15: Clues to Disaster

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#CC9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="047005a0dwnjzk.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cassies Writing"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B>     | </B><B> </B><B> </B><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Cassie's Writing</B></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id109.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1: Stolen Memories"><U><B>1:  Stolen Memories</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2: A Complex Puzzle"><U><B>2:  A Complex Puzzle</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id111.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="3: Peeling the Onion"><U><B>3:  Peeling the Onion</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id112.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="4: Secrets Revealed"><U><B>4:  Secrets Revealed</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id113.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="5: Going Home Again"><U><B>5:  Going Home Again</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id114.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="6: ThingintheBox"><U><B>6:  Thing-in-the-Box</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id116.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="7: Challenging the Leviathan"><U><B>7:  Challenging the Leviathan</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id117.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="8: Circling the Wagons"><U><B>8:  Circling the Wagons</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id118.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="9: Jebs Curse"><U><B>9:  Jeb's Curse</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id119.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="10: Spell of Jealousy"><U><B>10:  Spell of Jealousy</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="11: Carrying the Weight"><U><B>11:  Carrying the Weight</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id121.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="12: A Fiendish New Year"><U><B>12:  A Fiendish New Year</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="13: Barnabas Crisis"><U><B>13:  Barnabas' Crisis</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id123.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="14: Barnabas in Parallel Time"><U><B>14:  Barnabas in Parallel Time</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>15:  Clues to Disaster</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="16: Demons Possession"><U><B>16:  Demon's Possession</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="17: Breach of Trust"><U><B>17:  Breach of Trust</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="18: Labyrinth of Emotions"><U><B>18:  Labyrinth of Emotions</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="19: The Amanda Dilemma"><U><B>19:  The Amanda Dilemma</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="20: Ziganas Cure"><U><B>20:  Zigana's Cure</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="21: The Approaching Storm"><U><B>21:  The Approaching Storm</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="22: Enigma at Collinwood"><U><B>22:  Enigma at Collinwood</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="23: Reunion in Hell"><U><B>23:  Reunion in Hell</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="24: Scattered Through Time"><U><B>24:  Scattered Through Time</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>15:  Clues to Disaster</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alternate Destiny"><U><B>Alternate Destiny</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div>      The whole household was subdued and seemed to be in a state of shock when Quentin arrived back at Collinwood.  Mrs. Johnson was obviously nervous and frightened when he opened the door instead of knocking.  She was in the foyer dusting and leaped about three feet into the air.  "Oh, Mr. Collins!  Thank God it's just you!" she gasped.</div> <div>      He almost laughed at that.  "I'm sorry I scared you," he said.  He thought maybe he'd taken about ten years off her life: her face was very ashen and her hair was highlighted with silvery gray he hadn't noticed before.  "Where's Elizabeth and Roger?"</div> <div>      "In the study," she answered.  She was holding on to the table.  He was concerned and thought about helping her into the drawing room to sit down.  She waved at him, as if she knew what he was thinking.  "Please, go on!  I'll be all right!  It's just that all this insanity is making me as nervous as a cat!"</div> <div>      "If you're sure-" he said doubtfully.  </div> <div>      She waved her hand at him.  "I'm assuming you'll be staying a while, then?  I'll make sure your bed is made for you.  Mr. Collins and Mrs. Stoddard want you to stay here."</div> <div>      "Thanks, Mrs. J," he called over his shoulder, walking to the study.  The door was open, and he could hear someone speaking.  The man was patiently explaining something.   Quentin assumed this must be Professor Stokes.</div> <div>      "None of this makes any sense at all, Eliot-it's just so fantastic!" Roger was exclaiming.</div> <div>      "No more so than any of the other disturbances that have occurred here.  All have a basis in physics, I'm sure," the Professor was saying.  His back was to the door, and Elizabeth and Roger were seated in two of the cozy stuffed chairs in the room.  They all had drinks; obviously, the Professor was in the middle of a lecture.  Both of Quentin's cousins looked thoroughly confused.  </div> <div> Roger saw him first.  "Ah, Quentin!  How was your trip?"</div> <div>      "Long," Quentin replied.  Professor Stokes turned to greet him with a pleasant smile on his face.  Roger introduced the two men, and Quentin shook hands with him.  </div> <div>      "I am pleased to meet you at last, Mr. Collins," Stokes was saying heartily.  "And how is Sabrina?  She is well, I hope?"</div> <div>      "She is," Quentin agreed.  "Happy, too."  He added.  He had an odd feeling that Stokes knew everything about Chris. Stokes gave Quentin an appraising look, as if wondering what secrets were being kept here.  Quentin might have felt offended and defensive, but there was nothing but kindness in the professor's eyes.</div> <div>      "And her young man and his sister?  They are well, too?"</div> <div>      "Yes, they're fine."</div> <div>      "Well, I must say that David has missed Amy terribly," Roger put in.  "I'm hoping he'll get on with your niece as well as he's gotten along with Amy."</div> <div>      Quentin was puzzled and looked it.  Niece?</div> <div>      Professor Stokes saw his puzzled look and explained, "That is one of the reasons I am here this evening.  Mrs. Stoddard has so kindly offered to have my niece Hallie stay here temporarily until I can make my home presentable for a child her age."  He looked suddenly sad.  "I am afraid my brother and his wife were killed with my nephew in a car accident last week.  Hallie was the only survivor of the accident."</div> <div>      Quentin was shocked.  "Oh!  I'm sorry!" he exclaimed.</div> <div>      "Unfortunate," the professor said softly, his features drooping with grief.</div> <div> "The vehicle was struck by a drunk driver Christmas Eve.  He, of course, had no injuries at all."</div> <div>      "Was your niece injured?" Quentin asked.</div> <div>      "Slightly-she was a very lucky girl.  My nephew might have survived too, but he had severe abdominal injuries."  The professor was shaking his head in a puzzled way.  "Wearing a seatbelt seems to have saved Hallie, but apparently it caused the injuries to Jeffrey-although the doctors do not say that.  I am merely speculating based on the location of his injury.  He was otherwise unharmed."</div> <div>      Quentin shuddered.  It had been years and years-and he had been in a few car accidents himself since-but the one that had never left his memory entirely was the one in which his nephew's wife Ruth had been killed.  He didn't think he would ever forget the aftermath of that horrible accident.  Elizabeth and Roger-Ruth and Jamison's children-might have grown up to be entirely different adults had she survived.</div> <div>      "We'll do everything we can to make Hallie's stay here comfortable," Elizabeth was saying politely.  </div> <div>      "Thank you-I appreciate your assistance more than you'll ever know."</div> <div>      Roger approached Quentin, who was still remembering the details of the accident that killed Ruth.  "You look tired, Quentin.  Can I get you something to drink?"</div> <div>      Quentin brought himself back to the present.  "Yes, please.  Brandy, I guess."</div> <div>      "I understand that you have seen the changes in the strange room of the east wing as well, Mr. Collins," Stokes was saying.</div> <div>      "Quentin, please."  Quentin accepted the brandy from Roger gratefully.  Now that he was totally back in the present, he gave his attention to the professor.  "Yes, I have.  Have you seen it?"</div> <div>      "I think everyone has except me," Elizabeth remarked.  "I don't think I'd care to.  It's so bizarre."</div> <div>      "I must admit that I don't understand your explanation of the phenomena, Stokes," Roger complained.