Subj: Where are the Angels Chapter Ten
Date: 6/23/00 2:32:28 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Melissa

After dinner Barnabas went up to his room, and went into the sitting room with a bottle of his father’s Brandy. He had never expected to see her again. He finished off his drink and poured another, what was he doing, he asked himself. Trying to forget, but he’d never be able to forget her, she’d always be in his dreams.

There was a knock on the door, but he was too lost in thought, and perhaps too drunk to hear it. The door opened and Angèlique walked in, she hadn’t changed after dinner, she had her shoes in her hand. The dress held so many memories for both of them, and she sensed that a lot of those memories were going through his mind too.

She looked around and saw him through the open door. She walked to the door and stood at the doorway. "Do you always drink like that by yourself?"

He looked up and Angèlique saw his eyes were bloodshot. "No only on special occasions," he slurred.

"What’s so special about today?" she asked.

"My past won’t stay put, where it belongs, in the past. What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Didn’t Josette tell you I was coming to help her with the wedding?"

"No, and why would she do something like that?" he asked finishing his drink.

"I’m her friend," she said, "Don’t you think you had enough to drink?"

"No I do not, please mind your own business," he said.

"Josette asked me to give these to you," she said handing him the envelope, she had been lucky that Josette hadn’t closed the envelope, she had done it, so no one was the wiser.

"What is that you want Angèlique," Barnabas asked wearily.

"I don’t want anything Barnabas, I just want to be friends. That’s why I’m here, helping Josette."

Barnabas stood up slowly, "Angèlique I am sorry for everything that happened, it wasn’t the way I wanted it to be."

"I know," she said and kissed him on the cheek. "I forgive you."

"I don’t know how you could," Barnabas said.

"I had a long time to think about everything and I realized that you really love Josette, and I want you to be happy," she took the near empty bottle and left the room.

Once she was back in her own room she began to laugh, she had fooled him, he was beginning to trust her, and soon he would forget all about Josette.

The following afternoon after Angèlique made a couple calls and made arrangements for the wedding, she went in her room to relax. She was lying on the bed painting her fingernails while she was watching a TV movie about an anorexic girl on Lifetime. She held up her perfectly painted silver nail, then went on to her other hand.

After the movie was over and her nails were dry, she lay on her back she was so bored. She got up and went down stairs to the library.

The library was in the corner of the house, the window look out on to the pool in the back of the house. It was long and inviting, the trees reflected onto the pool. In the corner of the room, by the fireplace sat a pretty girl a little older than Angèlique.

"I’m sorry, I hope I’m not intruding," Angèlique said.

"No not at all, I’m Millicent Collins."

"Oh your Daniels sister," Angèlique said stepping further into the room.

"Yes," she said, "What’s your name?"

"I’m Angèlique Bouchard. I’m here to help Josette with the wedding. I came ahead to help her arrange things."

"It’s so nice to meet you," Millicent said, "I bet your a lot of help."

"I hope I am."

"Do you know what time it is?" Millicent asked.

Angèlique looked at her watch, "4:30," she said.

"Is it really, I got to go and get ready. My fiance is coming for dinner tonight."

"Oh when are you getting married?"

"Nathan and I haven’t set a date yet," Millicent said. "I’ll see you at dinner tonight," she said and left the library

Angèlique watched her go up the stairs, then disappear; she turned away and looked through the shelves of books for something to read.

She had never seen so many books before, the duPrés didn’t even have that many books in their library and they had well over 3000 books. There were history books, novels, poetry, and almost any kind of book you might be looking for. Angèlique noticed that most of them were first editions. She pulled down a copy of poems of John Donne.

"Hi Angèlique," she looked up and saw Ben Stokes at the door.

"Hello Ben," she said smiling.

"What are you reading?" he asked.

"The poetry of John Donne, do you know any of his works?"

"No I don’t think so."

"This one is my favorite," Angèlique said, she began to read "Aire and Angelles," out loud.

"That’s beautiful," Ben said. "Uh Angèlique I was wondering, do you think maybe you would go to dinner with me sometime?"

"I’d love to," Angèlique said.

"Great, I’ll see you tomorrow."

Tomorrow she’d make her first move, and soon he’d be on her side. She put the book back and went up stairs, and got ready for dinner. When she got to the second floor she heard the front door open, she looked down and saw the Countess and Naomi coming in their arms full of bags and boxes. So the Countess had gone shopping with Naomi Collins, that is why she wasn’t breathing down Angèlique’s neck all day. She turned away and climbed up the rest of the stairs to her room.

Dinner was much the same as the night before, except that Barnabas seemed to be trying to be friendlier towards her. She stayed down to talk to Naomi and the Countess about what was done and what was left to do for the wedding.

On Angèlique’s way to her room she went by the study, the door was ajar and she could hear Barnabas talking. Angèlique could tell that it was Josette.

"I’m glad to hear your voice too," he said, "Yes I got your letters." She moved closer careful not to make a noise. "Why did you ask Angèlique to help you with the wedding, Mother would have loved to help you, Millicent also."

Angèlique wished she could hear what Josette was saying.

"No I don’t mind I suppose," was Barnabas’ response. "I can’t wait to see you again," there was a pause, "I love you."

Angèlique heard him replace the phone; she hurried to the stairs and began to walk up as he came out of the room. "Good night Barnabas," she said.

"Good night Angèlique," he said. He watched her go up the stairs disappearing through a hallway.