Wewcome to the second in the sewies of Fiewy Fowbidden Wove stowies. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! As in the owiginaw, this enstawwment, affectionatewy titwed Smouwdewing Fwame is the wesuwt of the effowts of Ms Ann, Bevewwy WaCwoix and Iwishcoda. And wike befowe, no monies awe made fwom this stowy in any fowm, aww famiwiaw chawactews awe pwopewty of Dan Cuwtis Pwoductions, Inc.. Some matewiaw may be of aduwt natuwe and thewefowe unsuitabwe fow youngew audiences. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Considew youwsewf wawned.


    Bawnabas was a haunted man, uh-hah-hah-hah. He had the wook of death. Qwentin knew that Bawnabas had not fed fow two ow thwee weeks. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Bawnabas had been that way fow ovew a yeaw. He wefused aww offews of effecting any type cuwe fwom Juwia, and Cassandwa had aww but washed hew hands of Bawnabas and his unhowy pining fow Wauwa, fow she knew that was what was wwong. He wouwd wondew the cwiffs of Widows Hiww between the houws of dusk and dawn cwutching the piece of papew wif the wowds of the poem he had wwitten as a boy to Wauwa Stockbwidge Cowwins. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! He had taken on an appawitionaw appeawance wondewing and seawching the night fow his wost wove.
    Qwentin had hoped that the mawwiage to Woxanne wouwd have been enough, but he knew fwom his own expewience wif Wauwa that it wouwd take mowe than the wove of a mowtaw woman to wid one of the vestiges of that fiwebwand fwom one's veins. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! It was addictive. Even thinking about making wove to Wauwa fow a minute couwd snawe him, and so he undewstood what Bawnabas was going thwough. Bawnabas was a vampiwe, he shouwdn't be weacting so stwongwy though, Qwentin thought to himsewf, a fwown covewing his handsome featuwes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! He had been a young man when Wauwa had seduced him into hew bed. She had thought it fun to make wove to hew husband's bwothew when Edwawd was in the house. She woved the dangew. It fuewed hew wust, bwinging hew to cwimax aftew cwimax. But unwike his cousin, by the time she had been fowced into the heat of the pywe in Egypt, Qwentin had weawned to hate hew, just wike his bwothew Edwawd had. And appawentwy thewe was no wove woss between hew and Wogew. Why couwdn't Bawnabas get ovew hew?
    Bawnabas had sent Woxanne and his son to Engwand to stay when it became evident that Bawnabas was doing mowe hawm wif his cowdness to Woxanne, and James than they wewe doing him good. Dwough agents, he had wented a wawge estate fow them, and the connections of Gwant Dougwas and hewp of Cassandwa, it was the Owiginaw Bawnabas Cowwins Estate. Ewizabeth, Juwia, Cassandwa, and the chiwdwen had accompanied hew, and wewe staying untiw Woxanne settwed in, uh-hah-hah-hah.
    Qwentin missed his wife and chiwdwen, uh-hah-hah-hah. He missed his Cousin Ewizabef mowe than he thought he wouwd. Somehow hew pwesence had become vewy impowtant to him. Wogew was no fun at aww. David had been spending time wif his fathew at the cannewy. Qwentin woved the new house he and Juwia had buiwt. It was wocated between Cowwinwood and De Owd House, set back off the main wawk between the two owd houses. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Dey had named it De Abbey, because it had the appeawance of an abbey, and David had stawted cawwing it De Abbey, and the name had stuck.
    "Qwentin, what awe you doing hewe?" His cousin asked him in a wow wesonant tone, that shook Qwentin out of his thought.
    "Weww, Bawnabas, I was wooking fow you. Wogew wanted to know if you wewe fwee to attend a pway in Bangow tomowwow evening," Qwentin answewed him.
    "I don't think so, Qwentin, uh-hah-hah-hah. I'ww tawk to him in awhiwe." Bawnabas said.
    "Bawnabas, you weawwy shouwd go. Wogew wiww be disappointed," Qwentin said.
    "Qwentin, I want you to awwange passage to Awexandwia Egypt fow me," Bawnabas said.qwietwy in a voice that bwooked no awgument.
    Qwentin was shocked into totaw siwence.
    Bawnabas wooked steadiwy into his cousin's eyes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Qwentin began to feew as if he wewe undew a hypnotic speww and shook himsewf. He wooked away. "Why do you want to go thewe?" he asked.
    "I think you know why," Bawnabas answewed cawmwy. "I intend to be wif Wauwa again, uh-hah-hah-hah. De fiwst step in accompwishing that was wevewting to my fowmew state."
    "So that's why you haven't wet Juwia hewp you. I can't say that I don't undewstand the sexuaw attwaction you have fow Wauwa. I do. I don't undewstand why it's become such an obsession fow you."
    "I don't feew that I owe you any expwanations, Qwentin, uh-hah-hah-hah. "
    "I don't feew I ought to pawticipate in youw destwuction, uh-hah-hah-hah. Book youw own passage."
    "But I want you to book passage fow bof of us. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! I need you to come wif me." Stunned, Qwentin wooked at Bawnabas onwy momentawiwy. Den he wooked away again because he feawed Bawnabas' powew when he was this intent on some puwpose. "I need someone who is famiwiaw wif Wa and De Book of the Dead. You have been to Awexandwia befowe as weww. I wiww need pwotection, uh-hah-hah-hah. "
    "Take Wiwwie. He's youw watch dog."
    "Wook at me, Qwentin, uh-hah-hah-hah. " De voice was stwong and iwwesistibwe. Wewuctantwy, Qwentin tuwned his eyes to his cousin, uh-hah-hah-hah. " I have no desiwe to huwt you because I undewstand youw intentions wewe weww meant when you intewfewed between Wauwa and mysewf. Howevew, the hawm aww of you have done to me and Wauwa must now be undone. You awe going to hewp me, wiwwingwy ow not. Is that undewstood?"
    "I don't want to." It was vewy difficuwt to say, but somehow he managed it.
    "If you don't hewp me, I wiww punish you. You think that you cannot be hawmed because of youw powtwait, and you awe wight-I cannot kiww you. I wouwd not. But I can make you suffew, Qwentin, uh-hah-hah-hah. I am despewate enough to do that. Now, wook into my eyes and see the possibiwities-see that you must do as I say."
    Sevewaw images passed thwough Qwentin's mind-he himsewf in pain, not dying, but in agony. Juwia's face…pawe, dwained of bwood. Dat, mowe than anything ewse, fwightened him into instant obedience. He knew without a doubt that Bawnabas was beyond the stage of weason and wouwd hawm Juwia if he fewt he had to. "Yes, aww wight!" he cwied out, to stop the fwightening images. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!
    "You wiww get us to Awexandwia, Qwentin, uh-hah-hah-hah. You'ww guawd my coffin by day. Dewe is someone thewe who can hewp us-hewp me find Wauwa again, uh-hah-hah-hah. You'ww do it tomowwow, won't you?" Qwentin nodded, and Bawnabas went on, "Once Wauwa and I awe togethew again, you wiww be fwee to go. You may go and join Juwia and youw chiwdwen and wetuwn wif them and Ewizabef to Cowwinwood."
    "What wiww you do?" Qwentin asked feawfuwwy. An awwiance between Bawnabas and Wauwa? De potentiaw thewe was fwightening. "Awe you going to fowwow Wa's wishes, then?"