</div> <div>      "Quantum mechanics is not an easy subject to grasp," Stokes agreed. He looked at Quentin.  "Are you familiar with Hugh Everett's `many worlds' theory?"</div> <div>      "Hugh Everett?  I'm sorry, no.  I've never heard of him.  As for the `many worlds theory', I imagine that's what I've seen on `The Twilight Zone' and `Star Trek.'"</div> <div>      "Yes, there have been several episodes of the series `Star Trek' which dealt with the parallel time concept.  I'll try to explain it in simpler terms if I can-"</div> <div>      "I'm not sure I can listen to this again," Elizabeth interrupted.  "I didn't understand it the first time.  All I want to know is, would we be able to find Barnabas and Julia?"</div> <div>      "I'm sorry, dear Elizabeth, I wish I had a more definitive answer for you." Stokes said.</div> <div>      "Can we see the room?"  Quentin asked.  "Has it been changing much?"</div> <div>      "I don't want to see it," Elizabeth declared.</div> <div>      "I wouldn't mind taking a look again," Roger said.  "Why don't we go there now?  You can try explaining this `many worlds' idea to me again."</div> <div>      "I'll stay here, thank you," said Elizabeth.  She was obviously uncomfortable with the whole thing.  "Frankly, I think the three of you should stay out of there."</div> <div>      "Liz, don't worry-we won't go into the room," Roger assured her.</div> <div>      "How do you know that the effect won't spread to other rooms?"</div> <div>      They all looked at each other.  Quentin looked at Professor Stokes who said, "I'm afraid we don't."</div> <div>      Roger cleared his throat uncomfortably.  "It hasn't yet."</div> <div>      "I'd hate to think that tonight it would," Liz countered.</div> <div>      "Well," Quentin said in a joking tone, "if we don't come back, send for the Mounties." Elizabeth gave him an irritated that's-not-funny look.  He wondered.  He wanted to see the room but had no interest in being transported to some other world.  Roger was reassuring his sister again and was talking about finding some flashlights.  He found himself following the men out of the room.</div> <div>      They went upstairs to the east wing, and Quentin tried hard to pay attention to what Professor Stokes was saying.  Much of it really made little sense to him-he liked science fiction but he didn't understand the physics and mathematics theories Stokes was spouting.  No wonder Roger and Elizabeth had been confused.   It all had to do with Einstein's theory of relativity and a paradox that had occurred because of it.  </div> <div>      "Yes, yes, the cat in the box.  It makes no sense," Roger said irritably.</div> <div>      "Cat in the box?" Quentin repeated, confused.</div> <div>      "Hugh Everett's  `many worlds' theory is a result of a proposed experiment with a cat in a box," Stokes explained.  "A cat is put into a box with poison.  Either the poison is released, or it is not.  The scientist opens the box to find either a dead cat or a live cat.  In the `many worlds' theory, both possibilities exist simultaneously."</div> <div>      "Ridiculous!" Roger scoffed.</div> <div>      "Where is this other world with the dead cat?" Quentin asked.  "In that Alice in fucking Wonderland room?"</div> <div>      Stokes and Roger both laughed.  "Yes, it would seem so.  Normally, all these worlds all exist on the same earth but because they are parallel, we don't see them or communicate with them.  This `Alice in fucking Wonderland' room, as you so quaintly put it, appears to be a transsecting pathway leading into the parallel world."</div> <div>      They opened the door on the bare, dusty room.  "Apparently the pathway comes and goes capriciously," Stokes commented.</div> <div>      "If I went inside and it changed, I would be in that other world?"  Quentin asked.</div> <div>      "That's correct-obviously that is what happened to Barnabas and Julia.  You don't want to do that."</div> <div>      "No, I don't," Quentin agreed.  "I'd like to get them back, though.  What would happen if I left a note in there?"</div> <div>      "That's a good idea," said Roger.</div> <div>      Stokes looked thoughtful.  "I'd like to see a little more of this world before we do that.  I have seen a few disturbing things that would make me cautious about leaving a note for them in that room."</div> <div>      "What?" Quentin asked.</div> <div>      "Angelique exists there-not the same Angelique as ours but she seems evil in her own way," Stokes replied.</div> <div>      "Everyone seems entranced with her, I know that," Roger said.  "I've seen my counterpart talking to her portrait."  Her shook his head as if in disbelief. "Let's get out of here.  What Elizabeth speculated about disturbs me."</div> <div>      "All right," Stokes agreed.  "I should be going anyway.  Quentin, I needed to ask you something about Sabrina.  Would you be so kind as to walk me to my car?"</div> <div>      "Sure," Quentin agreed.  He knew instinctively this was a ruse Stokes was using to talk to him.</div> <div>      At the car, Stokes said, "I have reason to believe that both Barnabas and Julia are in danger, Quentin.  That's the reason I would not want to leave a note in that room.  Barnabas is under a great deal of suspicion and, I believe, in danger from Angelique."</div> <div>      "I got the impression she's dead over there."</div> <div>      "I think she has managed to return from the dead."  Quentin was shocked.      "Yes, I'm afraid it's true.  There was an Angelique look-alike, a twin sister.  However, that person has changed drastically. I believe that Angelique has somehow managed to change places with the twin sister."</div> <div>      It was mind-boggling.  At the same time, Quentin felt resentment creeping over him.  He came to Collinsport in the first place to get help from Julia and Barnabas.  He hadn't been able to talk to them about it at all.  First there was that crazy Leviathan business…and now this-and both of them were gone again, off on another crazy adventure.  <I>Well, what about me</I>?  He thought, irritated.  He could just go-and try to help Chris and Amy on his own.  Yet, Jenny talked about Barnabas and Julia in his dreams…maybe they had to be around in order to help.  <I>Damn them anyway</I>!  "What should we do then?" he asked.</div> <div>      "I'd like to observe what goes on in that room.  Do you know the house well enough to get me into the east wing without anyone being aware?"</div> <div>      He had a feeling Stokes knew damn well that he did.  "Yes, I do.  When do you want to do this?"</div> <div>      "I am finished with my classes at tomorrow at noon.   I'd like to come by after lunch-say two?"</div> <div>      "Fine-meet me at the path that goes to the Jennings' cottage.  We'll go in another way."</div> <div>      Stokes smiled and nodded.  "Good night then, Quentin."</div> <div>      "Good night."  Quentin stepped back from the car and watched it drive off.  He wondered if there was any way to bring Barnabas and Julia back.  He sighed heavily and then went back inside.</div> <bR> <div>      Sometime during the night Quentin woke up, hearing the sound of a girl crying.  Confused, he sat up and then started to get out of the bed, thinking it was Katie or Mary Jane.  As he put his feet on the floor, he realized he was in Collinwood, not Vienna.  Mrs. Johnson had shown him to a room in the main wing, not far from David's room.  He went to his door and opened it, startling Maggie. "Oh, Quentin!" she exclaimed, putting her hands to her throat.</div> <div>      "I'm sorry," he mumbled sleepily.   He was uncomfortably aware that this was the first time he was seeing Maggie again since the spell had been removed. "Are you all right?"</div> <div>      "It's Carrie.  She's either dreaming or she can't get to sleep," Maggie answered, looking equally uneasy.  "I was just on my way to her room."</div> <div>      "Oh, okay," he said.  "Goodnight."  He shut the door, still feeling disoriented-he hadn't felt this way in a long time.  He must've been dreaming about Beth or the children again.  He made his way back to his bed and went back to sleep.</div> <div>      As usual, he slept late, and when he woke up, Roger was already gone.  Elizabeth was in the drawing room when he came down, reading the newspaper. "Good morning, Quentin!" she called to him.  She got up and followed him into the kitchen.  </div> <div>      "Oh, there you are," said Mrs. Johnson.  "I was beginning to wonder."  She went into the oven and brought out a platter of pancakes.  Relieved she was still an ally, he sat down at the table at the place where Mrs. Johnson had a coffee cup waiting.  "Mrs. Stoddard, would you like more coffee?" she asked.</div> <div>      "Yes, I would, thank you," Elizabeth answered pleasantly.  Quentin thought she was lonely for company again.  He wondered why she didn't take a more active interest in the family business or even in some other venture in Collinsport.  She certainly was too young to be so reclusive.  "Quentin, did you see anything in that room last night?"</div> <div>      "No, it looked the way it usually does," Quentin answered.  He thought that might reassure her, but she looked troubled.</div> <div>      "I didn't want to talk about it last night," she confided, "but I have been to that room before.  I have seen something before."