Subj: Winds of Change Part 6
Date: 6/26/99 12:21:17 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Mysterious Millicent

Winds of Change Part 6

"Naomi, I will be back soon! There is something very important I must do in Boston. But I promise you, I will help Miss Winters in every way I can. This trip to Boston is most important and cannot be set aside for the trial."

"I don't understand Joshua!" Naomi was very confused. Joshua had told her that he was sure now that Victoria Winters was not the witch and yet he was going off to Boston and dismissing the importance his testimony would give the trail. If he waited too long, it would be too late.

Joshua tried to be understanding of his wife's confusion, but his first priority was to help his son, before she found out what he was! That was something he would not allow to happen. Even if Miss Winters were to suffer because of his tardiness to act, his son came first. "Naomi, trust me, I do this for us. And I will be back as soon as I can, I promise you."

"But Joshua, the longer you delay in helping Miss Winters, the more evidence Abigail and Trask can dig up to convict her with. You must act now! Surely this business can be postponed for a day or two." Naomi continued to prod Joshua, even though she knew his mind was made up.

"Naomi, please. You are detaining me and I must leave now." Joshua said as he walked towards the door.

"Yes, Joshua, you go and do what you must. But, Miss Winters may be convicted by the time you return. How will you feel then?" Naomi called out after her husband.

Joshua felt pangs of guilt but kept his feelings from his wife. He knew full well that he had been coerced into believing that Miss Winters was a witch and there was a possibility that she might indeed be sentenced before he returned. But this trip was more important. He had to find a cure for his son. Nothing was more important. "I will return as soon as possible Naomi and then I will see to the release of Miss Winters. Good day, madam!" And Joshua left through the front door.

Naomi wanted to take a bottle and throw it at the door, but that would not be an act befitting of the wife of Joshua Collins. What was she going to do? She had to see to it that Miss Winters was freed!

--------------------------------------------

"What are you saying, Abigail! Has the witch gotten to you too? You know that evil must be crushed when it presents itself. You, yourself told me that. What has made you act this way?" Trask almost shouted!

"Reverand Trask, you know that I am telling the truth! Your eyes only see evil and not the reason for evil! I was once that way too. But I was wrong and so are you. Miss Winters is not a witch!" Abigail spoke in an equally loud tone.

"How can you say that after all the things that have happened to your family Abigail? Unless you too, are now in league with the devil!" Trask replied.

Abigail looked at Trask with eyes that could kill. "I would expect that kind of comment coming from me, Reverand, not you. How dare you imply that I would be in league with the devil. I have never in my life ever followed anything but the good Lord in all things."

Trask lowered his voice a bit. He knew he must keep an even tone with this woman for she was his only means by which to convict Miss Winters. Without her on his side he would lose this trial! And he would also lose a good deal of money as well. "I'm sorry, Miss Collins. But you seem to be very confused here. You tell me that Angelique is the witch. Where is she? I would like to question her again."

Abigail turned away from Trasks scruitinizing eyes and said, "She is dead. My nephew killed her, shortly before he died."

"What? Barnabas killed his own wife? More of the witches treachery! How can you go along with this charade?" Trask shouted.

"I have tried to explain all of this to you Reverand Trask, and yet you see only what you wish to see. I can tell this is getting nowhere. But I promise you this, I will go to the judges today and tell them what I have found out and ask that they dismiss this trial. You will not win this case Reverand Trask, mark my words!" And Abigail left the room leaving a confused and angry man behind.

-------------------------

Lt. Forbes sat at his desk trying to sort through all the papers he had to fill out for the Navy! Joshua had told him that he must ask for a transfer and he was going through the motions. At least he still had his job, but for how long? And what about Millicent? What about her money? There had to be a way to get that back. He had once had such plans! How rich he would be! How much time he would spend on travel. But Suki had to come to town at that most opportune moment and screw everything up for him.

Now he was free of her, but not in the way he wished to be! She had created more problems than if she had just told Millicent outright that she was his wife! What was he going to do? Then a thought suddenly hit him. Millicent had told him that she had seen Barnabas! And Ben Stokes and let him know that Barnabas had not really gone to England. Something was afoot here. He knew that the attacks on women in the village and Barnabas' strange disappearance was connected somehow! And he intended to find out how.

Then the Lt. suddenly remembered something that Millicent had said. She had seen Barnabas at Eagle Hill Cemetary! And he too had seen someone he thought was on the grounds of Collinwood once when he went to meet Millicent. And shortly after that there was another attack in the village. Was the reason the Collins Family said that Barnabas had gone to England was because he was the Collinsport Strangler? A vicitim of some disease of the mind? Of course, that was it. Nathan smiled to himself. Now he had something with which to win Millicent back! He must go see Joshua Collins!

(to be continued.........)