Dark Shadows - A New Beginning

Chapter Nine

Late afternoon at Collinwood, and the residents on the estate have no idea that a great evil has come into their midst. For the evil wears the guise of a beautiful, innocent, and seemingly young woman. 

She is a woman who is determined to learn the secret of Barnabas Collins, so that she might avenge the death of one of her own.

On this afternoon, she herself will be tempted to speak of things that she knows. Yet were she to do so, it would surely jeopardize her mission.

=-=-=-=-=

"This really is a beautiful room," Lucy said with unmistakable admiration. 

She made the rounds of the parlor once more, pausing to admire a well-polished, antique-looking candelabra that sat on a table. 

"...but you don't light these candles, of course," she stated. 

"Not usually, no," Adam Collins said pleasantly. "Can I get you something Miss Faris?"

"You're all so formal here on Collins hill," she laughed. "Can't one of you just call me Lucy?"

"Alright Lucy," Adam said agreeably. 

"I'll have nothing, thank you, and really - I must thank you again for letting me see the place."

'This was Angelique's house' - Lucifera thought privately. '...and what about this Adam Collins? There must be some connection. David said he's a nephew of Barnabas, but I know that can't be right...'

The sisterhood had informants, and Lucifera already knew fully well that Barnabas had made up the story that he was an English cousin. 

As far as the sisterhood had been able to find out - Barnabas Collins had never lived in England. Adam couldn't be who he was saying he was...

"You're oddly quiet," Adam observed with a curious tone to his voice. 

"I'm just admiring this beautiful room," Lucy lied, feigning a smile. "I have something of an appreciation for old houses and old art pieces. This room is as fascinating as a museum to me!"

"It thrills me to hear people say things like that," Adam said. "It makes me feel that it has all been worthwhile for my family to keep up this old place."

Something suddenly occurred to Lucy. It was an odd idea.

"Tell me about your family," she requested. "I mean all your ancestors who have lived here."

"It'd be a lot to name them all," Adam said. "I could name the ones that I remember best from studying the family histories. I recall that the original Barnabas Collins and his sister Sarah lived here. Oh, it must have been in the late 1700s. Just before the turn of that century. Let me think now. Yes, there was a Joshua, and his wife Naomi. Then there was the founder of Collinwood, Jeremiah. Abigail Collins, and of course - Josette."

Lucifera was almost sure she was right...

Everything that Adam was saying fit with what she knew about the Collins family that Barnabas had been born into.

"Anything else?" she asked, making her voice sound eagerly curious.

"Well, I'm no expert on the family history, but there is another part I've studied in-depth because it interested me. I believe that in the late 1800s, a Romani couple named Sandor and Magda Rakosi lived in this house for a time. As I recall, they'd been invited by the mistress of Collinwood at the time - a Mrs. Edith Collins, as a personal favor to Magda."

Lucifera averted her face from Adam and smiled in her wide, devious way. 

The chances were slim that anyone except for Barnabas Collins himself would know all these things. The sisterhood had been keeping tabs on the Collins family ever since the 18th century when Angelique had married Barnabas.

"Are you sure that you don't know anything else?" Lucy pressed carefully. "Such as, perhaps, Collinwood earlier in the 19th century?"

"I really am no expert, as I already told you, but I have glanced at that period in the histories. I believe that this house was vacant at the time, but there was a Flora Collins living on the estate- and let me think. Yes, a Desmond Collins."

'He has to be Barnabas' - Lucifera thought. 'He knows everything Barnabas would know, based on our sources. Yes, we know that Barnabas Collins came out of his coffin around 1840, and again in 1897."

Lucifera studied Adam with clear intrigue as she thought these things.

"What an odd way you're looking at me," Adam said with a light laugh. 

"Forgive me. I find it fascinating that you know so much about the past. I've met quite a number of old families in my time, and rarely do members of the family remember so much after centuries of existence."

"I have been called eccentric," Adam noted. "Though not as eccentric as my Uncle Barnabas."

"Well, I believe I should be going," Lucy said. "I told David that I'd have dinner with him tonight. He said that you'd be welcome to join us."

"Oh, no thank you."

Lucy thought that Adam suddenly looked thoughtful, and he was looking at her as though she were a curious study.

"I'll see you later, Mr. Collins."

Adam watched her leave, his expression still thoughtful and puzzling.

'She can't know about me' - he thought. 'Curiosity. I'm sure that's all it was.'

=-=-=-=-=

"Did you enjoy meeting Cousin Adam?" David asked. 

"Very much," Lucy said. "He's so knowledgeable about the family history."

"Not as knowledgeable as Cousin Barnabas," David remarked. "If only you could have known him."

Stanley knocked at the drawing room door and asked if he'd be intruding.

"Not at all Stanley, come in," David said.

"Hello again Stanley," Lucy said with a smile. 

"Hi."

"Having a meeting of the committee?" Junior asked, choosing that moment to join them. "Are you staying with us Miss Faris?"

"I hadn't planned on it," Lucy replied. "...but I also need to make lodging arrangements. I haven't yet. Is there an inn around here?"

"If you would prefer, there are a number of hotels," David answered her. "...but why not stay with us? You'd be welcome."

"Oh, Mr. Collins!" Lucy gasped, feigning pleasant shock. "Are you sure?"

"You look as though you'd be delighted," David observed with a warm smile. "Now I think you simply must stay. You can stay as long as you like. This house hasn't had enough guests for about the last two decades."

"I'd be honored sir," Lucy said. "If you'll excuse me a moment. Is there a restroom some place?"

"The easiest one to locate is just up the stairs - off the west hall."

Lucy thanked him and made sure to grab her purse from the table in the foyer. 

The same as she'd done earlier at the diner - she took a candle from her purse almost as soon as she'd locked herself in.

"Now, Mr. Adam Collins," she said mockingly, smiling at her reflection in the mirror, "you are going to give me the truth this very night. Rather you want to or not."

With that she lit the candle with the lighter and held it up, focusing intensely on her reflection.

"I call to the soul of Barnabas Collins, wherever he may be. If he be far, far away, he will not hear. Yet if he be near, his soul and subconscious will hear this call, in whatever form he now is. His soul will yearn to lead me to the truth, and when his body sleeps, his soul will cause his body to rise. Unknowingly, his body will walk, and it will lead me to the secret. For there is a secret, I sense, and he will lead me to it. Having led me, he will return to his bed and sleep. It will have all been a vague and unclear dream when he wakes. If the soul of Barnabas indeed resides some place near - this is all that will be."

With that Lucifera blew out the candle and gave a light, devious laugh. 

TO BE CONTINUED