</div> <div>      "After Julia left, you mean?"</div> <div>      When she didn't answer, he looked at her.  She really was pale.  She looked at him as if she was unsure whether she should tell him or not.  "When I was a little girl-before my mother died."  He froze.  "I saw-people I didn't recognize.  Someone named Jenny."</div> <div>      He started so badly coffee splashed over his cup and onto the tabletop.  "Shit!  I mean, I'm sorry!"  Mrs. Johnson was right there, efficiently mopping up the spill.</div> <div>      "Oh, dear," Elizabeth said, distressed.</div> <div>      "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to do that," he said.</div> <div>      "Do you know who that is?" she asked.</div> <div>      "Umm…no," he muttered.  "I was just surprised.  I'm sorry, I guess all this has my nerves a little on edge."</div> <div>      "I wondered who they were," Elizabeth mused.  "I was afraid to go back after Mama died.  I thought maybe they were all ghosts.  And then when Barnabas began talking about it, I-well, I went to look-"</div> <div>      "Did you see anyone?" he asked.</div> <div>      "You."</div> <div>      "Me?"  His voice scaled up.</div> <div>      "You were about to marry Maggie." Now he was totally unnerved.  He could not longer trust himself to hold the coffee cup and set it down on the table, staring at Elizabeth with astonishment.  "I know those people are not ghosts," Elizabeth went on, "and I suppose I understand more of what Professor Stokes said than I let on.  In that time, you were the master of the house."  That seemed to be troubling her.  "Quentin, <I>where</I> did you say you were born?"</div> <div>      He hadn't-yet.  The family had accepted him as a descendant of Quentin Collins II, but they hadn't pressed him for a lot of details.  He'd given them some general background information, and he tried to remember now what he'd said so that he wouldn't contradict himself.  At that moment, the back door opened and David and a teenage girl came in.  </div> <div> The girl stopped short, staring at Quentin with frank interest.  She was older than Amy-in fact, she seemed older than David, too.   She looked like she was about fifteen or sixteen, attractive, with long blonde hair and large blue eyes. This had to be Hallie and, sure enough, Elizabeth made the introductions.  "Pleased to meet you," the girl said politely shaking his hand.  She was staring at him a little too intently.  He knew the look.  She thought he was "cute".</div> <div> "Hey, come on," David said, annoyed.</div> <div> "I'm thirsty," Hallie objected.</div> <div> Mrs. Johnson, who was standing out of her eyesight, rolled her eyes.  "What would you like?  Water?  Milk?  Coca-Cola?"</div> <div> "Coke would be fine," Hallie said, dimpling.  "Are you going to be here long?" she asked Quentin.</div> <div> "Maybe," he answered noncommittally.  Elizabeth was getting up to leave.  Apparently she didn't have much patience for teenagers and Quentin was relieved.  He was off the hook-temporarily.  He knew that Hallie was interested in him but he felt he could handle her without hurting her feelings.  "I'm sorry about your parents and brother," he added gently.  Her eyes filled with tears.  It was still difficult for her, he reflected-her whole family wiped out like that and over the holidays, too.  "Well, I hope you'll feel comfortable here-David'll be good company for you."</div> <div> She gave him a look which he understood to mean <I>He's just a child</I> and decided this would be a good time to take his leave.  "Well, I'll let you kids share the table," he said, getting up.  "See you around, kiddo."  His choice of words was deliberate and he knew her feelings would be hurt but he wanted to discourage her right from the start.  "See you later, David," he added over his shoulder, heading for the back door.  He had several hours to kill before meeting Elliot Stokes and definitely did not want to run into Elizabeth, so he decided to walk over to either the Old House or Chris' cottage and wait.  Chris' would be better, he decided.  It was empty, and it had a TV.  Willie might be at the Old House-and there was no TV.  He turned toward the cottage.</div> <bR> <div> He met Elliot outside Collinwood by the path leading to the cottage and took him in through the secret entrance to the east wing.  He was less familiar with this part of the house.  It was always closed off when he was a boy and he and Carl had come exploring here.  When Edward found out, he began locking the doors leading in.  He and Carl could've gone there anyway, through the secret inner hallways, but Carl had always been too afraid.  Quentin went once on his own and was bored; he didn't do it again.  It was much more fun making mischief with Carl in the west wing.</div> <div> He led Stokes to the strange room.  Both men stood at the entranceway, looking in at the dusty emptiness of the room.  "It's looked like this almost every time I've seen it," Stokes remarked.  "It changes capriciously, not at will-at least I don't think it does."</div> <div> "How does it change at all, Professor?"  Quentin asked.</div> <div> "Please-call me Elliot.  I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time together."  As the professor paused to consider his answer, Quentin thought: I hope not.  I just want to get Julia and Barnabas out of there and get us all to Cuddeback.  Stokes cleared his throat and then said, "The reason we can't see into these other worlds is because they are all located on straight lines, parallel to each other.  You have taken geometry, Quentin?"</div> <div> "Yes, I understand what you're saying.  Straight lines never meet."</div> <div> "Just so.  I believe that that room is transverse to those parallel lines-it is a pathway from one world to the other."  He looked into the room thoughtfully.  "That is why we can see into the other room.  What I have not yet determined is why the phenomena comes and goes.  Right now, the only way to get to the other world is to be in the room when it changes.  I don't know if there are other places like this anywhere else.  It's a possibility, though."</div> <div> Quentin looked into the room thoughtfully.  He had absolutely no desire to go in there.  "How are we to contact Julia and Barnabas then?"</div> <div> "I am still thinking about that.  Apparently they have discovered the `specialness' of this room, too.  It's not been occupied as often as it was.  I am very worried about Julia and Barnabas because of this Angelique person.  There seem to be some other peculiar things going on in that world too."</div> <div> "More strange than in ours?"  Quentin asked with a laugh.</div> <div> Stokes looked at him and once again, Quentin had the feeling he knew more than he was telling.  "No, not more strange.  Just a different variety."  He thought a little more.  "Do you have anything in your possession that is unique-something only Barnabas and Julia would know about?"</div> <div> "No," Quentin said at first.  Then he thought.  Well, there was that pentagram Barnabas had returned to him-the one that Beth had bought for his infant son before his death.  Stokes was looking at him closely.  "Maybe I do.  It belonged to my-great grandfather."</div> <div> "Do you have it with you?"</div> <div> "Not now."</div> <div> Stokes nodded, understanding.  "Perhaps you could bring it tomorrow.  I thought we might leave it in the room.  Is there anything on the-what  is it?"</div> <div> "A necklace with a pentagram on it.  It's engraved on the back."</div> <div> "Bring it.  I'd like to see it.  If it seems harmless-something that wouldn't necessarily arouse the suspicions of the other household members, I'd like to try leaving it in the room and see what happens.  I will look around and see if I can find something myself."</div> <div> As they were talking, Quentin became aware of the rising temperature.  The room looked a little fuzzy.  Stokes grabbed him by the arm, and he realized the professor was seeing it, too.  The room wasn't bare and empty anymore.  There was the same lavish furniture Quentin remembered seeing with Barnabas.  No one was in the room.  It had an abandoned look to it. Quentin thought he could hear the buzzing of insects.  "What is that?  Bees?"</div> <div> "Energy, I think," Stokes replied in a wondering voice.  "Absolutely remarkable.  Hugh Grant should have seen this!"</div> <div> Only if he knew a way to reach in and pluck two stubborn people out, Quentin thought.  It seemed an impossible task.  Stokes wanted to stay and watch until the room changed back, but no one came into that strange room for the half-hour that they watched.  Just as suddenly, the room faded away and was empty again.</div> <bR> <div> Quentin located the pendant in a pocket of his jacket.  Some might  think he was treating the piece of jewelry in a cavalier manner, but it was actually quite safe there.  He touched it frequently to check, fingering the points of the pentagram.  He took it out now and looked at it.  He turned it over and read the words inscribed there:  "to protect you from the wrath of Cerebus."  It hadn't worked for his son, and it hadn't worked for Chris.  If he left this in that weird room and Julia or Barnabas found it, they would surely understand where it came from.  He didn't want to leave it, though.  Unlucky as it had been, he didn't think he could part with it.</div> <div> He sighed, putting the pendant into his shirt pocket now.  