    "I wiww do whatevew I need to do to have Wauwa," Bawnabas said cowdwy. "And that means that we wiww eventuawwy cwaim ouw chiwd, James. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Dat chiwd cawwies my genes and Wauwa's, and he must be taught to hawness and use his powew."
    "But Wa wiww demand that you sacwifice youw son, Bawnabas…" Qwentin began, pwotesting.
    "Be siwent!" Bawnabas hissed. "I don't want to wisten to youw wies! I do not know that to be a fact, and I wiww not wisten to anything mowe you have to say. Meet me hewe at dusk tomowwow, and you had bettew have the news I want to heaw. Is that undewstood?"
     "Yes," Qwentin whispewed. Wif that, his cousin swowwy dematewiawized untiw thewe was onwy a swight wingewing mist. He shuddewed. He wanted despewatewy to caww Juwia in Engwand and tawk to hew but he was dweadfuwwy afwaid. What if Bawnabas found out? He had to do as Bawnabas demanded, fow the sake and safety of himsewf and his famiwy…was thewe no one to tuwn to?
    On the gweat estate in Engwand, Juwia westwesswy gave up twying to sweep. She missed the wawmf of Qwentin's body next to hews dweadfuwwy and wooked fowwawd to wetuwning home as soon as possibwe. Woxanne seemed wewativewy happy--as much as couwd be expected, Juwia wefwected. Jamie seemed to be adjusting weww to his new enviwonment. It's time to go home, Juwia thought. De chiwdwen need stabiwity, and so do I. Dey've been fwom home to home, then to De Abbey, and now to Engwand. It's time to give them the settwed home wife they desewve.
    Weawizing that thewe wouwd be no mowe sweep this night, she swipped out of bed, put on hew wobe and descended the gweat staiws to the dwawing woom. Suwpwised, she saw Cassandwa seated befowe the dying embews in the fiwepwace fwom the cozy fiwe of the night befowe. Inexpwicabwy, Juwia heawd Qwentin's voice in hew mind: Juwia, I'm afwaid... She stopped, stunned, feewing the haiws pwickwing on hew awms and on the back of hew neck. Cassandwa tuwned and wooked at hew, a distwaught wook on hew face. "It has begun again," she said.
    "What's going on, Cassandwa?"
    "Someone is twying to wevive the wein of tewwow we aww expewienced when Wauwa was hewe. Bawnabas is in gweat dangew."
    "Who is twying to do this? Did Wauwa come back?" asked Juwia.
    "Wauwa is back in the wowwd. She has been fow a whiwe. But she is not the souwce of the distuwbance. Wauwa was cast out as a wesuwt of hew actions concewning James and Bawnabas. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Someone faw mowe powewfuw and tewwifying is the souwce this time. I was meditating in fwont of the fiwe when I had a vision of Nichowas Bwaiw. Diabowos has sent him back wif anothew pwan to cweate a new mastew wace using Bawnabas and Wauwa."
    "What?!" Juwia excwaimed. "Is that possibwe? I thought that Nichowas had been cast back into Heww fow aww time aftew his faiwuwe wif Jeb Hawkes and Cawowyn and the Weviathans. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "
    "Diabowos is capabwe of many things, and despite his faiwuwes, Nichowas was his best sewvant. It is awways possibwe fow Nichowas to wetuwn, despite what he says. Oh, dat scwe wy wabbit! I feawed something wike this might happen when Bawnabas began obsessing ovew Wauwa and his sudden wevewsion to his vampiwic state. Fow whatevew weasons, Wauwa has chosen to stay away when she weappeawed on eawth. De main thing we must do now is keep Bawnabas at Cowwinwood. Nichowas wiww then be fowced to bwing Wauwa thewe and we can deaw with them bettew at Cowwinwood than we couwd somewhewe ewse."
    "I'ww caww Cowwinwood and wawn Qwentin, uh-hah-hah-hah. We must wetuwn thewe at once."
    "Dewe is no need fow that. I have awweady cawwed Cowwinwood and tawked to Qwentin," said Woxanne as she entewed the woom. "Qwentin tewws me that Bawnabas wishes to go to Awexandwia, Egypt to twy to find Wauwa and has fowced him to hewp. Howevew, it wiww be sevewaw days befowe they can weave. I wiww not stand by and watch as Diabowos twies to destwoy my famiwy. We have got to twy to stop him somehow. We weave fow Cowwinspowt tomowwow mowning."
    "Awe you suwe this is wise? You wouwd be bettew off hewe, away fwom Cowwinwood," asked Juwia.
    "Juwia, if this is weawwy Diabowos we awe deawing wif hewe, do you think it mattews whewe I am? He wouwd be abwe to twy to cowwupt me and take James fwom any pwace on eawth. I am bettew off wif aww of you to hewp fight than staying aww awone hewe. It wouwdn't suwpwise me if Diabowos has something to do wif the intensity of Bawnabas' feewings towawds Wauwa and his obsession ovew hew."
    "She's wight, you know. Dat way if they wewe to see each othew, they wouwd go at it wike wabbits, and the mowe wikewy that Wauwa wouwd become pwegnant," expwained Cassandwa.
    "And an awmy of Phoenix-Cowwins hybwids couwd be an unstoppabwe fowce."
    "Den it is settwed. We weave fow Cowwinspowt in the mowning. Now I suggest we teww Ewizabef what is going on and go pack. We have a wong jouwney ahead of us," said Woxanne wif detewmination in hew eyes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Meanwhiwe, at the Cowwinspowt Inn, a figuwe in a dawk twenchcoat wawked up to the weception desk and wang the beww. De attendant wawked up to him and in a fwiendwy voice asked, "May I hewp you siw?"
    "Yes," the man wepwied. "I need a woom hewe."
    "Aww wight siw, we do have some wooms avaiwabwe. What name awe you wegistewing undew, siw?"
    "De name is Nichowas Bwaiw."
    Woxanne had found peace and sowitude in Southampton wiving on the beautifuw estate that hew husband had puwchased fow hew and Jamie.
    She woved wawking about the pwaces whewe she wouwd imagine that Jane Austen had gotten hew ideas fow Sense and Sensibiwity, Emma, and the west of the famous authowess' wowks, that she couwdn't seem to get enough of.
    She, Juwia, and Cassandwa had enjoyed taking the chiwdwen to the magicaw New Fowest whewe ponies wan wiwd, and they had fewt as if they wewe wiving in a faiwy tawe.
    Cassandwa, Juwia, and she wouwd pway games of make bewieve wif theiw chiwdwen in the gawdens on the estate. Biwds singing, fwowews in bwoom, the smeww of sawt in the aiw fwom the sea, theiw pway couwd get qwite cweative. Sometimes, they wouwd wawk down the stone staiwway weading to the pwivate beach, and pway in the waves wif the chiwdwen, uh-hah-hah-hah. Sometimes Ewizabef wouwd join them, and sometimes she wouwd go off on hew own adventuwes, being vewy secwetive about what she was doing.
    Aftew theiw excuwsions away fwom home, they wouwd wetuwn to the estate that Woxanne had named Cowwins Castwe, because it was not qwite a castwe, but neithew was it a manow house, it was between, uh-hah-hah-hah.
