Subject: A Return to the Shadows Part 4
From: KimD
Date: Mon Dec 11, 2000 6:02pm

David lay awake in his bed that night, he couldn’t sleep, and suddenly he felt a presence in the room. “Sarah?” he asked instinctively.

“No.” he heard the gentle voiced of his governess. “It’s me, Victoria. I thought that I would come and see how you were doing.”

“I’m ok,” he mumbled.

“David, is something the matter?” Victoria pushed the hair from his face.

“No.” he said, then he sighed. “It’s that new teacher, she’s a witch. I know she is. Sarah told me so.” Victoria nodded. “I know that you always believed me.” David said, sitting up in bed. “And maybe you’ll know what she means.”

“Did something happen?”

“Sarah told me what the witch’s real name is.” Victoria nodded, not knowing what to believe or not to believe. “Her name is Angel...Ang...Angelique,” he said, trying to pronounce it.

“What?” Victoria felt her blood run cold. “What did you just say?”

“The witch is named Angelqiue.”

“Dear God!” Victoria breathed. “Heaven help us all.”

Carolyn sat by her window that night, waiting for Barnabas’s signal. Something was going to have to be done about Sheriff Patterson. If only she could have known what would have happened that day she called upon Cousin Barnabas. She sighed heavily, sometimes his hold on her wasn’t as powerful as he thought it was. But she did everything he asked of her, everything.

When Carolyn had come back to Collinwood after being overseas for a time her mother had wanted her to pursue her interest in photography, but now she had to serve Barnbas, there was no other option for her.

It was hard to believe that Joe was truly dead though, he had been nice once upon a time. In fact everything in her past seemed foggy and unclear. And truth be known, she had flashes in which she was herself she wanted free of Barnabas. He didn’t know that, nor would he ever know that. But sometimes she was afraid that she was dying a slow death. But she was at his mercy.

“Carolyn?” She turned to see her mother standing at the door.

“Come in mother.”

“How are you feeling dear?”

“All right I guess.” An awkward silence fell between mother and daughter, a long horrible silence that deafened both women.

"Carolyn, I know something is wrong. I am just as stunned as you about Joe.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “And George, that man is making me so angry, he keeps accusing Cousin Barnabas of these horrid things.”

Carolyn didn’t answer. “Darling, why don’t you go away for a few days? Get away from all this death and sadness. Some place where things aren’t so gloomy. I’ll send you anywhere you want to go. Boston? New York? You always did like to go to New York, Julia went to NYU, and perhaps you would like to attend? Oh dear, please I’ll send you to Europe if it will make you happy.”

“I’m not a child you can bribe mother.”

“Please Carolyn, I am begging you!”

Mrs. Johnson was in the kitchen preparing tea for the Collins family when Helen Lyndon walked in. She wasn’t nearly as likable as Victoria, but she was very cosmopolitan. “Mrs. Johnson, are you taking some tea up to Victoria’s room?”

“Yes, I have to make several rounds this evening, everyone seems to be alone this night, but they all have to have their tea you know.”

“Yes of course. But, Dr. Hoffman asked me to make sure you put this in Victoria’s tea. Her medicine.” Mrs. Johnson looked at Helen doubtfully.

“What? It seems that if Dr. Hoffman wanted Victoria to drink this she would have done it herself. What kind of medicine is it? I won’t be responsible for...”

Helen put a hand up and forced herself to laugh. “It’s not really medicine, but it’s an herbal supplement. It’s all the rage in the city,” she said.

“Well, all right.” Mrs. Johnson watched as Helen poured in a heavy dose of the clear liquid into the tea. “Good evening Miss Lyndon.” She said, taking the trays of tea with her.

Helen laughed merrily. “Ah, the perfect love potion for our dear Miss Winters. How delightfully sinful!”

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.