. "Let's go and quiet him down. Damn Nicholas Blair! And damn Barnabas, too!" They both went downstairs and found Shane/Willie helping Maggie to a chair.

"What's going on?" Julia asked.

"Gee, I'm sorry I forgot your name already," Shane began, embarrassed. "You see, I found her wandering around Widow's Hill..."

"Maggie! What on earth!" Julia exclaimed, going to Maggie's side.

Maggie still looked lost and confused. "Julia..." she began. Then she looked up and saw Quentin standing there, looking bedraggled and forlorn. "Quentin!"

"Who is Quentin?" Shane asked.

"I am," Quentin answered.

Shane shook his head. "Stop kidding around, Grant!"

"I'm not kidding," Quentin insisted. "Grant Douglas is just my alias."

"Alias? No! An alias is a made up name! And we grew up together, don't you remember? You were always getting me in dutch, thinking up these wild ideas and pranks--and I always got into trouble because I was older and supposed to 'know better'. Grant, don't do this to me--I can't stand your teasing now. Not now!" Shane's voice had become steadily louder until he was shouting.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry!" Quentin soothed him, attempting to shut him up. "Look-- please calm down. There's other people still sleeping here."

"Grant--you will help me, won't you? You and your wife? You know what's going to happen tomorrow!"

Quentin's mouth opened but he didn't say anything. He didn't want to upset Shane again. "It's the full moon," Maggie whispered, trying to be helpful. Quentin's eyes grew big and round and he stared first at Shane, then at Julia. Shane's eyes followed Quentin's and now he, too, looked at Julia with mute appeal. "God give me strength," Julia muttered. She looked at Shane and said earnestly, "I will do everything in my power to help you--but you must sit down and be quiet." Shane immediately dropped to the floor and sat cross-legged in the middle of the room. Julia turned back to Maggie. "What were you doing at Widow's Hill, Maggie?"

"I don't know," Maggie said softly. "I just felt so overwhelming sad. Oh!" She began to itch at her hand. "It's burning me!"

"What is?" Julia asked.

Maggie got up abruptly and brushed by Julia. She walked straight over to Quentin and kissed him on the lips. Startled, he began to back away, but she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him back, pressing her lips against his again, insistently and demandingly. Her tongue tickled his lip and then slid inside his mouth.

"Oh, Grant! This is not such a good idea, cuz!" Shane warned from the floor. Julia stood up, her face blanched with fury. Without another word, she stalked up the stairs back to her room, slamming and locking the door. Quentin himself had begun to feel an itching, burning sensation on his hand. He wasn't trying to fight Maggie off anymore; however, much to his confusion, as he felt himself responding with increasing desire he also discovered to his horror that he was thinking of Barnabas. This is how it would feel to be with Barnabas...He pulled away abruptly with a cry of despair and lurched out the door. His "cousin" Shane was immediately up on his feet and after him, closely followed by Maggie. I'm gonna protect him like I always did, Shane thought with determination, just like when we was kids. As for Maggie, she was still under the spell of the pitchfork and determined to have her needs met.

Julia stepped into the locked room that had been assigned to Barnabas. He was standing at the barred window, looking outside, his hands behind his back. He turned when she came into the room and smiled when he saw her, looking genuinely pleased. "Julia!" His smile of pleasure changed to a frown on concern. "Julia! You're not well! What is it?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Julia snapped.

"Why--I am feeling much better," he answered guilelessly. "But I don't understand--you look very pale and tired. Are you quite all right?"

"I think you know the answer to that!"

Now he looked hurt. "I am sorry for all the trouble I've caused. I was obsessed--I admit it. I behaved cruelly and abominably toward you all. I am ashamed of myself and I deeply regret the harm and pain I've caused you."

Julia's eyes narrowed a little with shock and disbelief. "Are you saying that you are not angry with us for causing you to lose Laura?"

"Oh, Julia, I realize that you all were acting to protect me from that destructive obsession I had with Laura. Everything that you and Quentin and Roxanne and Cassandra did was out of love for me. Of course I understand that. I can never forgive myself for the way I repaid you all--with threats and cruelty!" His eyes had filled with deep pain and regret. He looked at the floor, as if he was unable to meet her eyes.

"Barnabas, Quentin says you've put another spell on him. He is obsessed with you."

"My God! How can that be?" Barnabas seemed genuinely shocked.

"It is strange," Julia admitted. "Last night he was with--" She broke off suddenly, unable to bring herself to tell him about Roxanne. "He was with Maggie. She had the pitchfork on her hand." Suddenly, Julia felt a yearning need to unburden herself to her old friend. Barnabas reacted strongly to the news. "Willie isn't himself, either."

Barnabas looked positively horrified. "What is going on! Is my Roxanne all right?"

"She seems to be," Julia said tiredly. Suddenly she remembered something. "Nicholas Blair was at the Old House when we all arrived home. Since then, nothing has been right!"

"Obviously, then, he is the cause of everything that has happened!" Barnabas exclaimed. "Julia! You must let me help you! You must get me out of here so that I can help you put things right!"

All her doubt vanished and she began to cry with relief. "Oh, Barnabas! I have missed you so!"

"Julia!" he exclaimed. He held his arms out to her and she ran to him, gratefully returning his strong embrace. "You will always be my dearest friend, Julia--always. I will help you- -I promise." As Julia buried her face into Barnabas' shoulder and wept with relief, she completely missed the look of evil triumph in his eyes and the cold smile that spread across his face.

passing the pen...