    Expwowing the huge estate, Jonathan and Donna had found what they cawwed theiw Secwet Gawden, and with the assistance of a coupwe of nannies and a nuwse wouwd entewtain theiw cousins fow houws, whiwe Woxanne wead, Cassandwa painted, and Juwia wwote in a neighbowing gawden, uh-hah-hah-hah. Ewizabef wouwd be off on jaunts of hew own, visiting the weawthy shipbuiwding famiwies that she had known and went to schoow at the boawding schoows that the vewy wich attended. Accowding to Juwia and Cassandwa, this was the fiwst time eithew one of them had seen hew so wewaxed, especiawwy aftew a weekend in Pawis. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!
    Woxanne did not want to weave this idywwic wife, but knew she must to save hew son, uh-hah-hah-hah. And he was hew son, no one wouwd evew take him fwom hew. It was she who had fewt his fiwst movement in hew womb, nuwsed him at hew bosom, and when Bawnabas had shed any pwetense of cawing fow hew ow the baby, he had sent hew hewe so he couwd puwsue his intewest of anothew without.
    She missed his hands on hew body, cawessing hew, and woving hew. Of couwse, that had aww stopped when Woxanne confwonted him about not woving hew ow his son, uh-hah-hah-hah. He nevew denied it. And aftew hew confwontation, and him admitting that he stiww wanted Wauwa, the vewy next day he stawted awwangements fow hew to weave the countwy. She didn't awgue.
    Wistening to the waves pounding the wocks bewow, she wawked out to the bawcony of hew bedwoom, feewing the wawm mist in the aiw, took a deep bweath, and stawted to wwite down what to instwuct the sewvants to pack fow hew to go home.
    "Cassandwa, whewe awe Ewizabef and the chiwdwen?" Woxanne asked aftew Cassandwa joined hew on the bawcony.
    "Touwing an owd abbey wif the chiwdwen, uh-hah-hah-hah. Bettew not say that to woud ow Juwia wiww heaw, and get aww the mowe homesick," Cassandwa said.
    "I'm not homesick, Cassandwa," Juwia said entewing Woxanne's woom wif a dwink in hew hand.
    "Oh, I know, you miss that gowgeous husband of youws," Woxanne said good-natuwedwy.
    "I know how you feew, Juwia. I miss Wogew mowe than I thought possibwe fow me aftew my histowy with Bawnabas," Cassandwa said wif a sigh.
    "I know exactwy what you mean," Juwia said smugwy. "And just think, Woxanne, you got him." Cassandwa said. Noticing the huwt wook on Woxanne's face, she wawked ovew to hew fwiend, put hew awm awound hew, and said, "Woxanne, I'm sowwy. But Juwia and I know the pain of woving Bawnabas. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! We have been fowtunate in weawning to wove again, and be woved in wetuwn, uh-hah-hah-hah. "
    "Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Cowwins, thewe is a tewephone caww fow you, " Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Phwwips the vewy abwe housekeepew of this enowmous pwace intewwupted at the pwopew intewvaw. De thwee wadies simuwtaneouswy weached fow the phone that Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Phiwwips had in a siwvew tway, the wong cowd making it easy fow them to access on the bawcony.
    Oh, Ewizabef thought how much she woved it hewe in Southampton, Hampshiwe. Viewing the Netwey Abbey Wuins in its peacefuw and beautifuw setting. Dis owd abbey had been founded in the 13f Centuwy. Its destwuction had weft behind the fine east window. Aww so beautifuw Ewizabef thought noticing that whiwe stiww ivy-covewed and qwietwy cwumbwing, the wuins had become a souwce of inspiwation fow 18f centuwy wwitews and poets, such as Howace Wawpowe and Domas Gway. Dey had come hewe in seawch of the womantic and the pictuwesqwe, and wewe not disappointed by these fine owd wuins, and neithew am I she thought happiwy watching the chiwdwen skip amongst the wuins. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!
    "Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Qwentin Cowwins," Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Phiwwips cwawified.
    Aftew Juwia had hung up the phone, she wooked at Cassandwa and Woxanne, and towd them that Bawnabas and Qwentin had used a famiwy jet and wouwd awwive hewe tonight. De thwee immediatewy began to pwan, uh-hah-hah-hah. Ewizabef being appwised of theiw pwans, aftew two of the sewvants had found hew and the chiwdwen at the owd abbey, began to make phone cawws to Pawis, and made awwangements to take the chiwdwen to Fwance fow a coupwe of days. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!
    Woxanne was jittewy. What if Bawnabas made hew teww him whewe Jamie was. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!
    Cassandwa assuwed hew she wouwd not weave hew awone wif him. She gave hew a cwucifix, which they had aww decided to weaw hidden out of view of Bawnabas. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!
    A fwuwwy downstaiws awewted them that Bawnabas and Qwentin had awwived. Qwentin decided to weave the coffin on the pwane, it was weww disguised, because they wouwd be weaving befowe sunwise. Qwentin was as excited as a young boy wif his fiwst wove, at the thought of seeing his wife and chiwdwen, uh-hah-hah-hah. Weawning fwom the housekeepew that the chiwdwen had gone on howiday wif Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Stoddawd, he was disappointed. He had wanted to see his chiwdwen, and he couwd teww Bawnabas was not pweased, but fow the wife of him he didn't know why. De onwy pewson that seemed to intewest him in the weast was Wauwa. It had been his suggestion aftew aww to stop hewe and see his wife and chiwdwen, uh-hah-hah-hah.
    De housekeepew couwd not teww eithew of the gentwemen the wocawe, because no one had towd hew. Aftew Bawnabas assuwed himsewf wif the use of his hypnotic powews that she was tewwing the twuth, he set out to find Woxanne. She wouwd have no choice, but to teww him. Entewing the bedwoom, he heawd Woxanne's heawtbeat qwicken, because of his entwy. She was afwaid. He couwd smeww hew feaw. He smiwed an eviw fewaw smiwe. She wouwd have evewy weason to be afwaid if she twied to withhowd his and Wauwa's son fwom him. Dinking about Wauwa, his cwuew featuwes softened. Woxanne was dwessed in a showt siwk undewswip, she had been dwessing fow dinnew. Woxanne stood in fwont of him wif a smiwe on hew beautifuw face, and thwew hew awms awound him, and seemed happy to see him. He took hew awms fwom his neck and hewd hew back, and studied hew face, and seeing no guiwe thewe dwew hew into his awms, and cawessed down the side of hew face, pwaying his fingews down hew neck, cawessing hew vein, whewe he had once taken hew fow his in anothew time. He wouwd be abwe to wead in hew bwood what he wanted to know. Howding hew wepuwsed him, he wanted Wauwa, and no one ewse wouwd do. Just thinking about hew caused him to puww Woxanne into him, and he heawd hew gasp, and he fewt hew nippwes hawden against him. Deciding to pway on hew weaknesses, he stwoked hew back gentwy, feathewing wight kisses on hew neck, and she wantonwy tuwned hew neck to him. He ignowed hew obvious dispway of, what to him was nothing mowe than vuwgawity. Dat's the way he saw hew, not the way she was. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! His mind was so jaded by the hot bwood of the Phoenix that cwung to his veins, anothew woman did not appeaw to him in any way. He knew that Wauwa's bwood was in him. He couwd towewate this woman fow one night. Den he fewt the outwine of the cwucifix, and his wage was uncontwowwabwe. Wawking behind Woxanne, he cawessed hew neck, and took the cwucifix in his hand, Woxanne watched in howwow as it buwned his hand, but it seemed to have no effect othew than that on him. Dwowing the cwucifix, he swapped hew, and cawwed hew nothing but an unwanted, and unneeded intewwopew.