He went out into the hallway and nearly ran into Hallie.  He had a feeling she'd been lurking around because she jumped nearly a foot into the air.  "Hello!"  she gasped.  She turned bright red.  "I mean, good morning-uh, good afternoon!"</div> <div> He laughed.  "I hope it's not that late.  Mrs. Johnson won't have anything saved for me at all."</div> <div> "Oh!  I am sure she did-I mean, she knows you like to sleep late.  You like to stay up late?"</div> <div> "I've always been more of a night owl," he answered, walking down the hall.  </div> <div> She was right on his heels.  "Oh, I always liked to stay up late, too.  I don't like it that Maggie treats me like such a child and makes me go to bed so early.  I just toss and turn for hours!"</div> <div> The image almost made him laugh with amusement.  Maggie's name, though, had sobered him. He'd have to face her again in the daylight hours soon.  "Where is Maggie?" he asked.</div> <div> "Oh, in the study with David, I suppose," Hallie answered crossly.</div> <div> He understood.  They weren't talking about her anymore.  "Why aren't you with them?"</div> <div> She made a contemptuous tsk sound.  "I'm finished with my required studies-David isn't.  I thought about drawing."</div> <div> "Oh?  You like to draw?"  He was resigned to the fact that she was going to follow him all the way to the kitchen and probably sit down at the table, too, watching him eat every bite.  He had an idea, though.  "Do you draw well?"</div> <div> "Oh, yes, quite well," she said.  Not modest, no.  "Would you like me to draw something for you?"</div> <div> "Sure, if you don't mind."</div> <div> "Oh, I would be glad to!" she exclaimed, truly pleased.  I'll bet, he thought.  He wondered if Elliot knew anything at all about raising teenage girls.  Boy, was he in for a surprise!  "I'll be right back!"  She darted back up the stairs, presumably to get her drawing pad.</div> <div> Mrs. Johnson was busy scrambling eggs for him when Hallie returned with her pad of paper.  She sat herself down next to Quentin.  Mrs. Johnson made a disapproving sound and rolled her eyes.  Quentin took the pendant out of his pocket and set it on the table.  "Can you draw that?"</div> <div> Hallie looked at him as if he was out of his mind.  "Of course!"</div> <div> Mrs. Johnson peeked over to look.  "And just what is that supposed to be?  A Star of David?"</div> <div> "Actually, it's a pentagram," Quentin explained, feeling uncomfortable. </div> <div> Mrs. Johnson turned it over, looking at the words curiously.  She picked it up to examine it more closer.  "What is Cerebus?" she asked.</div> <div> "I don't know," Quentin lied.  "It's a family heirloom, that's all I know."</div> <div> Mrs. Johnson put it back down.  Hallie turned the pentagram over and looked at Quentin.  "Do you want me to put the words on?"</div> <div> "In larger letters.  Under the drawing."</div> <div> Hallie dimpled at him and complied.  She was fairly skilled, Quentin thought.  She made a long show of drawing the pentagram and then carefully lettering the engraved words.  "Sounds spooky," she commented as she finally handed the drawing back to him.</div> <div> "Uh-huh," he answered cryptically.  "Thanks, Hallie."  He put the pendant back in his pocket.  He thought Elliot would agree to leaving a note rather than the pendant.  "May I borrow that pencil?"  Hallie smiled sweetly, looking honored.  She gave him the pencil.  He wrote under the words Hallie had copied: "I want to find Beth <U>now."</U>  He underlined the word several times.</div> <div> Hallie had been looking over his shoulder.  "Who's that?" she asked, sounding a little resentful.</div> <div> "My wife," he answered.</div> <div> She looked at him, shocked and obviously disappointed.  "Your wife?  Where is she?"</div> <div> "I don't know.  That's why I want to find her."</div> <div> "Oh!" Her eyes grew round with surprise and hurt.  "Oh, well, I uh, hope that helps."  She got up from the table and went out.  He shook his head and turned his attention back to his breakfast.</div> <div> "That girl has a crush on you," Mrs. Johnson remarked.</div> <div> "I know," he said, with a sigh, shoveling the eggs in.  There was no one else around, so he didn't feel he had to watch his manners.  He didn't think Mrs. Johnson cared.</div> <div> "Just as well you told her about your wife," Mrs. Johnson went on, in an approving tone.  He looked up, surprised.  She blushed a little.  "It's just that my Harry would've just gone and tried to take advantage of a young thing like that.  I'm so glad he's not around anymore."  Clucking, she turned back to her chores.  Quentin wondered whether "my Harry" was her husband or her son but wasn't interested enough to ask and find out.</div> <div> He met Roger in the foyer.  "Ah, Quentin!" his cousin greeted him, hanging up the phone.  "I am not going to be able to avoid this trip to London as I'd hoped."</div> <div> What trip?  Quentin wondered, but decided not to ask.  Roger had made a couple of overtures toward him about joining the family business and Quentin had politely rebuffed him, explaining he was a freelance writer.  Roger had given him a slightly disapproving look but hadn't said anything.  "Oh, I'm sorry," Quentin said, figuring it was the appropriate thing to say.</div> <div> "Yes, very annoying," Roger went on.  "I don't like to leave the family in the midst of this uproar, but I'm afraid I have no choice.  Would you mind looking after Elizabeth and the rest of the family for me until I get back?"</div> <div> "Uh, no, not at all," Quentin answered, surprised.  He didn't know how much longer he'd be here.  Not only that, he felt Elizabeth was capable of taking care of herself.  Perhaps it was the `male chauvinist' in Roger that made him think that the women needed protecting.</div> <div> "Thank you."  Roger was obviously relieved.  "I will feel much better knowing that you are here to take care of things."  He turned away to go into the drawing room.  Quentin stared after him, thinking-if you only knew, dear cousin!</div> <bR> <div> Elliot Stokes looked at the piece of paper and then gave Quentin that knowing, appraising look that made him squirm.  "Cerebus was the dog that guarded the gates of hell," he commented.</div> <div> "Really?"  Quentin played dumb.</div> <div> "I see you added this postscript.  Who is Beth?"</div> <div> "My wife."</div> <div> Elliot nodded and then looked Quentin directly in the eyes.  "Extraordinary coincidence."  He didn't comment further or ask any questions, but Quentin had the distinct impression that Elliot knew it all.  "Well, Quentin, I suggest we leave this note on the mantle in the room and then wait to see what happens."</div> <div> Quentin agreed and reluctantly volunteered to leave the note.  He didn't want to seem foolish; at the same time, he didn't want to linger in the weird room and have it change while he was in there.  It didn't.  He and Stokes waited for an hour, chatting amiably.  Then they gave up and called it a day.</div> <div> After escorting Stokes out the secret door, Quentin returned the way he'd come and stepped into the inner labyrinth of hallways within the house.  He headed for the west wing, feeling drawn there-he went to Beth's old room.  He opened the door and went in, feeling sad and lonely.  There was nothing left of her here-neither her scent nor any of her possessions.  The bed was bare and the room was empty-it hadn't been used in years.  He thought about the first time he'd come in here as a welcome guest, not as an intruder.  There was a slight sound behind him, and he whirled around.  He saw a glimpse of blonde hair and heard footsteps running away.</div> <div> He went into the hall.  "Hallie!" he called.  Slowly, Hallie peeked around the corner, her face red with embarrassment.  He was annoyed.  "What are you doing here?"</div> <div> "Playing hide and seek with David," she answered, going redder.</div> <div> "Aren't you a bit old for that game?"</div> <div> "We were bored!" She said defensively. "Besides, what are <I>you</I> doing here?"</div> <div> "Listen, little girl, I'm the one who gets to ask the questions-not you."</div> <div> "I am <I>not</I> a little girl!"  She stamped her foot, just to show him.</div> <div> "Find David and tell him I said both of you should go play somewhere else!"  He turned his back on her, dismissing her.  He thought she was going to answer back, but she didn't.</div> <bR> <div> Roger left for London.  Several more long, boring days passed with no sign of any changes in the room.  One morning, though, Quentin went to the room and saw that the note was gone.  Excited, he told Professor Stokes who hoped that either Julia or Barnabas had picked it up.  They waited for another hour that afternoon and, to pass the time, Professor Stokes talked about his misgivings about raising a teenage girl.  Quentin privately agreed but didn't say anything-he just let Stokes continue talking.</div> <div> The following afternoon, Stokes phoned to say he had an appointment.  Quentin planned to just look into the room and leave.  There was no point sitting there alone.  He went to check on the room just after dinner.  He took a flashlight with him as there would be no afternoon sunlight filtering in to help him find his way. </div> <div> He worried about the approaching full moon, which was supposed to occur simultaneously with an eclipse.  