Subj: Out of the Past, 11
Date: 11/24/01 11:16:17 PM Central Standard Time
From: R J Jamison

“That was the most delicious dinner I’ve had in Collinsport.” Jeannot Roussin’s compliment was small as the Collins all knew dining in Collinsport was rarely equivalent to New York. Elizabeth accepted his Continental double-kiss goodbye as they all stood in the foyer saying their goodbyes. Of course, Natalie took her into a warm embrace.

“I am so pleased that you could have dinner with us.” Carolyn also accepted a hug from Natalie. “Now, are we to call you Louisa or Natalie, I’m still confused.”

Natalie laughed and looked at Barnabas who stood quietly in the background. “Natalie, Louisa. . I go bye either name. Whenever Mother is around I use Natalie just to avoid confusion.”

“They are both beautiful names.” Roger bowed over Natalie’s outstretched hand. He looked her directly in the eyes. “But I do think your last name is Hoffman not Roussin. The resemblance is uncanny.”

“Its creepy!” David stood behind his father on the stairs.

“David!” Elizabeth chastised.

“No, No,” Natalie waived off the slight. “I saw her picture in the Study, it is very eerie. Perhaps we are long ago separated twins.”

Roger laughed. “Are you interested in obscure blood disorders too?”

Natalie smiled mysteriously. “Perhaps.”

Jeannot placed Natalie’s wool wrap around her shoulders. “Again, it was a pleasure to meet you and your family but it is getting late.”

“Barnabas will you walk us to the car?” Natalie asked coyly. Barnabas nodded.

Outside the doors of Collinwood and on the gravel path, Barnabas stopped the pretense that had been going on for the last three hours. “What do you want from me Natalie?”

Natalie continued walking to the car. She opened the door and then turned to face him. “I’ve wanted vengeance for a long time. But what is vengeance and what would that gain me? I wanted to know why I am human again and now I know.” She turned her face to the ocean sounds. Natalie did enjoy making him suffer and she planned to continue watching him suffer a while. His conscious seemed too guilt-free. “And I want you to suffer with the knowledge that you had me betray my own child, I want you to suffer with that for a long time, a very long time Barnabas Collins.”

“I still don’t understand, Josette was your daughter? Did she know?”

Natalie grinned. “Oh, Barnabas you did travel a bit before you condemned my Josette and me to these shores. The French aristocracy was always rather,. . .. open about certain aspects of life. You and your Father were too prudent. And see the trouble your denial has caused. Two hundred years of suffering all because you slept with my maid. Its almost comical.” With this last remark she disappeared into the car.

"Now, do you care to tell me what you know about those two?” Roger stood behind Barnabas after the car had disappeared down the drive. Barnabas became alarmed, what had Roger overheard. “She does not seem to care for you too much.”

“We knew each other in many years ago.”

Roger nodded. He would accept the half-truths his cousin was fond of offering. “And her uncanny resemblance to Julia?”

“Roger, I haven’t seen the woman in ages.”

“But she does look like Julia.”

“Yes, she does.”

“Odd that Liz didn’t mention it, very odd.” Roger reached into his jacket and withdrew a cigarette. “That woman has a very high opinion of herself.”

Barnabas considered the statement carefully. “Natalie has a very regal past. She was born for another life than the one dealt to her.” He remembered meeting her in Martinique. She had been warm and friendly, strangely entertaining. She had been full of secrets even then but of course, now he realized the secrets were merely lovers. She’d had many lovers over the years all the while eschewing a husband. She had wanted to be controlled by no man. Oddly enough, the revelation that Josette was her daughter made some sense. Natalie had lavished love on the girl. She had been so devastated by Josette’s loss, when it had originally happened. And when things could have been righted, he had driven Natalie to betray her only child. Did his sins just continue to pile up?

“Barnabas, where are you?’ Roger tapped his cousin’s shoulder.

“Remembering when I last saw her, Natalie, I mean.”

“When was that?”

“Too long ago.”

“Well in any event, I’m still curious about their relationship, if there is any, to my Father.”

At least this could be resolved. “They are not your siblings, Roger.” Barnabas turned to begin his trek home. “They do not want Collins money.”

“You seem awfully certain.”

“I am Roger. Please understand that Natalie is a painful part of my past and I had hoped it was over with but it will never be over. She is here to wreck havoc with me, not you and yours.”

“Is that why you’ve kept Julia at arms length for so many years?” Roger knew it was bold asking Barnabas about his relationship with the doctor. Their relationship was as Elizabeth had said months before, beyond understanding of most other Collins. Its depth and sincerity was evident to anyone who saw them interact, whether they were fighting or enjoying a boring evening at Collinwood. But the center of it seemed to often shift from sibling caring to a lover’s jealousy and protectiveness. Barnabas might pretend that only Julia was jealous and protective but Roger had seen it too many times in his cousin’s behavior as well. If Julia was out of sight for five minutes, Barnabas was running after her.

“Arms length?” Barnabas for years had refrained from confiding in Roger. “Unconsciously. It now appears to be a central element to our history, Julia’s and mine.”

“You mean Braden and Althia.” Roger finished his cigarette and tossed aside the butt.

Barnabas watched the casual littering. “I thought you did not countenance that story.”

“I pretend not to believe in these things in hopes of stopping them from infiltrating our lives. I’ve obviously been a huge success at that.” The cousins enjoyed the attempt at humor. “I do believe some relationships transcend our one life. We are more than ample evidence, are we not?”

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.