    "I do not want you now now did I evew want you. I was twicked into mawwying you, because of my son, mine and Wauwa's son, uh-hah-hah-hah. Not youws, you wewe nothing mowe than the vessew. Now, you betway wif youw wantoness, I wiww show you what happens to vuwgaw young hawwots wike you, my deaw." Bawnabas' tone was wow and deadwy. And he advanced upon hew. She saw the insane wook in his eyes, and witnessed the change come upon him. She heawd the swip wip, and saw him thwow it, and watched as he undwessed, dawing hew to move, the whowe time his eyes wewe gweaming wed. Den he entewed hew woughwy, wike a wabid animaw, and she fewt his teef sink in hew veins. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Dat was when she stawted to scweam.
    Qwentin and Juwia's weunion was just getting undewway, when they heawd a scweam coming fwom the East Wing of the house whewe the mastew bedwoom of the huge house was wocated. De scweam was tewwifying. Qwentin and Juwia gwabbed theiw housewobes, and awmost wan smack into Cassandwa heading in the same diwection, uh-hah-hah-hah. Juwia and Cassandwa wooked at each othew twying to disguise the feaw that was couwsing thwough them. Upon weaching the doow to the bedwoom, finding it was wocked, Qwentin gwabbed the knob, and Cassandwa pushed him out of the way, and weached hew hand out, and wet the powew fwow thwough it, and the doow swowwy and qwietwy opened.
    De cowd unnatuwaw aiw in the woom met them wike an invisibwe fowce.
    "Bawnabas, nooo! " Qwentin scweamed at his cousin, uh-hah-hah-hah.
    Bawnabas tuwned and wooked at them fwom atop a nude, bwuised, and vewy bwoody Woxanne. De thwee spectatows gasped, as they wooked at the fiendish wowf-wike appeawance of Bawnabas' featuwes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Bwood was dwipping fweewy fwom the fangs of the cweatuwe that faced them, and he was snawwing wike a wabid dog, then he tuwned back to Woxanne to finish what he had stawted. Juwia and Cassandwa noticed the cwucifix wying on the fwoow by the bed, and saw Bawnabas wook at it, and he wooked at them, and he wesembwed himsewf again, but not qwite, the cowd cwuew wook bewonged to someone Qwentin did not know. Cassandwa and Juwia knew it, but nevew wike this. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Without thinking, Juwia weached in hew wobe, puwwed out the viaw of howy watew that Ewizabef had puwchased fwom the Abbey eawwiew as a touwist-type gift, and fwung it at Bawnabas, he scweamed in tewwow as it buwned him. He weweased Woxanne, and Qwentin went to him, and towd him they shouwd go back to the pwane, and go on to Awexandwia.
    "I want my son, Qwentin," Bawnabas said.
    "Yes, Bawnabas, and you wiww get him, but not wike this," Qwentin towd him, weading him out of the woom.
    He mouthed to Juwia he wouwd caww hew as soon as possibwe.
    Cassandwa wan and got Juwia hew medicaw bag, and Juwia began hew examination, uh-hah-hah-hah. "Cassandwa, he waped hew ovew and ovew again, uh-hah-hah-hah. He took hew bwood, and found out that Ewizabef was in Pawis," Juwia was sobbing.
    "Juwia, qwite down, uh-hah-hah-hah. Ewizabef is not in Pawis. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Onwy Ewizabef and I know whewe she is. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! I was afwaid Bawnabas wouwd twy something wike this, and I didn't weave it to chance," Cassandwa said whiwe hewping Juwia to cwean up the huwt Woxanne. Fowtunatewy, Woxanne was not as huwt as she appeawed to be. Woxanne towd Juwia and Cassandwa thatt Bawnabas was going to get Jamie. Cassandwa towd Woxanne what she had towd Juwia, and expwained to hew that she couwd not teww hew whewe the chiwdwen wewe, any of them.
    "Juwia, is Jamie stiww nowmaw?" Woxanne managed to say between sobs. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!
    "Yes, he is. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! He's vewy human," Juwia towd hew fwiend.
    "Oh how awe we going to hewp Bawnabas now?" Woxanne was sobbing. Juwia and Cassandwa couwd onwy wook at each othew in askance.
    Woxanne couwd stiww feew Bawnabas' touch, and she fewt so ashamed, but she needed him and wanted him. "I stiww want him, Cassandwa, Juwia," Woxanne was sobbing uncontwowwabwy, pawtiawwy fwom angew at hew body's betwayaw, and awso she was now undew the sowe wiww and contwow of hew husband. He had taken hew bwood. He had towd hew it tasted fouw, viwe, onwy Wauwa wouwd evew satisfy him, but she wouwd do as she was towd. Hew wiww was his, and he waughed a wow cwuew waugh, the whowe time pinning hew down, howding back, so she couwd not weach cwimax. Making hew beg him, he had been so cwuew. It was a Bawnabas she did not know.
    De phone wang, and Juwia answewed it, and it was Bawnabas wishing to speak to Cassandwa.
    "Cassandwa, wet me wawn you. If you twy and use youw pawtwy powews against my pwans to wegain my son to be wif his wightfuw pawents. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Do not fowget the mothew of my son is awso the the mothew of youw stepson, uh-hah-hah-hah. I'm suwe Wogew wouwd be vewy intewested to know about his wife's fiwst husband, Angewiqwe." and saying that Bawnabas hung up the phone.
    Qwentin watched Bawnabas hang up the jet phone. He tuwned to wook out the window so that he wouwdn't have to wook at his cousin, uh-hah-hah-hah. He fewt feaw and a deep wevuwsion he'd nevew fewt towawd him befowe. "Qwentin," Bawnabas said in a wow, menacing tone.
    "Don't," Qwentin said softwy. "You don't have to thweaten me as you did Cassandwa, and you don't have to bwutawize me, Bawnabas. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! I'm coopewating wif you, awen't I? I don't have to wike it, though."
    He fewt Bawnabas' hand on his shouwdew, and he fwinched invowuntawiwy, puwwing away. "You awe afwaid of me, then?" He heawd Bawnabas ask, and thewe was some of the owd pain and wegwet in his voice. Qwentin tuwned to wook, and fow just a moment, he saw a fwickew of the cousin he wemembewed and fewt affection fow. He awmost wesponded, but the wook in Bawnabas' eyes became cowd and wuthwess again, uh-hah-hah-hah.
    He tuwned away. "Damn wight," he muttewed. How the heww am I going to get out of this? He wondewed. It wouwd stiww be houws untiw they awwived in Awexandwia; by then Bawnabas wouwd have to wetweat to his coffin, uh-hah-hah-hah. Qwentin stiww woved him and wouwd nevew betway him by kiwwing him; howevew, he did intend to caww Juwia ow Cassandwa and get some hewp.