He wondered if Sabrina was strong enough to manage without him and decided that if nothing happened today, he'd go back to Cuddeback until the full moon was over.  As he rounded the corner to the room, he saw thick, black smoke billowing about.  Shocked, he ran toward the room and was stopped abruptly at the entranceway by whatever force field existed there.  The really frightening thing was that there was a young woman with cropped red hair in the room.  She looked terrified, and she was calling for Barnabas.</div> <div> There was nothing he could do.  He couldn't get in to help her; he couldn't make her hear him.  He watched helplessly as the girl wandered from the room.  He wondered if that Collinwood was burning to the ground.  Abruptly, the room changed.  It was just an empty, dusty room again.  Shocked and upset, he left and went downstairs to the drawing room to pour himself a brandy.  He walked past Elizabeth, without seeing her.  As he poured himself a glass, she spoke up.  "Quentin, what is it?  You're white as a sheet."</div> <div> "I was just in the east wing," Quentin explained.  "I saw that room change-it was full of smoke.  There was a young woman inside, calling for Barnabas.  I couldn't reach her."</div> <div> Elizabeth put her hands to her face.  "Oh, that horrible room!  Do you think Barnabas and Julia were trapped there somewhere?"</div> <div> Yes, he did think so.  That's why he wanted the brandy so badly.  "If they were in there," he answered, distraught, "then we won't ever see them again."</div> <div> Barnabas walked into the room with Julia close on his heels.  Quentin dropped his glass.  It didn't break, but the brandy went all over the floor.  No one seemed to notice as Barnabas announced triumphantly,  "Elizabeth, Quentin-we've returned!"</div> <div> Elizabeth swooned, and Barnabas just managed to catch her.  He and Julia helped Elizabeth over to the couch.  "I'm all right-just overcome," Elizabeth said.  "Get Mrs. Johnson to clean up the spill."</div> <div> Puzzled, Julia looked around and then saw Quentin and the brandy pooling at his feet.  "What is wrong with you?" she asked him.  "You look like you've seen a ghost.  And I thought you went to Port Jervis?"</div> <div> He managed to pull himself together.  "You have no idea, Julia," he said.  "I'll be right back."  He went to notify Mrs. Johnson that he'd spilled brandy in the drawing room.  As much as she'd begun to like him, she gave him a very annoyed, exasperated look.  She got a mop and bucket and followed him back into the drawing room.  He looked over at Barnabas, who was talking about trees and weeds and moss all over Collinwood.  "What in hell are you talking about?" he asked.</div> <div> Barnabas looked at him.  There seemed to be something different about him.  He always looked stern, but there seemed to be an air of aloofness and superiority about him that Quentin hadn't experienced before.  "If you would give me a minute, I will tell you," he said in a condescending manner.  He proceeded to tell some fantastic story about having just come back from the ruins of Collinwood-in 1995.</div> <div> Elizabeth looked ready to pass out again.  "Is it possible that you're confusing this Collinwood with the one that burned?"</div> <div> Both Barnabas and Julia reacted, looking at each other.  "It wasn't a fire, Elizabeth, " Julia said gently.</div> <div> "But Quentin just saw that room on fire!" Elizabeth protested.</div> <div> Now they all looked at Quentin.  "You saw the room burning?" Barnabas asked suspiciously.  When Quentin nodded, his cousin burst out, "That's impossible!  The fire occurred last week!"</div> <div> "I know what I saw!" Quentin objected.  "That room was on fire just a few moments ago!"</div> <div> Barnabas turned his back on him, dismissing him.  "You're mistaken," he stated flatly.  "You see, Julia and I escaped that fire a week ago-but we went to the future, to 1995."  He and Julia began describing some cataclysmic event that occurred <I>this</I> year-a catastrophe of such proportions it had left Collinwood rotting in ruins 25 years later.  Elizabeth became agitated.  It sounded insane.</div> <div> "I think maybe you had some kind of hallucination, Barnabas," Quentin suggested.  "The smoke inhalation, maybe…"</div> <div> Barnabas turned and fixed him with such a stony glare that Quentin shut right up.  <I>What did I do</I>? He wondered.  Barnabas looked really angry with him.  "Have either of you ever heard of Rose Cottage?" Julia asked hastily.</div> <div> "I haven't," Quentin answered, looking at Elizabeth.  She shook her head, no.</div> <div> "Well, this was not a hallucination!"  Barnabas insisted.  "This was real, and we have to take action!"</div> <div> "Elizabeth, do you mind if we go and look at some of the family history books?"  Julia asked.  "There is someone we're looking for."</div> <div> "But of course," Elizabeth answered in a faint voice.</div> <div> "Come along, Julia," Barnabas said.  He left the room.  Quentin thought he sounded like he was addressing the family dog.  Julia obediently followed her "master " out of the room.</div> <div> "Are you all right, Elizabeth?" he asked, concerned.</div> <div> "Yes, just shocked," his cousin answered.  "They were behaving strangely, don't you think?"</div> <div> "Seems to me anyone who disappeared into that odd room would behave strangely," Mrs. Johnson put in.  She'd finished mopping up the brandy and was shaking her head with disapproval.  "Would either of you care for another drink?"</div> <div> "I think I'd just as soon turn in for the night," Elizabeth declared.  "I've had enough excitement for one evening."</div> <div> "I'll take you up," Quentin offered, genuinely concerned for her.  Gratefully, she took his arm and allowed him to take her upstairs to his room.  He thought about trying to find Julia and Barnabas but, remembering how angry his cousin seemed, thought better of it.  Barnabas in a bad mood was someone best avoided.  Maybe Mrs. Johnson was right.  Now that they were back, though, he was anxious to talk to them about Cuddeback, helping Chris and finding Beth.</div> <div> He went into his own room, feeling restless, and found a book to read.  He turned his radio on, changing the channel until he found a station that was playing the Motown sound.  Right now, the Temptations were on.  Someone knocked softly at his door.  He thought it might be his cousin and Julia, so he opened the door hastily to find Hallie standing there.  <I>Oh, just great</I>, he thought. She looked upset.  "What's wrong, Hallie?" he asked.</div> <div>      "Well, it's those two strange people that just showed up," she began fretfully.</div> <div>      "Barnabas and Julia?"  He smiled, amused.  They would seem strange to a young person like Hallie.</div> <div>      "Are they nice?"</div> <div>      "Nice?  Sure, they're nice.  What makes you think they're not?"</div> <div>      "No, it's not that," Hallie said nervously.  "May I come in?"</div> <div>      "Well-" he hesitated.  He didn't think it was a good idea.</div> <div>      "Please?"  She really looked distressed.</div> <div>      He gave in, stepping back.  He was going to leave his door open though.</div> <div> "What's bothering you, Hallie?"</div> <div>      "It's just that-they seemed to know who I was.  And they just appeared out of nowhere in the west wing."</div> <div>      He felt himself start.  "The west wing?"</div> <div>      "Yes, they were in the west wing.  They behaved so strangely.  The man said, `Thank you for helping us.'  Then the woman said that I was dressed in modern clothes.  They wanted to know who I was.  I didn't even know who <I>they</I> were.  Then the man said something about travelling through time on a flight of stairs, and the woman asked me what year it was!"</div> <div>      Quentin felt disturbed himself.  <I>That's odd</I>, he thought.  <I>They went into the room in the east wing and then reappeared in the west wing.  How could that be</I>?  He heard Hallie asking him if they were ghosts.  "Ghosts!  No, Hallie!  They're as real as you and me."  He tried to think of an explanation to give her about their strange behavior.  When he couldn't think of anything immediately, he asked, "What were you doing there?  Not hide and seek again?"</div> <div>      "No, I was just-" she broke off, wide-eyed as the two strangers themselves appeared in Quentin's doorway.  Hallie gulped and began stammering.  "I was just-just-on my way to my b-bedroom now!"  She squeezed behind Julia and fled.</div> <div>      "What was that all about?" Barnabas demanded.</div> <div>      "She was frightened by the things you were asking her," Quentin explained.</div> <div>      "I'll go talk to her," Julia decided.  "Where is her room?"</div> <div>      "Right over there," Quentin pointed.  Julia turned and headed toward Hallie's room.  "Come on in, Barnabas."  His cousin came in, and Quentin shut the door so they could talk privately.  "I'm glad you're back safely."</div> <div>      "No better off now than I was," his cousin answered bitterly.  <I>What a</I> <I>waste of time</I>, Quentin thought, with equal bitterness.  "So-you believe I was hallucinating, do you?"  It sounded like an accusation.  "I saw you in 1995-you were unchanged.  You looked then as you do now."</div> <div>      Quentin wasn't particularly surprised.  He'd been living with that for over seventy years.  