Barnabas relaxed, saw that Julia had as well. But Roger had questions. "How?"

"You're all aware that I met Barnabas in England before he came here? It's a long story, and not very flattering to myself," she smiled as Barnabas took her hand in his, then continued. "But suffice it to say that I was angry and hurt afterwards. I ran into Ca.s.sandra and Nicholas in Paris and made the mistake of telling them about Barnabas. Never one to miss an opportunity, Nicholas decided that Ca.s.sandra would never have let Barnabas - I think the term he used was 'slip through her fingers', and decided to prove it. I wrote to Barnabas, hoping to

warn him, but Ca.s.sandra had already married you, Roger, by the time the letter reached him."

"What on earth did she have to gain by marrying me?" Roger asked. "If she came here for Barnabas -"

"It was all part of Nicholas' grand scheme. A devious one, but quite normal for him. There was little love lost between my siblings and myself, I'm afraid. Anyway, the plan. Ca.s.sandra was to marry you, and then, after gaining admission to Collinwood through that marriage, make Barnabas fall in love with her. Since neither Nicholas nor Ca.s.sandra wanted to remain in Collinsport, they thought that if Barnabas fell in love with his cousin's wife he would be unable to remain here and would ask her to leave with him. I tried to tell them it wouldn't work. They had no idea how stubborn and intractable Barnabas can be, and my warning to him insured that he would be on his guard. When Ca.s.sandra realized that I had been right, she - left. Dear Ca.s.sandra was never one for sticking around when things began to get messy."

"Where is she now?"

"I'm not really sure. The last I heard, she was with some Italian count. Nicholas never forgave her for spoiling his plan."

Carolyn spoke at last. "You were both here in Collinsport, and you never said a word. Not even when - when Nicholas was with Sky."

"We both preferred it that way, Carolyn. Our parents were divorced when we were all very young, and Nicholas and Ca.s.sandra went with our father back to his home in Philadelphia. I stayed with Mother in France. Father was very like Nicholas. Charming, conniving, devious. Nicholas just took up where he left off."

Roger's gaze shifted to Barnabas. "You knew about Ca.s.sandra that summer and never said a word.

"That's not fair, Roger," Elizabeth intervened. "Barnabas did try to warn us."

"In a very vague way."

"I admit that, Roger, but you wouldn't have listened to the full story. Or believed it."

"You can't be sure of that."

"I can, Roger," Angelique said. "Nicholas, besides being a charming schemer, was an avid student of the occult. So was Ca.s.sandra. I am very sure that she placed some sort of spell on you to make you marry her."

"A spell"?" he questioned, openly skeptical. Then his eyes narrowed. "I don't suppose you are also interested in the - occult?"

"I was," she said honestly. "But not anymore. I have all I can ever possibly need or want now," she told him, looking up at Barnabas. "I am sorry for the trouble those two caused."

"There's no reason for you to apologize. You weren't responsible for anything they did."

"Thank you, Mrs. Stoddard."

"Please, call me Elizabeth, Angelique. You're practically a member of the family, after all."

Barnabas saw the expression that crossed Angelique's face. "Amy was telling me about some sort of plans?"

"Why don't you take me for a walk and we'll discuss them?" she suggested.

Once they were far enough away from the house not to be overheard or observed, Barnabas pulled Angelique into his arms for a long kiss. When he let her go, she asked rather breathlessly, "What was that for?"

"That story. You are a remarkable actress. I almost believed it myself."

"It was the only way I could think of to satisfactorily explain the resemblance. And it gave me the chance to apologize for the things Ca.s.sandra did. I've no doubt that I'll have to think up another story about you and I in London to satisfy Mrs. Stoddard's -Elizabeth's curiosity."

"Her acceptance means a great deal to you, doesn't it?"

"She reminds me of - someone else."

"My mother. She is like her in some ways. My mother accepted you."

"Yes. But only for your sake."

"About those plans that Amy mentioned?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I have them with me. I'll show them to you at the Old House."

"Very well. Amy is quite taken with you."

"You sound surprised."

"No, only pleased. I was concerned that you and she might not get along."

"Amy's growing up. She needs a woman's influence in her life. And she also needs the stability for a home and family."

"Something you never had?"

"I had a home, and my mother, but -"

"You wanted more."

"I suppose. I know I missed having a family."

"You have one now," he told her as they entered the Old House. Inside, he poured her a gla.s.s of port. "I'm still curious about those plans."

She handed him the pages and sat down, sipping her wine as he bent over the sketches. "Where is Willie?"

"I gave him the evening off, and Julia won't be back until much later. Who drew these?"

"Amy did. She has a good eye for measurement and detail."

"I approve of these. I'll have Willie contact the proper people to start this tomorrow. The upstairs improvements will be the priority."

"I think, if you don't mind, that Amy would like - Josette's room."

"Why should I mind?" He pulled her up from the chair. "Angelique, you are going to be mistress of this house, and as such you will have complete charge of it and its operation. Whatever changes you want to make, you are free to make them."

"I don't want to change anything. I like this house as it is. I always have. I just wish I could move in right now."75.

"So do I," he said, holding her tightly. "Everytime you leave, I'm terrified I'll never see you again. I lost you once -"

She placed her fingers to his lips. "You won't lose me again, my darling. I have no intention of letting that happen." She replaced her fingers with her lips.

After several minutes, Barnabas said, "This is where you belong. Where you've always belonged."