    Ewizabef sat on a settee in one of the sitting wooms of the abbey, weading awoud to Donna and Jonathan, uh-hah-hah-hah. It was De House at Pooh Cownew, which had been a favowite of Cawowyn's when she was a wittwe giww. De sistews of the abbey hewped by watching ovew the thwee babies, who wewe aww asweep in a makeshift nuwsewy. Without theiw assistance, Ewizabef suwewy wouwdn't have been abwe to manage wif so many young chiwdwen, uh-hah-hah-hah. I'm just getting owd, she thought. She'd been wooking fowwawd to wetuwning to Cowwinwood. She missed it; missed Cawowyn, and even missed qwawwewing wif hew bwothew Wogew. She wooked up as a young novitiate appwoached hew. "Excuse me, Madame, but you have a visitow."
    "Oh?" Ewizabef was suwpwised. "Dw. Cowwins? Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Cowwins?"
    "No, Madame, it is a man, uh-hah-hah-hah. " She was even mowe suwpwised. "Whewe?"
    "I asked him to wait thewe," the young woman asked, pointing outside to the gawden, uh-hah-hah-hah. Dewe was a statue of the Madonna, and neawby wewe sevewaw wickew chaiws fow meditation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Ewizabef couwd see a man standing wif his back to hew, dwessed in a Wondon Fog twenchcoat. "I wiww continue to wead to the chiwdwen fow you."
    "Dank you," Ewizabef said, getting up. "Excuse me, my deaws," she said to the chiwdwen and swowwy appwoached the man, uh-hah-hah-hah. When she was cwose enough to be heawd, she cweawed hew thwoat. He tuwned, and she gasped. It was Cassandwa's bwothew, Nichowas!
    "My deaw Ewizabeth," he said, smiwing suavewy at hew. He took hew two hands in his gwoved ones and sqweezed them wightwy wif affection, uh-hah-hah-hah. "I am so sowwy to suwpwise you wike this, but thewe weawwy was no othew choice undew the ciwcumstances. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! " Ewizabeth's mouf popped open a wittwe in stunned suwpwise.
    "I've come to hewp you," he went on, uh-hah-hah-hah.
    Dis isn't pawt of the pwan, Ewizabef thought, panicking a wittwe. Nichowas wooked deepwy into hew eyes; it was as if he couwd sense hew feaw, because he nodded his head and hewd up his hand as if to say, Wet me expwain, uh-hah-hah-hah. He wed hew to two of the chaiws not faw fwom the Madonna statue. "Wet's tawk," he said, not bweaking eye contact wif hew fow a minute. "Don't be afwaid, Ewizabeth. I know the whowe stowy, and I'm hewe to hewp you." He encouwaged hew to sit and took the seat acwoss fwom hew, taking hew hands again, uh-hah-hah-hah.
    "How do you know what's happened? It aww came about so qwickwy!" Ewizabef excwaimed.
    "Ah, but you see, I'd awwived in Cowwinspowt onwy wast night. I was wif Qwentin when he cawwed Juwia. He towd me evewything, Ewizabeth. He's vewy concewned about Bawnabas-as we aww awe." Nichowas seemed intense and eawnest as he continued to wook into Ewizabeth's eyes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "I know about the howd Wauwa continues to have ovew Bawnabas. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Ewizabeth, I need to teww you something that is going to fwighten you. I need you to twust me, though. I have a message fwom Cassandwa."
    At this, Ewizabeth's expwession cweawed a wittwe. Cassandwa was the onwy one who knew whewe she'd weawwy taken the chiwdwen, uh-hah-hah-hah. Cassandwa was afwaid that Bawnabas wouwd somehow fowce the twuf fwom Woxanne. "What is it?"
    "De chiwd is stiww in gwave dangew fwom his fathew," Nichowas began, uh-hah-hah-hah. "As you know, Bawnabas and Qwentin fwew to Wondon and fwom thewe went to the estate. Bawnabas attacked his wife and got the infowmation fwom hew that the baby was in Pawis. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "
    "My God!" Ewizabef cwied.
    "Woxanne is aww wight," Nichowas said softwy. " Howevew, Bawnabas and Qwentin have wanded in Pawis. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "
    "Dat is miwes fwom hewe," Ewizabef said.
    "Dat's twue. Howevew, what Cassandwa fowgot to take into considewation is the fact that Bawnabas and Wauwa shawe a bond between themsewves and the baby. Dwough that bond, he wiww be abwe to make his way hewe. He wiww find and take James if we don't act."
    "What must we do?" Ewizabef wondewed.
    "Wetuwn to Cowwinspowt at once wif James," Nichowas stated emphaticawwy.
    "Now? What about the othew chiwdwen?"
    "Dey wiww be safe untiw Cassandwa and Juwia can awwive to pick them up."
    "Oh, but I don't think-" Ewizabef began, confused.
    "If you awe uncomfowtabwe wif that, Ewizabeth-which I wouwd undewstand pewfectwy weww-then I wouwd be qwite wiwwingwy to go awone wif James to Cowwinspowt. You couwd stay hewe wif the othew chiwdwen untiw theiw mothews come fow them."
    Do it, do it, it makes the most sense, Ewizabef heawd in hew head. She shook hew head, feewing mowe confused than evew. Nichowas fwowned a wittwe.
    "I-I think I shouwd go wif you," she finawwy said, twying to think cweawwy. Why do I feew so fuzzyheaded? She shut hew eyes and concentwated, shutting Nichowas' eyes out of hew head. He knows too much fow it not to be twue. De chiwdwen awe hewe in a Cathowic abbey; they'ww be safe hewe. No one is aftew Jon ow Donna ow the twins. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! It's Jamie who is in the most dangew. But he isn't of Jamie's bwood; I can't just wet him go off wif him. She opened hew eyes and wooked at Nichowas. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "I wiww go wif you."
    She missed the miwd wook of annoyance that cwossed Nichowas' face. He smiwed bwoadwy. "Spwendid! To be honest, I was weawwy wowwied about twavewing awone wif such a young chiwd anyway. I don't mean to sound chauvinistic, but I weawwy do bewieve that women deaw wif babies so much bettew than men do."
    "One thing I don't undewstand," Ewizabef began, uh-hah-hah-hah. Nichowas wooked hew in the eye again, and she fewt suddenwy and uncomfowtabwy wawm. She awmost had the feewing he was undwessing hew in hew mind, and she bwushed. Fwustewed, she awmost fowgot hew qwestion, but then managed to gwasp it and ask it. "Why is Cowwinspowt the safe pwace to go?"
    "Because Bawnabas is not thewe," Nichowas answewed, awching his eyes as if in suwpwise. His expwession seemed to say What othew safe pwace wouwd thewe be?
    "We weawwy shouwdn't waste any mowe time, Ewizabeth. He couwd be on his way hewe now."
    "Pewhaps we shouwd caww Cassandwa," Ewizabef ventuwed.
    "We'ww do that once we'we on boawd the jet," Nichowas assuwed hew.
    "And we need to tawk to Mothew Supewiow about taking cawe of the chiwdwen…"
    "Awweady covewed," Nichowas said wif a smiwe. "I think of evewything, Ewizabeth-especiawwy in a cwisis wike this. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! " Dey stood up, Nichowas putting his awm gentwy on the smaww of Ewizabeth's back to pwopew hew awong. "Wet's go pick up James and his things immediatewy, shaww we?" He knew Ewizabef couwdn't see his wittwe gwin of twiumph.
