Angelique's Revenge Part 8
Date: 1/14/98
From: AngeliqueBouchard

For a moment Tom was dumbfounded, not quite comprehending what Laura was saying. This was his daughter? That was impossible. He had never even given Laura a second look. She was obviously just trying to stir up trouble in the family because of her bitter separation from Roger. "What are you talking about?" Tom said in an angry tone.

Laura feigned a hurt expression. "Tom darling, don't tell me you've forgotten our night together. Look into my eyes and tell me you haven't forgotten."

Tom stared into Laura's eyes. For a moment he thought he saw them emit a fiery glow. Then it all came back to him. That night. That strange night that had been such a mystery to him.

He was at the Blue Whale. It was late and he was about to leave when a beautiful fair haired woman entered the bar. Although he hadn't had much to drink, he felt a drunken giddiness when she sat down and spoke to him. Tom looked deep into her face, but couldn't identify where he knew her from. They went to a motel room and enjoyed many hours of pleasure together. Tom remembered being driven back to Collinwood afterwards still in a stupefied state. The driver was... Gerard? Yes, it was Gerard who left him at the front door of Collinwood. Tom recalled the maniacal laugh that reverberated in his ears that night.

"How could I not have recognized her?" Tom thought to himself. "This is impossible."

"Well Tom, is this true?" Roger demanded.

Tom didn't know what to say. How could he explain betraying his cousin? "Roger, I don't understand this myself. I spent the night with a woman, maybe ten months ago, but I didn't know it was Laura at the time. I didn't recognize..."

Roger abruptly ended Tom's explanation. "I've heard enough. I never dreamed my own family would be so deceitful." He looked at Laura. " Laura you will leave Collinwood immediately . If you want to see David, you can contact my lawyer." Roger stormed out of the drawing room and went upstairs.

Everyone who remained in the drawing room was dumbfounded by Laura's revelation.

Angelique Bouchard spoke through her descendant, "Well, it seems the Collins' family has more than one secret buried in the basement."

Laura turned white and dropped the smile on her face. Barnabas stood shocked at his wife's outburst. Elizabeth composed herself and spoke up, "Laura, I think it would be best if you and Gerard left now."

"Very well." Laura gazed at Tom. "I'm staying at the Collinsport Inn if anyone wants to contact me." She walked to the door followed by the ever silent Gerard. Laura turned before she exited the house and proclaimed in a loud voice, "I will see my son. No one can keep a mother from her child." With that she turned and left Collinwood.

Angelique fell to the floor. Barnabas helped her to her feet. "What happened?" she asked.

"Don't you remember?" Barnabas asked.

"Yes, I do, but it was as if I were watching myself from across the room and had no control over my body. I desperately wanted that horrible experience to end and... I don't know how to describe it. I felt as if I willed myself back into my body. I know this sounds insane. Maybe I am going insane."

"No," Elliot Stokes said. "It was a spirit. A spirit must have possessed you."

Aware of the shocked faces peering at Angelique Julia tactfully suggested they speak in another room.

Now all eyes returned to Tom. No one could understand how he could be guilty of such a thing. Tom couldn't comprehend it himself. He felt a guilty despair. Beads of sweat dotted his brow. Tom looked to the two family members to which he felt the closest, Chris and Quentin. "Please believe me, I didn't know it was Laura. That night was a blur for so long."

"Were you drunk Tom?" Quentin asked.

"No. No I wasn't. I didn't have much to drink that night, but I felt... drugged, almost spellbound."

Silence again fell on the packed room as Quentin thought for a moment. "Well, I believe you Tom. This just isn't like you. I hope everyone else will take Tom at his word," Quentin scanned the room wondering if anyone else would share in his support for Tom. "Something isn't right about Laura and we're going to get to the bottom of it."

TO BE CONTINUED