Consequences of Falling ch. 23
From: Nicole
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 00:09:20

December 16, 1974, Collinwood, Noon

Barnabas felt foolish.  For the better part of three hours he had followed Constance DuVane through Collinwood, watching her eat an extremely sparse breakfast, talk alternately to Elizabeth, Carolyn, and  Angelique, bid Quentin adieu when he left with Willie and Maggie, and finally, reading some anonymous leather-bound book in the drawing room.  She read that book for an hour.  This had been something odd to watch, seeing Constance compare an object to another in the book before shuddering and tossing the object out the window.  Barnabas had no clue what she had threw, only catching the glint of silver as it flew through the air.  She seemed pleased, however, and quickly returned to reading her book.

Barnabas knew he should not be watching her, especially since Maggie had placed Andrew in his care.  The boy did not like sitting behind the hidden panel in the drawing room and occasionally threatened to cry and give them away.  He was always able to silence the child although he could barely look at him, disturbed by his resemblance to his mother.

But Barnabas knew he could use young Andrew for an experiment with Constance.  Before she returned, Barnabas had studied up on succubi, learning of a predilection to harming men and children.  Barnabas knew well her affect on men and now seemed to perfect time to test her reactions to children.  Andrew, although he was Maggie's beloved first born, was a perfect candidate.  He put Andrew down in the drawing room and watched as he began to crawl towards Constance.

Andrew began to whimper and eventually burst into tears in front of the fireplace.  Much to Barnabas' surprise, Constance immediately jumped up and came to his rescue.  She knelt in front of Andrew and looked into his eyes, silencing him instantly.  Constance picked him up and began to take him back to her seat when she removed a silver chain from his pudgy hand.  Barnabas had not seen the boy with it and had no clue as to where it came from.

"Where did you find it?" asked Constance.  Andrew only laughed.  Constance groaned but eventually began to laugh.  She walked back to the window and tossed this chain out the window before returning to her seat.

Constance cradled the giggling Andrew, shocking Barnabas beyond belief.  She looked critically at the boy before cooing, "I know who you are.  You're Maggie's baby.  You look so much like your mother."

"Mama!" he squealed.

"Uh-huh.  You are so pretty, yes you are!"  Andrew only giggled more as Constance tapped the tip of his nose.  "You know, I really don't like children, always crying and begging.  But you are so sweet so I might have to change my mind.  God, I don't understand why I told you that because you won't even remember me in five minutes.  I guess I'm just a little frazzled. I can't understand what's going on.  And now I'm one of those weird women who talk to babies, animals, or anything else that can't answer them.  But it is relaxing."

As she brought the boy to her mouth, Barnabas was sure she would bite him.  Instead, Constance kissed Andrew's forehead and pulled him to her chest.  She held him there until she heard the front doors open.  Constance carried the sleeping child into the foyer.  "I found your baby, Maggie."

Barnabas hid behind the drawing room doors, peaking through the slit as Constance handed Andrew back to his mother.  "I don't understand," said Maggie.  "He's supposed to be with Barnabas."

Constance flashed an odd look up to Quentin, sighed, and moved to her husband's side.  "It doesn't matter," she said.  "Barnabas probably fell asleep and Andrew must have wandered away."

"Then it's a good thing you found him," said Willie.

"Of course.  He had nothing to fear with me."

Barnabas watched as Willie and Maggie offered their thanks and left.  He immediately fled back to the panel, knowing exactly what to expect once the innocents left.  Like clockwork, he heard Constance and Quentin bound into the drawing room.  "Where is he?  I can't feel him."

"No need to rely on that."  Barnabas held his breath as he heard footsteps approach the panel.  Light soon filtered in and he saw Quentin standing before him, a sardonic grin marring his features.  "Found him."

Constance saddled next to Quentin, storm clouds filling her naturally dark eyes.  "Maybe I wasn't clear about this the first time: I don't hunt and kill children!"

"The books said..."

"The books spread lies!"  Constance looked as if she were going to cry when she tripped into Quentin.  He helped her to her feet but she pulled away.  "You have no reason to believe those things about me.  I realize that you'll never trust me but you don't have to experiment with me.  Leave me alone!"

Constance ran from the room, apparently zooming up the stairs and possibly heading for the west wing.  Barnabas thought of following her, of possibly apologizing to her although he would not mean it.  But Quentin still stood in front of him, his anger growing by the second.  "Why did you do that?" he asked, his voice overly restrained.

"I mean her no harm, Quentin.  I...I just don't know what she is."

"I know who she is!  Nothing else matters."  A bitter grin spread across

Quentin's face as he stepped away.  "You seem to be forgetting that Constance is my wife.  Whatever she may be does not bother me.  It doesn't concern you and I don't appreciate the way you've treated her."

"I don't mean it," insisted Barnabas.  "But I don't think she can be trusted."

"Neither can I," laughed Quentin.  "How many times have I completely let everyone down.  Too many to be counted.  I don't care about her past and she doesn't care about mine.  It's all about starting on a clean slate."

"Then why are you back here at Collinwood?"

"Honestly, I don't quite know."  Quentin left the room, he steps quickening as he came towards the stairs.  "No one's ever happy here.  It would've been better if had never returned."

Barnabas caught him before he walked up the stairs.  "And let her run your life?"

"No.  I wouldn't return because I wouldn't want to be here.  I don't think that's too hard to understand."  Quentin pulled away from him and began up the stairs.  "You're going to have to excuse me but I'm going to attempt to undo the damage you've done."

Barnabas said nothing as he watched his cousin flee.  "Quentin might be right," he mumbled.  But Barnabas could not quite believe it.  He could feel the evil refilling the house.  It had only recently returned.  If Constance was not the source, who was?

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.