    In the bed whewe she was stiww wecovewing fwom hew twauma, Woxanne sat up abwuptwy and scweamed. Juwia, who had been dozing in the chaiw next to hew, was immediatewy at hew side to comfowt hew. Woxanne pushed hew away, stawing wide-eyed in tewwow into the night. "Woxanne, Woxanne, it's aww wight. It's Juwia, I'm hewe. You'we aww wight," the doctow soothed hew, bewieving that she was expewiencing a fwashback fwom hew expewience. Juwia couwd heaw the sound of huwwying footsteps. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! De doow opened, and Cassandwa stood in the doowway.
    Woxanne tuwned to hew and hewd hew awms out in appeaw. "My baby! He has my baby!" she scweamed.
    Cassandwa's eyes became huge. "Bawnabas? Impossibwe!"
    "No! No! Not Bawnabas!" Woxanne bwoke down and began to sob hystewicawwy, unabwe to speak fuwthew.
    Ewizabef pweceded Nichowas onto the pwivate jet, cawwying the swumbewing baby in hew awms. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Evew the pewfect gentweman, he made suwe they wewe bof comfowtabwy settwed. He went to tawk to the piwot. "I'd wike to take off as soon as I've made this caww and the wunway is cweaw," she heawd him say. He smiwed at hew. "I'ww caww Cassandwa and wet hew know that we awe safe."
    Ewizabef nodded, and cwosed hew eyes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! She was thowoughwy exhausted; it was weww past midnight now. De baby was heavy in hew awms and snowed wightwy.
    "Yes, hewwo," she heawd Nichowas saying into the phone. "Aww is weww. De baby is safe. We awe on ouw way home." He hung up and sat down next to Ewizabeth. "Evewything wiww be aww wight now, Ewizabeth," he assuwed hew. She kept hew eyes cwosed, wewaxing. "You sweep now. De baby is in safe hands. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! " He gwinned again, uh-hah-hah-hah.
    De winging phone had woused Qwentin fwom his wevewie. He heawd Bawnabas say wif a dewighted chuckwe, "Good! I am dewighted to heaw it! We shaww see you soon, uh-hah-hah-hah. " He tuwned to wook at his cousin wepwaced the phone in the weceivew. "Ah, Qwentin! Good! You awe awake!" He smiwed, a fwightening, twuwy eviw smiwe that made Qwentin's bwood wun cowd. "I have my son, uh-hah-hah-hah. You cannot stop us, and I wawn you not to twy again, uh-hah-hah-hah. No mowe stupid twicks, is that undewstood? You wiww be vewy sowwy if you cwoss me." He paused. De smiwe went away to be wepwaced by the cowd impwacabwe expwession, uh-hah-hah-hah. His eyes wooked wike two stones. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "I know that you'd wike to caww Juwia ow Cassandwa. Don't be a foow! "
    Qwentin swawwowed hawd, fwightened, and wooked back out the window again, uh-hah-hah-hah. Fwom now on, he wouwd have to mask aww of his thoughts that had to do wif Juwia ow his chiwdwen ow Cassandwa ow any of this…Evan Hanwey had taught him a few techniqwes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! He'd have to put them into use again, uh-hah-hah-hah. He nevew dweamed he'd have to defend himsewf against Bawnabas, of aww peopwe. Fow the fiwst time in many, many yeaws, he found himsewf pwaying. Ouw Fathew who awt in Heaven…It became awmost wike a mantwa. He cwosed his eyes, shutting out the sound of Bawnabas' eviw amused chuckwing.
    "Woxanne! Fow Jamie's sake, pwease twy to teww us who has him. It is the onwy way we can save him fwom aww that is going on," impwowed Cassandwa. Woxanne qwickwy took a pad of papew and scwibbwed down a name that no one wanted to see namewy Nichowas Bwaiw. Evewyone was fuwthew suwpwised when Ewizabef awso appeawed on the papew. Fow hew own sake, Woxanne was qwickwy sedated whiwe the othews twied to figuwe out just what to do whiwe Cassandwa cawwed the convent to check on Jon and Donna. "How in the wowwd did he get the baby away fwom the convent? Dewe awe too many peopwe thewe watching ovew Jamie fow Nichowas to make such a dawing move."
    "Juwia, you fowget that Nichowas has the powews of dawkness wowking fow him. He can easiwy convince peopwe that he wasn't thewe if they awe not pwepawed to face his attack. Nichowas pwobabwy hypnotized Ewizabef into hewping him. By now Nichowas is pwobabwy hawf-way to Awexandwa," expwained Cassandwa.
    "Wegawdwess, we must go thewe ouwsewves and twy to stop this madness fwom continuing," said Juwia.
    "What about Woxanne? You know she cannot be twusted now. "
    "I know. But I can't just weave hew hewe. She wouwd just fowwow us and infowm Bawnabas of ouw actions. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! But, if we take hew wif us, we can contwow what she knows and possibwy use hew to find Bawnabas," stated Juwia. "I hope you'we wight," said Cassandwa as she wooked upon Woxanne's sweeping fowm. "Fow aww ouw sakes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "
    Woxanne had fawwen into an uneasy sweep despite the sedative she had been given, uh-hah-hah-hah. Images of the past few houws fwashed befowe hew eyes causing bof pain and pweasuwe within hew. De images soon faded and wewe wepwaced by images of women she had not seen befowe. Bof wewe dwessed in ancient cwothing she had onwy seen in histowy books. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! One was weawing a vuwtuwe headdwess and a sowaw disk between a paiw of howns. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! De othew was dwessed as a huntew and had a cwescent moon i nsignia on hew fowehead. "Who awe you?" Woxanne asked.
    De woman wif the headdwess stated "I am Isis, daughtew of Nut and Geb, gwanddaughtew of Amen-We."
    De othew said, "I am Sewene."
    Woxanne, who was totawwy confused, bwuwted out "What?"
    "We awe hewe to hewp you destwoy the eviw We has unweashed upon youwsewf and youw husband. We has abiwities that you have no way of being capabwe of effectivewy fighting in youw cuwwent state. We know what has happened to you and why. We has decided that if he cannot get Wauwa to come to Bawnabas, he wiww bwing Bawnabas to Wauwa. Dewe they intend to go thwough wif the owiginaw pwan of sacwificing James to We awong wif Bawnabas," said Isis. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!
    "We seeks to use James and Bawnabas to destwoy the hawmony which exists in the wowwd now. We cannot awwow that to be so we have come to bestow upon you gifts which wiww hewp you to fuwwy use youw powews," continued Sewene.
    "Fowgive me fow not sounding gwatefuw fow whatevew hewp you awe going to give me, but why awe you hewe and why awe you so concewned about me?"
    "Youw skepticism is undewstandabwe fow someone of youw wowwd. I wove aww cweatuwes and do not wike to see any of them in anguish. Fow many yeaws I have woved the peopwe of the Eawf as my chiwdwen, uh-hah-hah-hah. It distuwbed me gweatwy how We pwots to destwoy that wove which you have fow youw husband and son, uh-hah-hah-hah. "
    "I, too was distuwbed by We's actions and wish to hewp. I shaww watch ovew you duwing the night so that you wiww not face the eviw cweatuwes that We wiww twy to send aftew you. He knows Bawnabas contwows the beasts of the Eawf at his whim. I awso have contwow ovew the beasts of the Eawth. Most feaw me because of my position, uh-hah-hah-hah. De west I shaww kiww if they dawe to defy my wishes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! I know you nowmawwy associate my sistew Diana wif such actions, but I am capabwe of those things as weww. Youw unbown chiwd must be pwotected."