Barnabas looked at him expectantly, so he said, "I'm not sure that's something to look forward to or not." Barnabas didn't say he'd seen Quentin with Beth.  "Can I ask you something?" Barnabas inclined his head a little.  "Hallie met you in the west wing?  Is that right?  But when you went into that room, you were in the east wing.  How did you get to the west wing?"</div> <div>      "That happened when we left 1995.  When we arrived there, we were in the east wing.  The house was in ruins, as I explained before.  There had been a catastrophic occurrence here-sometime this year, which destroyed Collinwood.  In fact, Collinwood was still being haunted by an evil spirit-a spirit which seemed to live in the playroom of the west wing."</div> <div>      "What playroom?"</div> <div>      Barnabas looked exasperated.  "I don't know <I>what</I> playroom or <I>whose</I> playroom.  It was a playroom.  Julia and I were there and made our escape down a staircase which appeared there.  A spirit who showed us the way guided us.  If it hadn't been for that spirit, Julia would've died."  Quentin was shocked speechless.  Barnabas looked at him with a cold expression.  "Didn't you have a playroom when you were a child, Quentin?"</div> <div>      Quentin recovered his speech.  "Yes, but it wasn't in the west wing.  There was never a playroom in the west wing."</div> <div>      "Don't tell me that there never was!" Barnabas barked, furious, stepping toward him.  "I am telling you that I saw it!"</div> <div>      Quentin backed away a little.  Barnabas looked almost feral-almost as dangerous as he had the night he'd reacted so severely to Julia's injection.  This time, however, Quentin was sure that he was very angry.  It had nothing to do with bloodlust at all.  "Why are you so angry with me?"</div> <div>      Barnabas turned away.  "Don't be ridiculous!  I am not angry-I don't appreciate you questioning what I tell you to be fact!  Come with me, now!  I will show you the room!"  </div> <div> On their way to the west wing, Barnabas explained that he and Julia had already been out to the cemetery looking for the grave of Gerard Stiles.  <I>They certainly have been busy since they got back</I>, Quentin marveled.  "Who is that?"</div> <div> "The malevolent spirit that caused the destruction of Collinwood," Barnabas replied, sounding a little sharp.  Again, Quentin wondered why he was so angry.  He could deny it all he wanted.  He was angry.  Barnabas led him through the west wing and finally stopped at a door.  "There."</div> <div> "There?"  At his cousin's look of irritation, Quentin added hastily, "There's no playroom there.  Look for yourself."</div> <div> Barnabas opened the door onto a dusty, shelved room too small to be a closet but not large enough to be a bedroom.  It looked like it had been some sort of utility room for the servants, with shelves for linen along one side of the wall.   There were a few old mops and brooms standing in one corner.   "There must be a room behind this one."  Barnabas entered the room, looking around.  He had the expression of one who has been betrayed.</div> <div> "That wall is the outside wall," Quentin objected.  "There's no room back there."</div> <div> "This is impossible!"  Barnabas retorted.  He spun around and glared at Quentin, giving him a this-is-your-fault look.  Barnabas then pushed past him and stalked off.  Quentin was confused and angry, shutting the door to the closet and following Barnabas.  His cousin, though, had disappeared, deepening Quentin's resentment.  He returned to his room alone and slammed the door.  <I>Fuck him</I>, he thought.  <I>I'm going to bed</I>.</div> <bR> <div> He caught up with Julia the next morning.  He knew he'd be able to speak to her for awhile.  Barnabas was resting in his coffin and so he wouldn't distract her.  Elizabeth had taken Carolyn into town to do some shopping.  Carolyn was in a state of confusion, alternating between grieving for Jeb and wondering how she'd fallen in love and married him so quickly.  Julia was sipping at a cup of coffee in the drawing room.  "Oh, good, Julia, you're here!" Quentin exclaimed, relieved.</div> <div> She looked up and smiled at him.  "I thought you were in Port Jervis," she said again.  He'd never gotten a chance to answer her comment last night.</div> <div> "Well, I was," he began.  "Elizabeth called and said you went into that damn room so I came back."</div> <div> Julia's eyebrows shot up.  "You did?"</div> <div> "Of course I did, Julia.  Why'd you go in there?"</div> <div> "Barnabas was in danger," she replied simply.  "I had to.  What were you going to do?  Come in after me?"</div> <div> "No way!" he declared.  "Elliot and I were just trying to figure out how we could communicate, that's all.  We wanted to see if we could draw you out, but it didn't work.  There was that fire…"</div> <div> "Yes," Julia interrupted.  "But there was also this."  She pulled a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and opened it.</div> <div> "You found it!"</div> <div> "No, <I>I</I> didn't.  That was a dangerous stunt, Quentin." Julia sounded mildly reproving.  "Barnabas was still in danger because the Angelique in that time had discovered his secret.  Not only that-"</div> <div> "Well, you got out alive," he interrupted.  He didn't want to hear about all that.  He wanted to find out when they could go to Cuddeback.  "Look, about Port Jervis-"</div> <div> "Sweetie, do you think you could help me look through some family books today?"</div> <div> "What for?"  He was irritated at being interrupted.</div> <div> "I am looking for information about Gerard Stiles and Daphne Harridge."</div> <div> He rolled his eyes.  "Barnabas said you went to that guy's grave last night.  He's some kind of ghost?"</div> <div> "He's more than that-he's the epitome of evil, Quentin.  We have so little time to fight him-"</div> <div> "Yes, some kind of disaster that's supposed to happen or something?"</div> <div> "All we have is a set of clues to go by.  We have very little information to go on otherwise.   That's why I want to see if I can learn what these people had to do with the Collins family in 1841.  That's when they died."</div> <div> 1841!  This was getting worse and worse.  Julia was looking at him expectantly.  "I was hoping to go to Port Jervis, Julia, there's a full moon-"</div> <div> Now Julia looked irritated with him.  "Quentin!  It was <I>your</I>  idea to take Chris to Port Jervis.  If you recall, I was against the idea!  Sabrina will just have to deal with it herself now."  He looked at her with disbelief.  She softened her expression and put her hand on his.  "I know you don't understand, honey, but trust me, if we don't stop this Gerard Stiles, the whole family will be destroyed anyway."</div> <div> He sighed.  "Why is Barnabas angry with me?"</div> <div> Julia looked startled, then evasive.  "Angry!  Quentin, what on earth makes you think that?"</div> <div> "I know I'm not imagining it.  He <I>is</I> angry about something."</div> <div> "Perhaps it's the strain of everything that's happened.  Everything that has happened has been extremely disturbing to him.  I'm sure that's all it is."</div> <div> "Are you sure?" he asked doubtfully.  He had a feeling she was hiding something from him.</div> <div> She smiled but didn't look directly at him.  "I'm sure that's all it is," she assured him.   He noticed there was a small stack of books piled on the table in front of her.  "Why don't I pour you this cup of coffee, and you can start with this one?"  She picked up one of the tomes and held it out to him.</div> <div> <I>Just what I wanted to do</I>, he thought, resigned, taking the  heavy book.  Julia took the coffee carafe and poured him a cupful.</div> <bR> <div> By dusk, he was sick of poring through books and was glad when Elliot Stokes appeared.  Carolyn had let him in the foyer, and Quentin could hear them talking.  Julia was still absorbed in her book, so he went out to meet the professor.  He realized Stokes must have been waiting for him outside because the professor gave him a slightly reproachful look.</div> <div> "I'm sorry," Quentin said.  "I should have called you-they're back."</div> <div> Elliot's eyes widened with surprise.  "Oh, yes, I was just about to tell you, Professor," Carolyn said.  "Julia's in the drawing room now."</div> <div> "Splendid!"  Stokes looked positively delighted, striding quickly into the drawing room.  "Julia!"  he exclaimed.  He took Julia by the hands and drew her to her feet, giving her a kiss on the cheek.  She blushed, looking startled and flustered.   "Are you well, dear Julia?"</div> <div> <I>Aha</I>!  Quentin thought, noticing the way Stokes was behaving.  <I>Barnabas should see this</I>.  It was almost too funny.  Elliot Stokes was in love with Julia, who saw him as nothing more than a friend.  Julia was in love with Barnabas, who took her totally for granted and treated her as a servant more so than as a friend.  <I>Unfuckingbelieveable</I>! </div> <div> "Yes, I am fine, thank you, Elliot," Julia answered, smiling brightly.</div> <div> There was another knock at the door, and Carolyn obligingly answered it again, this time admitting Barnabas.  Quentin smiled, hoping that Barnabas would get a chance to see some of this.  "Hello, Barnabas," he greeted his cousin.</div> <div> "What's so funny?" Barnabas snapped.</div> <div> "Nothing!"  