Dark Shadows - Clementine

Six

It rained heavily the next day. Clementine shut herself up in her office, going through file after file, filling out parts here and there, shoving them in large envelopes and setting them aside to be taken out later. Once she'd worked her way through them all, she went and got the old files. She rifled through them, sorting out what could be kept and what could be put in a box somewhere, collecting dust for the next century or so. She kept all the old important documents, and all the useless notes went in the other pile.

                                                                                              ......

Back at Collinwood, Barnabas was stood out on a balcony, alone in the rain. He was staring out towards the distant fishing village, the surrounding trees swaying beneath his gaze. He was trying to figure out what exactly he planned to say to Clementine when he next saw her and asked about a partnership in business.

"Uncle Barnabas?" David was beside him, gazing out with him. "Why are you out here in the rain?"

"I'm thinking, Master David," he sighed heavily. "I plan to propose a hand in business partnership to Clementine."

David also thought for a while. He had an idea for how Barnabas could start a conversation about business.

"I think I have an idea," he said finally, and told Barnabas. He listened in wonder.

"I think... perhaps... it could work," Barnabas said after a slight pause. "Come, Master David, or we shall get wetter still."

They went inside and Barnabas went to see Elizabeth. She was not in the drawing room, but Willie was, and said she was off somewhere, but where exactly he didn't know. So Barnabas ventured further around the mansion. He found Carolyn, but when asked she merely shrugged unhelpfully. Barnabas started to get impatient, until he found Josette, who said she had last seen Elizabeth in the dining room with a newspaper and a cup of tea. So to the dining room Barnabas trekked, and find Elizabeth there he did.

"Ah, Elizabeth!" he cried in relief. "I must have had to walk through the whole house!"

"Why on Earth did you want to see me that urgently?" she asked, amused. Barnabas took a seat to her left.

"I wanted to see you before the fantastic idea young Master David gave me slipped my mind," he answered. He told Elizabeth, and she nodded, impressed.

"Strange that David came up with that," she smiled. "Of all the people!"

Barnabas held his head up slightly and announced that he was going to visit Clementine. Elizabeth considered this.

"Okay," she said thoughtfully, "but don't make the offer. If you make it clear you have something to say, then she'll be interested. Make sure she knows you want to tell her something, but don't say to her what you want to. Make it clear that it's to do with business and you'd like her to come by some time to speak about it." Elizabeth baulked before continuing. "But don't actually say that you want to speak to her about something and you plan on her coming round."

Barnabas looked out of the window. It was still raining, but the sun was out. Elizabeth followed his gaze to the hazy rainbow that had appeared in the grey-blue sky. The rain stopped lashing down against the windows and all sound ceased except the breathing of the two Collins'. The droplets of water left on the windows trickled down, collecting in a small puddle on the window ledge. Barnabas's eyebrows lifted slightly and he disappeared through the door. Elizabeth shrugged and went back to her newspaper.

......

Keeping what Elizabeth had said in mind, he called Willie to drive him to town. Shopping needed to be done anyway, and Willie obliged. They drove off and arrived in town after a while. Barnabas good naturedly thanked Willie and set off towards the red building that he used to hate.