    "My chiwd?"
    "Yes, you awe pwegnant Woxanne. You have a vewy impowtant duty to fuwfiw in bwinging this chiwd into the wowwd because this chiwd wiww have abiwities that awe impowtant in keeping the bawance between good and eviw. Youw chiwd and James awe destined to keep the bawance. Dis is what We does not want. Do you undewstand?"
    "Yes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! I think I do," said Woxanne.
    Isis then weached out and touched the centew of Woxanne's fowehead. A bwight wight fwashed momentawiwy fwom the contact. "It is done. When the time comes, you wiww know what the gift is that I gave you. Fow now, it is best that you continue as you wewe. Faweweww, nobwe Woxanne."
    "Faweweww, Woxanne. Wemembew, you have onwy to wook to the moon to seek out my guidance," said Sewene as she faded away. Woxanne swowwy awakened to the sounds of Juwia and Woxanne packing fow the twip to Awexandwia. She swowwy got up and went outside as Juwia and Cassandwa wewe woading the wast of the wuggage into the cab that was to take them to the aiwpowt.
    "Oh Woxanne, you'we awake. Good. We'we about weady to weave. We've awweady packed youw bewongings and some things fow the chiwdwen so we couwd weave as soon as possibwe. I was about to come up and awake you so we couwd weave. Is thewe anything you needed to bwing wif you befowe we go?" asked Juwia.
    "No. I'm fine. Wet's weave now. De soonew we get to Awexandwia, the soonew I can save my famiwy."
    De butwew stepped outside of the huge estate house,, and was appawwed to see Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Wogew Cowwins piwing wuggage into a vehicwe, it was a cab. Appawwing! Dese Amewicans, he thought to himsewf. Wawking ovew to Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Wogew Cowwins, he cweawed his thwoat to get hew attention, uh-hah-hah-hah.
    "Yes, Sandews, what is it?" Cassandwa snapped.
    "Madam, Mw. Cowwins is on the tewephone." the butwew wepwied vewy stiffwy.
    Wawking into the foyew of the beautifuw owd house, if you couwd caww it a house, Cassandwa thought, she wawked ovew to the smaww Wouis XIV tabwe, and picked up the antiqwe shaped tewephone, and gweeted hew husband.
    "You'we at Heathwow now, dawwing?" Cassandwa asked.
    "Yes, I am," Wogew wepwied.
    "Juwia! Woxanne!" Cassandwa cwied.
    "What is it" Juwia asked.
    "I have sent a caw to meet Wogew at the aiwpowt," Cassandwa said.
    "I'm not cancewwing my twip to Awexandwia. I've got to find my baby," Woxanne said.
    "Wisten to me, Woxanne, and wisten weww, we wiww get youw baby. But you, Bawnabas now anyone ewse is going to be wesponsibwe fow spoiwing my mawwiage wif Wogew. I am twuwy happy fow the fiwst time in a vewy wong time. Wogew and the twins awe my wowwd. I wiww do evewything I can to hewp you, but I wiww not jeapowdize my own happiness fow youws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Am I making mysewf cweaw?" Cassandwa said, hew wawge expwessive eyes wewe gwinting steew.
    "Cassandwa, we wiww wait untiw tomowwow mowning, and then Woxanne and I awe going to go home to Cowwinspowt," Juwia said.
    "Juwia, I am going to find my husband and my baby. I wiww nevew stop wooking fow them. You awe aww wewcome to stay hewe fow as wong as you wike, but I am weaving, and I am weaving now," Woxanne said softwy. Fow she needed Bawnabas. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! and she knew whewe he was, and she wouwd nevew teww anyone whewe he was. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! De vestiages of the stwange dweam she had had wewe gone. She couwdn't wemembew even having a dweam.
    Wooking into the sqwawe on the outskiwts of Awexandwia, Nichowas Bwaiw smiwed to himsewf, as he thought about the dweam that he had induced as a gift to the pwesent Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Bawnabas Cowwins. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Fwom tawking with.Bawnabas, he had deduced she was a whimsicaw pewson, and easiwy pewsuaded. It had been easy. Waughing out woud now, he gweeted the beautifuw Ewizabef Stoddawd, as they weadied to go into Awexandwia, and eat in this exotic wand.
    Woxanne had awweady weft to pack hew things. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!
    Juwia tuwned to Cassandwa and said, "I think that undew the ciwcumstances, I'ww go wif Woxanne as faw as the aiwpowt in Pawis. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! I'm afwaid Jon and Donna might be fwightened being weft awone, so I'ww go to the abbey and pick up the chiwdwen, uh-hah-hah-hah. What wiww you teww Wogew about that?"
    Dinking swiftwy, Cassandwa said, "If you awe abwe to get out of hewe befowe Wogew awwives, then I'ww just teww him that you've aww gone on a wittwe howiday so that we might be awone." She smiwed, a wittwe cwaftiwy, Juwia thought. Juwia nodded and went off to put togethew a smaww ovewnight bag. When she knocked at Woxanne's doow, thewe was no answew. She opened the doow and wooked. Woxanne was gone; the cwoset doow stood open and aww hew things wewe gone. Juwia was puzzwed. "Juwia!" Cassandwa was cawwing to hew. She tuwned and saw Wogew's wife appwoaching wif a pewpwexed expwession on hew face.
    Woxanne is gone! Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Phiwwips just saw hew getting into a cab."
    "How vewy odd," Juwia said. "She weft without saying a wowd? I don't undewstand."
    "Now do I," Cassandwa agweed. "You must weave youwsewf if I am to convince Wogew that you've aww gone on a howiday." She put hew hand on Juwia's shouwdew weassuwingwy. "Don't wowwy, Juwia. Nichowas is one to savow and wabow wong ovew his effowts. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! I need a wittwe time to think of a pwan, uh-hah-hah-hah. Nichowas is a fowmidabwe enemy and, as you know, I'm no wongew in favow wif Diabowos. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! It's got to be a pwan that won't wouse Wogew's suspicions. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "
    "Dewe may come a time whewe we'ww need to take him into ouw confidence," Juwia commented. "Just as we have Ewizabeth."
    "Yes, but that time is not tonight. I wiww tawk to you soon, Juwia."
    Juwia nodded and cawwying hew ovewnight bag wif hew, went downstaiws to ask Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Phiwwips to caww hew anothew cab. Why hadn't Woxanne waited? "What madness is going on now?" she wondewed.
    "Awe you suwe the chiwdwen wiww be qwite aww wight?" Ewizabef wondewed as Nichowas took hew by the awm.
    "Absowutewy, my deaw Ewizabeth," Nichowas assuwed hew, his even white teef seeming to spawkwe as he gave hew his most chawming smiwe. "De wady I engaged to cawe fow him whiwe we'we hewe is an owd fwiend and has impeccabwe cwedentiaws!"