He felt off balance again.  There was something definitely wrong.  "Professor Stokes is here."</div> <div> "Ah, good."  Barnabas hung up his cape and went into the drawing room.  "Elliot!" he exclaimed warmly.   <I>He wasn't so glad to see me</I>, Quentin thought.  <I>Julia's lying-something is up</I>.  He knew it for sure when he came back into the drawing room.  Barnabas frowned and then spoke as if he were dismissing a child.  "Would you excuse us, please?  I have something I need to discuss with Professor Stokes."</div> <div> Quentin reddened with hurt resentment and fury.  "Sure," he said, gritting his teeth.  He left the drawing room and was only barely able to keep himself from slamming the doors shut behind him.  He was tempted to pack his bags and go.  Tomorrow was the night of the full moon, and he really preferred to be in Port Jervis than here-doing nothing.  He remembered there was going to be an eclipse as well and wondered how that might affect Chris. He went up to his room and began throwing some clothes into a bag.</div> <div> A few minutes later, there was a soft knocking at the door.  He groaned.  Not that kid again, he thought, pulling the door open.  He was surprised to see Julia standing there.  She saw the bag on his bed.  "Don't, Quentin," she said, pleading.</div> <div> "What?  What am I supposed to do here?" he complained.  "You're back-you're safe!  They need me in Port Jervis.  Besides, you lied to me, Julia-he is angry with me!"  He went back into his room, picking up the bag and zipping it.</div> <div> "Quentin, no, we need you here," Julia continued in her pleading tone.  She put her hands on his arms to turn him toward her.  "Listen to me-what we saw in 1995 has everything to do with you.  You must stay here and help us!"</div> <div> "Why do I have to?  What do you mean, it has everything to do with me?"</div> <div> "Please, just trust me-"</div> <div> Exasperated, he demanded:  "Either you tell me what's going on and why I have to stay here, or I'm going-now."</div> <div> She sighed.  "Sit down, sweetie.  It's a long story.  You're not going to believe it, but I need you to trust me that I am telling you the truth." </div> <div> The story she told him was incredible.  She talked about the evil of the male spirit in the house-Gerard-and of seeing the ghosts of David, Hallie, and two children named Tad and Carrie.  She told him that she and Barnabas had met Carolyn, aged and out of her mind.  "What about me?  Barnabas said you saw me?"</div> <div> Julia sighed.  This part was the most incredible of all.  Yes, they'd seen him--they'd prevented him from trying to destroy his portrait.  He'd been driven insane, too, and was obsessed with a female spirit named Daphne.  He'd even tried to kill Professor Stokes.  He'd been confined in a mental institution and they had to send him back-still hopelessly insane.  He was horrified.  "No Beth?" he asked.  Julia shook her head no.  He got up, pacing, disturbed.  "If I stay here, won't that make it all come true?  Maybe I should leave."</div> <div> "No, Quentin!  You can help us-if we could only figure out the clues!"</div> <div> "What clues?"</div> <div> "Carolyn was going to tell us what caused the destruction to come about in this time period, but Gerard's ghost killed her.  She did write some clues.  Let me see-"  Julia paused, thinking, and then began to recite from memory:  "The night of the sun and the moon, the night Rose Cottage was destroyed, the unfinished horoscope, the night Carolyn sings her song, the picnic, and the murder."</div> <div> It sounded like nonsense to Quentin.  "In that order?"</div> <div> "I don't know."</div> <div> Quentin was shaking his head.  It sounded crazy.  "It doesn't make sense, Julia.  What is Rose Cottage?  I've never heard of it.  I've never heard Carolyn sing.  No one in the house follows the horoscopes.  This is just bullshit." </div> <div> He began to get up again, but Julia had leaned over and grabbed him by the arms.  "It is <I>not</I> bullshit, Quentin!  I know what I saw!"  She shook him a little.  "Listen to me, sweetie.  You help us with this and when we've made sure nothing is going to happen here then I promise you I will move my whole lab down to Port Jervis."</div> <div> He hated to doubt her, but she'd promised before.  "You will?"  </div> <div> "As soon as everyone is out of danger, I <I>swear</I> before God that Barnabas and I will help you, Quentin!"</div> <div> "All right," he mumbled, reluctantly.  "What do you want me to do?"</div> <div> "More reading-more research-more looking."</div> <div> "Looking?"</div> <div> "For clues-I am looking for anything about the family from the 1830s up through 1840.  Would there be any other books in the east or west wing?"</div> <div> "Oh, I'm sure-tons."</div> <div> "Well, would you help me get them together and read through them?"</div> <div> "Okay," he agreed, still feeling that the whole thing was a bad idea.  "I want to call Chris-see how he's doing."</div> <div> "Of course, honey, I think you should do that if it will put your mind at ease."  Not really, Quentin thought dourly.  However, he needed Julia's help-so he was stuck.  Julia got up, patting his shoulder and walked to the door.  "After you've called Chris, would you mind coming to the library and helping me with some of the books?"</div> <div> "Sure," he said, wondering what Barnabas was going to be doing. Chris reassured him that Sabrina was feeling much stronger and that he would be in the bomb shelter well before the moon rose. Chris added that Amanda had called several times wanting to know where Quentin was.  Sighing, he called the resort next and got a very angry Amanda yelling into his ear.  "Look, I'm sorry," he finally managed to cut in.  "There was a family emergency.  I have to take care of it and then I'll be there, I swear."</div> <div> "I've heard that before, Quentin!  All right, I'll wait-but not for long!  I really think I made a big mistake!"  She furiously slammed the phone down.</div> <div> <I>Yeah, well, I made a big mistake, too,</I> Quentin thought, <I>beginning with thinking that Julia and Barnabas would ever stop what they're doing to help me.  No, all this other stuff is so much more important! </I>Quentin went down to the library.  Elizabeth had made changes to the room to make it brighter and more appealing.  Julia was sitting in a stuffed chair, going through another one of those books.  She looked up at him and smiled.  He sighed and joined her.</div> <bR> <div> The day was spent in much the same way.  During the late morning and the early part of the afternoon, Quentin and Julia searched the west wing for books.  They carried whatever they found down to the library to go through them, skimming them for information.  Quentin tried to bring up Chris and Beth a few times with Julia but she was preoccupied with the material in the book.  The  fourth time he tried to talk to her about it, she looked at him with a grouchy expression and complained, "Really, Quentin, how can I concentrate?  I promised you that we would help, but we must deal with this first.  You need to be patient, sweetie!"</div> <div> Chastened, he went back to his own book.  He felt irritated and resentful.   She never complained when Barnabas interrupted her.  They worked together until Mrs. Johnson came in to announce it was dinnertime.  Julia looked as if she might keep working, but Quentin got up immediately.  He'd had enough.</div> <div> Over dinner, Quentin mentioned the eclipse.  He looked at David and Hallie.  "Want to watch it with me?" he invited.  He was still worrying about Chris and thought having company would distract him.  To his surprise and annoyance, the two teenagers exchanged secret glances-much like Julia and Barnabas did-and David said they had homework to do.  "That much?" he asked, surprised.</div> <div> "Well, uh, yes, we put off doing research for so long," David began.</div> <div> "And we need to turn it in to Maggie tomorrow," Hallie added.</div> <div> David looked like he was going to add more baloney to the story, so Quentin held his hand up.  "Okay, forget it," he said, a little testily.</div> <div> "I'm feeling fortunate," Elizabeth remarked, a satisfied smile on her face.  "I think I would like to watch the eclipse with you, Quentin."</div> <div> "Good!" He was pleased.  "Anything special making you feel so fortunate?"</div> <div> "I had my horoscope written up," Elizabeth explained, still beaming.  Quentin looked at her, very surprised.  He didn't think his cousin had any interest in astrology at all. </div> <div> Carolyn rolled her eyes.  "Oh, Mother, for God's sake!" she exclaimed.  She was still very moody.</div> <div> "Where did you do that?"  Maggie asked.</div> <div> "There's a seer who's come to town."  Elizabeth continued to address them all in spite of Carolyn's obvious disdain.  "His name is Sebastian Shaw."  She gave Carolyn a troubled look that Quentin didn't understand.  "He is a very astute young man.  Anyway, he came up with a forecast for the year, and it's to be an auspicious one."</div> <div> "Mother, of course it is!  That's what they <I>all </I>say!" Carolyn exclaimed contemptuously.  "Why on earth would you waste your money?"</div> <div> Now Elizabeth looked at Quentin.  "There was something troubling me.  I needed reassurance."  Quentin thought he understood.  She'd been deeply upset with everything Barnabas and Julia had told them.