Subj: Passion Ate Dark Shadows Part Two
Date: 4/4/00 5:37:47 AM Central Daylight Time
From: N.E. Collins

Angelique continued to straighten up the Countess' untidy room. On the surface she appeared as serene as a porcelain ornamental figurine. She was the quintessential ladies maid. Oh, but appearances are deceiving!

For just beneath the surface seethed a passion in this young woman that would have swept the wild waves back from Widow's Hill! Angelique was no ordinary maid. She was a witch, plan and simple. And she was a witch with a problem of the heart. And with the mind of a witch she was cautiously and carefully laying a snare that would ensure the capture of her intended victim.

The Countess continued to blatther on and on about her usual list of ailments and complaints while Angelique silently considered recent events of the past.

Upon their arrival, three days ago, the Countess was in the parlor reading her Tarot cards. As silly as Angelique usually thought Natalie was, even she admitted to herself that the lady knew what she was about when it came to the cards.

Barnabas had joined Natalie, so she had laid out a card spread for them to explore his future with her beloved niece, Josette. Angelique had joined with the other Collins' servants in the cleaning preparations prior to Madamoiselle duPres' arrival. She eavesdropped on the two in the parlor room that day.

"This card represents you, Barnabas. He is called The Magician for he can make the impossible seem possible." she laid the card down directly in front of her as she drew the next card. She smiled openly as she continued. "This is mon cher petite, Josette. We see her here as The High Priestess, and I can add that her voyage on the seas is a safe one regardless of the delay met." She tenderly placed the card to the right of the other.

The next card she drew she placed above and between the other two. It read Infinity. Barnabas blurted out with, "Does this mean that I will live forever?"

Natalie answered evenly, "No, but your love will."

Angelique's normally peaceful demeanor took on the look of an angry wet feline. She listened more intently at the further progression of the reading.

The final card that Natalie drew she placed it first face down next to The High Priestess. "This card will represent the tie which binds you one to another." She turned the card over and audibly gasped outloud fearfully! "It is the WICKED WOMAN! There is a Wicked Woman who would see my sweet Josette in ruin! Oh, that we had never come to this dreadful place!"

Angelique beat a hasty retreat after hearing the last prediction. She was unable to compose herself and she must not allow anyone to spy her in this agitated condition. She had learned the hard way long ago not to appear as other than a subservient serving woman.

She made her way through the back of old house through the kitchen area and to the back side entrance. The air was cool and the breeze was light and brought a slight refreshment to her unsteadiness. She began to stroll lazily about the grounds taking in the sights and scents of this "colonial backwoods" as the Countess referred to it.

The Countess. What was she going to do about the Countess? Those damnable cards of hers could be the straw that would break the camels back! She must do something to disctract the woman from further investigations, but how? A wicked sneer of a smile played across Angelique's features. She had an idea. Why not make the Countess fall madly in love with someone beneath her station? Oh, it was such a delightfully evil little scheme that she giggled outloud at the thought! But who?

Her eyes gleamed as she came upon the answer. The servant man, Ben Stokes! This time she clapped her hands on her apron and laughed outloud with glee! Wouldn't everyone be simply appaled at this unseemly arrangement, but WAIT! She got a hold of herself as if she were under observation, and told herself inwardly that creating too much of a diversion was not in her best interest.

No. She just needed to divert the attention of her employer and not to draw a crowd to watch a show. But the idea of stirring Natalie's love life up was still the groundwork of the spell to come. Now, all she needed was to select the proper target for her "highness'" affections.