Dark Shadows 1974 Resurrected

Chapter 1
(1974 - present)

Barnabas looked up from the book he was reading when he saw Willie walk in.

"Willie!" Barnabas got up and hurried over to him. "Welcome back! I trust the trip was productive."

Willie handed Barnabas a medium sized parcel. "This is all I can dig up for you on the DuPrès Family Barnabas and you were right, it was expensive."

"Willie you exceeded my expectations!"

"I did?" Willie was surprised.

"Yes. I am very pleased. And I intend to reward you generously for your hard work."

"Barnabas, I don't mean to be rude but if I don't hit the pillow soon I'm going to drop right here and now."

"Willie forgive me. Of course you must be exhausted from your journey. Go get some rest. We'll talk later."

"Thank you Barnabas."

Willie ran into Julia, as he was about to leave the room.

"Welcome back Willie!" She greeted him. "How was Martinique?"

"Unbearably hot and humid." Willie yawned. "Goodnight Julia."

"Goodnight."

Julia walked over to Barnabas who was busy tearing open the parcel.

"I see Willie accomplished a lot on his trip."

"Indeed he did, now tell me how is Quentin's recovery progressing?"

"He still refuses to walk Barnabas and even after being examined by three doctors who have concluded that there was no permanent damage."

"He's been through a great deal, perhaps he needs more time."

"There's something else Barnabas." Julia said in a somber tone. "He requested to stay here instead of Collinwood."

"I suppose he could." Barnabas frowned slightly. " Willie could prepare one of the downstairs rooms. I'm just worried if his convalescence here would cause suspicion."

"Yes." Julia agreed. "We're just fortunate that the injections have helped you be able to tolerate some sun for short durations. That will help alleviate some of the suspicion."

"I must face it. I owe him Julia. I should have warned him about Angelique the minute they arrived at Collinwood."

"Barnabas you have to stop blaming yourself. Angelique practically had us enslaved under her control. We were like zombies. Look how she had you banished from Collinwood."

"And when Quentin realized what she really was, she threatened to run away with Amy." Barnabas remembered. "Why she wanted to have Amy, I will NEVER understand."

"But Quentin SAVED her and Angelique was dealt with and nobody remembers the incident. They think Quentin's 'accident' resulted from him going after Angelique when she
'left' him.

"I still wonder if the situation could have been different."

"Barnabas, what's done is done. You can't rectify it. We just have to live with it and try to help Quentin get his life back."

"And be a father to David." He added. " If you see Willie tommorow, please tell Willie to clean up one of the rooms. If anybody at Collinwood is suspicious, I trust you can handle them."

"Yes."

****

Roger looked up from the paper he was reading when he heard Elizabeth walking in.

"So you really did it?" He asked her in an exasperated tone. "You've called that young woman about redoing the gardens and some of the grounds."

"Yes Roger, I did." Elizabeth said plainly. "I think its high time Collinwood come alive again and redoing the gardens is a start."

"But couldn't you have hired a professional? Marissa Peterson is a young woman."

"She's 26 years old Roger and she came highly recommended not only by her brother but by 2 of the most prominent families in Portland, the Covingtons and the Dennisons."

"And she has a Masters Degree in both Botany and Landscape Architecture." Elizabeth quickly added.

"Yes," Roger agreed. "Tony said she was quite the scholar. "

"As you see there isn't anything to worry about."

"But what about Quentin when he returns to Collinwood? It could disrupt his recovery."

"Oh Roger! How can she interfere with Quentin's recovery if she's working outside? Besides, she hasn't accepted the job, she only agreed to meet with me and have a look around and if she decides to accept the position I'll explain Quentin's 'situation'. She was very gracious on the phone so I'm sure she'll understand."

"Very well Elizabeth. " Roger relented. "I should know better to argue with you. When is she coming to Collinwood?"

"Tomorrow."

"Who is coming to Collinwood?" Carolyn asked as she walked in the room.

"Marissa Peterson." Elizabeth answered.

"Tony's sister?" Carolyn looked surprised. "She was so stand offish and reserved at Tony's party."

"You've met her?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, at Tony's New Year's Eve Party." Carolyn said. "I watched her rebuff five guys then go upstairs."

"That doesn't seem odd. Perhaps she was ill."

"I suppose."

"Perhaps she's just not the free spirit you are." Roger teased.

Carolyn answered that remark with a frown.

"Carolyn you will be nice to her when she's at Collinwood won't you? Perhaps you could even become friends." Elizabeth offered.

"I'll be nice Mother but the friends part remains to be seen."

Carolyn grabbed the book that was lying on the desk and left the room.

****

"NO! It cannot be true!"

Julia rushed in the study after hearing Barnabas yell.

"Barnabas! What is it? What's wrong?"

She couldn't remember the last time she saw such a stunned look on Barnabas' face.

"Barnabas?"

"According to the journal of Countess Natalie DuPrès, Angelique had a child before she came to Collinwood. My child!"

***TO BE CONTINUED***

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.