</div> <div> "From an <I>astrologer</I>?"  Carolyn asked incredulously.  "You might as well have gone to a witch doctor!"</div> <div> Elizabeth blanched.  Quentin felt he ought to say something but didn't really want to get between mother and daughter.  Fortunately, Maggie stepped in.  "Even a witch doctor can bring comfort," she said.  "Everyone needs something, Carolyn."</div> <div> "You mean some<I>one</I>," Carolyn responded bitterly.  She got up and left the table.</div> <div> Maggie put her hand on Elizabeth's.  "She didn't mean it, Mrs. Stoddard."</div> <div> "Thank you, Maggie, I know," Elizabeth said.  She looked sad again.  Quentin wished he knew what to say to make Elizabeth feel better.  He felt inadequate and sad himself.</div> <div> After dinner, he went to the drawing room and found Barnabas and Julia sitting there.  Julia hadn't eaten, he thought, but she was a big girl and could take care of herself.  Barnabas looked up at him briefly.  "Ah, Quentin," he said, half in greeting, half in dismissal.  He turned back to the papers he was sifting through.  Quentin didn't feel like helping them.</div> <div> "Find anything?" he asked, with disinterest.  He walked to the garden door and opened it to look out at the sky.</div> <div> "Only the death dates of Tad Collins and Carrie Stokes," Julia answered.  "They were about the same ages as David and Hallie."</div> <div> "Who the hell are they?"</div> <div> "The spirits of two of the children we saw," Barnabas answered impatiently.  "What are you looking at, anyway?"</div> <div> "The full moon," Quentin answered with a sigh.  He still didn't understand why Barnabas was so irritable.  Maybe he needed a bloody Mary cocktail.  He smiled to himself.  It was a pretty moon tonight, pale and distant.</div> <div> "Where is your portrait, Quentin?" Julia asked suddenly.</div> <div> He wondered why she was asking.  "It's safe.  Why?"</div> <div> "It's the way you sounded-you're worried."</div> <div> He turned to look at her.  How could she ask him that?  "Julia, the moon is full and Chris isn't here-he's away.  And I'm worried about him.  He's got to be locked up-" He broke off when Barnabas looked up from the papers, a slight frown creasing his brow.  He realized that he was interrupting his concentration and felt a perverse pleasure he hadn't felt in a long time.  "I'm the lucky one," he went on.  "I can enjoy tonight's eclipse just like I did when I was a little kid.  Want to watch it with me?"</div> <div> "How very nice," Barnabas answered.  "However, we don't have time for childish-"  He stopped abruptly.  "Did you say an eclipse, Quentin?"  When Quentin nodded, Barnabas looked at Julia with dismay.  "Julia!  It's the first clue-`the night of the sun and the moon!'"</div> <div> <I>Oh, give me a break!</I> Quentin thought. <I>It's totally ridiculous</I>.  "Well, you can't stop it from happening," he pointed out.</div> <div> "Of course we can't stop it!" Barnabas snapped.  "But we can keep an eye on the children so that they're not in any danger!"</div> <div> "I hardly think so," Quentin objected.  "They're upstairs doing their homework."</div> <div> "We don't even know what it is that's supposed to happen," Julia was saying.</div> <div> "Nevertheless, we have to watch them," Barnabas insisted.</div> <div> <I>Oh, right</I>, Quentin thought.  <I>Teenagers will really appreciate that! </I> "I asked them to watch the eclipse with me.  I can check in on them."</div> <div> "Would you mind looking in on them as well, Julia?" Barnabas asked.</div> <div> Quentin was about to ask Barnabas if he wasn't to be trusted but changed his mind.  He did feel annoyed, however, and went out onto the garden patio to get away from his two friends.  They were both getting on his nerves, and he knew why.  It didn't help that Barnabas was treating him with such disdain.  He wondered what he'd done to offend his cousin-he couldn't think of a thing.  He'd done everything he could to help Barnabas before he disappeared into that Alice in fucking Wonderland room.</div> <div> Quentin had been outside brooding for a while when he realized he had company.  "Has it begun?" Barnabas asked.  He sounded more like his normal self now.  He stood by Quentin's side, looking up at the sky.</div> <div> "It started, see?  Now I can finally watch it with the same curiosity and awe I felt when I was a child."  Quentin reflected, remembering another eclipse.  "Edward took us out to see it.  We went out on Widows Hill and lay on our backs on the grass."  He laughed.  "Carl fell asleep before it was all over.  Edward had to carry him back-he was sound asleep and snoring, too."  He wondered if he was boring Barnabas.  He looked over and saw that his cousin was listening, a reflective expression on his face too.</div> <div> "I remember my aunt feared the eclipse," Barnabas said.  "She was sure it was the work of the Devil.  My father laughed at her, of course-what a ridiculous notion!"</div> <div> "Did your father take you out to see it?"</div> <div> "No, he was too busy with other things.  However, my uncle Jeremiah did.  We were like brothers-like you and Edward."  Quentin almost said "I hope you got along better" but then remembered what had happened and kept quiet.  It would have been a stupid thing to say.  Barnabas went on, "The coincidence of this eclipse and the clue disturbs me, Quentin.  `The night of the sun and the moon' must be referring to <I>this</I> night."</div> <div> "But what can you do about it?"</div> <div> "I think we should take the children away-now."</div> <div> Quentin couldn't believe his ears.  "Barnabas, Elizabeth would never let you do that.  She'd flip."</div> <div> "Flip?"</div> <div> "She'd be upset."</div> <div> "What concerns me is that I don't know how quickly the other clues will come together.  There are only five left.  The destruction of Rose Cottage, the unfinished horoscope-"</div> <div> Quentin suddenly remembered.  "Barnabas!  Elizabeth had a horoscope done today-"</div> <div> "<I>What?"</I> Barnabas interrupted, alarmed.</div> <div> "No!  It's all right!  It's a completed horoscope for a whole year-and she says there was no mention of any disaster."</div> <div> Barnabas turned away, his expression still shocked and horrified.  Julia came out and joined them on the patio.  "I think the children are keeping secrets from me," she announced.  She saw Barnabas' face.  "What's wrong?"</div> <div> "Elizabeth has had a horoscope drawn up," Barnabas muttered.</div> <div> <I>"What!"</I></div> <div> Quentin thought they were both over-reacting.  "It's finished, Julia-no mention of anything going wrong."</div> <div> "Quentin, you can't be sure of that!" Barnabas snapped, sounding irritable again.</div> <div> "I know what I heard her say," Quentin snapped back.</div> <div> "She may not have been totally forthcoming," Barnabas argued.</div> <div> Quentin rolled his eyes.  He couldn't help himself.  "I'll go talk to the kids," he said abruptly, walking back into the house.  Maybe the kids were keeping secrets from Julia.  Why wouldn't they?  He went up to David's room.  The kid was probably feeling Hallie up if that book had been any indication of where David's mind was.  Quentin was glad that Amy was in Port Jervis.</div> <div> He knocked at the door.  David pulled it open and gave him a what-now look. "Why does everyone keep checking on us?  Like we're doing something wrong?" he complained.</div> <div> "I wasn't doing that," Quentin lied.  "I just wanted to see if you'd finished up-maybe you'd like to look at the eclipse."</div> <div> "No, I'm not done and no, I don't want to see the eclipse.  Okay?"  David sounded very snotty.  Quentin was sure he'd sounded like that once.  It was discomforting to be on the receiving end of a teenager's contempt, though.   Hallie sat at the desk in David's room, apparently writing in a notebook.  She looked up at Quentin and blushed. </div> <div> Quentin looked at David and smiled faintly.  "All right, I won't bother you anymore.  Over the clothes only, though, okay?"</div> <div> "What?" Hallie asked confused.  David understood, though, and went a deep scarlet, looking at Quentin with real anger.  As Quentin turned away, David shut the door.  Quentin heard David burst out angrily:  "<I>Nothing, Hallie!  Forget it, just forget it!"  </I>He laughed, heading back downstairs.</div> <div> Elizabeth had joined Barnabas and Julia on the patio.  They all turned as Quentin came out to join them.  "They're doing homework.  They don't want to watch."  He leaned over and whispered into Julia's ear, "I'd start talking to them about birth control."  He almost laughed again as Julia literally leaped a foot into the air.</div> <div> "Stop that!" Barnabas barked, spoiling the moment.  </div> <div> Elizabeth, who had heard none of it, gave them all a puzzled look.  She looked back at the moon.  "Oh, look!  It's almost gone!"  She had the wonder of a child in her voice.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id123.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="14: Barnabas in Parallel Time"><U>14:  Barnabas in Parallel Time</U></A>    <A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="16: Demons Possession"><U>16:  Demon's Possession</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cassies Writing"><U>Cassie's Writing</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>