Winds Of Eternity Part 37

Barnabas paced across the room to stand under the portrait. "I have explained that. How many times must I do so? I was wrong. I admit it. I should never have left you behind."

Angelique was off the bed and headed for the door. "This will never work. There are too many harsh words between us. We still argue constantly."

Barnabas was the door before her, locking it, pocketing the key. "Neither of us70.

is leaving this room until we finish this - or dawn, whichever comes first."

"You're impossible!"

"No. I - am - in - love," he stated slowly, emphasizing every word. "With you. And I will not allow you to walk out of my life. Our destinies were joined those nights on Martinique," he said, using her words of long ago against her, "and all of the things that have happened since only joined them more tightly together. Angelique, I was forced to deny my feelings to prevent your throwing your life away on someone who could never have been yours. But things are different now. We are both free, and as soon as Julia's serum ends the Leviathan curse, you will marry me."

Surprised by his forcefulness, Angelique went still. "I want to, Barnabas, but all we ever seem to do is quarrel."

"This quarrel will be settled."

"I don't even know what we're quarrelling about this time," she protested.

He lifted her chin to see her face. "Are you still jealous of Josette?"

"No. I can't honestly say that I could have shared you with her indefinitely. I believe that you would have been forced to choose between us sooner or later - but no. I'm no longer jealous of her. Nor of Roxanne - or Vicki Winters."

"Good. Because you've no reason to be jealous." He let her go and watched as she went to the window. "I'm not so sure that I haven't reason to be, however."

She looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I accepted your reason for the interest in Quentin in 1897, and your marriage as Ca.s.sandra to Roger was only a means to return to Collinwood. But I would like an explanation for why you married Sky Rumsen. Now."

Unsure, Angelique turned back to the window. "I don't owe you an explanation for that."

His hands grasped her shoulders roughly and turned her to face him. The sight of jealous fury in his eyes frightened

Angelique, and she began to struggle against his grip. "Why?" she cried out.

Barnabas' grip loosened, his hands beginning to caress her bruised shoulders. "Because every time I think of you with him, in his arms, like this - " he pressed his lips to hers and wasn't really surprised by her pa.s.sionate response. "Oh, Angelique," he told her at last. "I love you so much that the mere thought of another man having touched you -"

She smiled seductively. "You're the only one who ever really touched my heart, my darling. I had given up on your ever loving me. When I met Sky, I saw a chance to start over. He - reminded me of you in some ways. I really loved him, just as you loved Josette, I suppose. But when you came to Little Windward to ask my help, I knew I hadn't been honest with myself. I still loved you, but I would have stayed with Sky - because nothing had changed. You are the only man I have ever truly loved, Barnabas. There's no need for you to be jealous Sky - of anyone." This time, she pulled his head down to meet her waiting lips...

Angelique woke to a light knock on the door. She was alone, and a glance at the windows told why. It was after dawn. The knocking became more insistent, so she pulled on the robe that Barnabas had thoughtfully left for her, and opened the door. Julia stood in the hall with a tray of food.

"Willie fixed breakfast for us. I thought we might as well have it up here."

"Come in, Julia." She looked at her watch. "It's later than I realized."

"I thought you might need your rest."

"Thank you. Did you see Barnabas this morning?"

"I had to give him his injection - he told me you had fully recovered your memory."

"I thought he might. Julia, how much longer will it be until he's cured?"71.

"At least four weeks, possibly a little longer."

"Four weeks."

"You sound as impatient as he did earlier," Julia said with a smile. She had been concerned when Barnabas had reluctantly admitted what had occurred in this room early this morning, concerned that he had taken a dangerous risk. But seeing Angel-ique's glowing face now, she found it almost impossible to caution the woman against being with Barnabas.

"It's strange, isn't it, Julia? After all these years, and all that's happened, I'm afraid to believe that it's anything more than a dream."

"It's not. If nothing else, this room should be proof."

"Yes. This room. When did he do all of this?"

"After word came that you'd been killed in France. He had me go out to Little Windward to get the portrait."

Something in the doctor's voice drew her attention. "Under protest?" Angelique took a sip of coffee before continuing. "Barnabas and I may have settled our differences, but you and I, well, we have to talk, Julia."

"About what?"

"I've known for some time how you feel about Barnabas. I'm sure my return must be difficult for you."

"Angelique, I was forced to accept that you were the only woman who could ever make him happy when I saw how your death affected him. Amy's arrival was the only thing that kept him from going mad. He had ordered me to stop my experiments, and I'm not sure how much longer any of us could have controlled him, protected him. He was happier this morning than I can recall ever seeing him. That in itself is worth more to me than you can possibly know. Barnabas' happiness is the most important thing. I know you and I haven't always agreed on what that happiness should be, but I value Barnabas' friends.h.i.+p too much to allow our past differences to colour my judgement."

"Then we can make a fresh start?"

"Yes."

There was a knock on the door before it was opened by Quentin. "Good morning, ladies." He sat beside Angelique. "Willie told me the news. You're looking very well, Angelique."

"Thank you. I hope Mrs. Stoddard wasn't too worried when Julia and I didn't return last night."

"She understood that you had probably been caught by the storm and decided to stay here."

"I'd better go and let her know that my memory has returned."

"If you're worried about leaving her without a secretary, don't be," Quentin said. "She told me last evening that there had been several answers to her ad. She wasn't sure why she chose yours, unless it was because you had recently been in France, and when you arrived she hired you because of Barnabas."

"That was my reason," Elizabeth confirmed later. "Something told me to choose Miranda du Bois' letter over the rest, and that feeling was justified when you arrived. One look at Barnabas' face, and I knew I had to keep you here until your memory returned, and the only way to do that was to give you the job."

"You're very fond of Barnabas, aren't you, Mrs. Stoddard?"

"Yes. I think it's past time he was happy. I get the impression that he hasn't had very much happiness in his life."

"No, and I certainly didn't contribute any. Remind me to tell you about it sometime," she said, seeing the curiosity on the older woman's face. "I'll stay on if you want me to, Mrs. Stoddard, until you find someone else."

"Nonsense. You're a guest here. And I'm sure you'll soon be a member of the family."

"Thank you."72.