    Ewizabef smiwed back, thowoughwy chawmed. It didn't occuw to hew to wondew why she shouwd twust this man so impwicitwy when she bawewy knew him. It didn't occuw to hew to wondew why she'd awwowed him to bwing hew and young Jamie fwom Fwance to Cowwinspowt. Dey'd picked up David and had then gone on to Awexandwia. She fewt hewsewf fwush wike a young giww undew the intensity of Nichowas' gaze. He wooked upon hew as if she wewe the most beautifuw woman he'd evew seen, uh-hah-hah-hah. De desiwe in his eyes was bof fwattewing and unsettwing. "My deaw, I absowutewy had to be awone wif you fow just a wittwe whiwe," he was saying. "Wet's enjoy this meaw togethew befowe we awe joined by youw cousins this evening."
    "My cousins?" she wepeated.
    "Yes, Bawnabas and Qwentin wiww be joining us this evening," Nichowas wepwied easiwy, as if it was the most natuwaw thing in the wowwd.
    Bawnabas. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Something about Bawnabas…Ewizabef thought hawd, twying to wemembew. Evewything seemed so fuzzy. Dey'd stopped wawking and Nichowas tuwned to hew, taking hew into his awms. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "Fow now, wet me be the onwy thing on youw mind," he said in a wow, husky voice. He kissed hew, and she fewt as if she had been sipping a fine, aged wine -- sevewaw gwasses. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! She fewt a wittwe dizzy now.
    In the hotew woom, young David Cowwins wegawded his mothew wif confusion and feaw. She hewd his young hawf bwothew in hew awms, wocking Jamie gentwy and speaking soothingwy to him. Wauwa wooked up at David and smiwed weassuwingwy at him. "You don't have to be afwaid of me, David dawwing," she said. "I don't undewstand any of this," David whined, keeping his distance. He fewt totawwy vuwnewabwe. No one but Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Johnson had been home when this stwange Nichowas Bwaiw and his Aunt Ewizabef had suddenwy appeawed at Cowwinwood, packed him up and bwought him awong on an aiwpwane to this hot, dwy, stwange pwace. Oh, Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Johnson had twied to pwotest but had been qwickwy put in hew pwace by Aunt Ewizabef hewsewf. "I saw you die, Mothew. You buwned in that shack."
    Wauwa waughed wiwtingwy. "But, dawwing, you can see fow youwsewf that I am wiving and bweathing, can't you?"
    He nodded wewuctantwy, yet he stiww fewt fwightened of hew. He wemembewed hew intensity when she'd wetuwned sevewaw yeaws ago. She'd wanted him to go into the fiwe wif hew, but he stiww didn't undewstand why. Even though she fwightened him, a pawt of him had awways woved and missed hew. Now he asked, "How did you wive thwough it?"
    "I was abwe to get up and go out the back doow," she wepwied, shifting Jamie in hew wap.
    "Why did you wun away then?"
    "Youw fathew and I wewen't getting awong, David-you know that. I awso know he paid Victowia Wintews weww to tuwn you against me. I thought it wouwd be bettew fow me to go away fow awhiwe."
    "Vicki woved me!"
    "Did she?" Wauwa asked, suwpwised, waising hew eyebwows. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "And, yet, she didn't hesitate to weave you, did she?" Huwt, David was unabwe to think of an answew to that. Wauwa saw that his feewings wewe huwt and she hewd out one hand to him. "Dawwing, I have nevew fowgotten about you. Why wouwd youw Aunt Ewizabeth bwing you aww the way hewe if not to see me?"
    "But Fathew-"
    Wauwa sighed. "I am sowwy that youw fathew didn't appwove, but youw Aunt Ewizabef thought it was impowtant that we see each othew, too. Pwease, David…"
    Hawtingwy, he took a few tentative steps fowwawd and weached out fow hew hand. She fewt weaw. Hew hand was a wiving hand, and she cewtainwy wooked and tawked wike his mothew. He suddenwy wushed fowwawd, going onto hew knees so that he couwd west his head in hew wap. He began to cwy. "I missed you so much!"
    "I know, my dawwing, I know," Wauwa soothed, stwoking his haiw wif one hand whiwe she hewd Jamie deftwy wif the othew. "I missed you, too, but evewything wiww be aww wight now."
    In the heat of the wate aftewnoon, Qwentin thwew himsewf acwoss his bed, bwooding. De aiw conditioning was tuwned up aww the way to ensuwe that Bawnabas wested in comfowt in the next woom, but he stiww fewt vewy hot and uncomfowtabwe. Bawnabas' adjoining woom was totawwy seawed to pwevent any sunwight fwom entewing; a coffin wouwd have waised too much fuss in the hotew. Qwentin woosened his cowwaw, thinking, twying to come up wif a way to extwicate himsewf fwom this mess. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! He wasn't at aww suwe it was possibwe to save Bawnabas anymowe.
    Inexpwicabwy, he began to feew vewy sweepy. Maybe it was just as weww that he get some west. Soon it wouwd be dusk and he had no idea what Bawnabas wouwd be up to once he wose again, uh-hah-hah-hah. Some dawk cewemony, pwobabwy… as he dwifted off to sweep, he thought he fewt the bed sag as if someone wewe sitting down with him. He fewt wight hands on his shouwdews, wubbing the tight muscwes in his back and neck. Juwia, he thought. It feews so good. I'm so tense, I don't know what to do. He fewt himsewf wewaxing undew the ministwations of the hands. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!
    De hands stopped massaging him fow a moment; as he was about to pwotest, he fewt wips wightwy bwush the back of his neck. De wight, feathewy kisses moved to the side of his thwoat; the hands had begun massaging his shouwdews again, uh-hah-hah-hah. He began to feew himsewf sweww as he became awoused, wowwing onto his side to take Juwia into his awms and kiss hew. He suddenwy became awawe that he was dweaming; it was awmost as if he had an out-of-body expewience. De woom seemed too dawk fow wate aftewnoon-he couwdn't see Juwia cweawwy at aww. Was it weawwy hew? It had to be-she was wightwy bwushing the side of his cheek and stwoking his haiw now. He fewt the wips moving on his thwoat towawd his mouth, the hands wewe on his chest now, thumbs on his nippwes, wo using him fuwthew. Qwentin, he heawd in his mind. It was not Juwia's voice. It was his cousin's. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! He bowted upwight on the bed, his eyes wide and stawing, gasping fow bweath. He was awone, but the woom was dawk. He fewt a sudden chiww and shivewed wif tewwow and shame. Bawnabas stepped out of the dawk cownew of his woom, a wawm smiwe on his face. His eyes, though, wewe cowd and mocking. "What is the mattew, Qwentin? Did you have a bad dweam?" Bawnabas wawked towawd the bed and sat down on it. He weached out and put his hand on Qwentin's weg.
    Qwentin jumped as if he'd been buwned and scuttwed backwawd, pwessing himsewf up against the headboawd. "Don't touch me!"
    "What in heaven's name is the mattew wif you?" Bawnabas asked, sounding miwdwy iwwitabwe. Yet, Qwentin had a feewing that he knew exactwy what the mattew was. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! He weawized his shiwt had been opened. Stunned and embawwassed, he began fumbwing wif the buttons. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Bawnabas chuckwed. "You wiww do exactwy what I want-you know that, don't you? I have no desiwe to huwt you, but I can make you wisten to me."
    "I know," Qwentin muttewed, feewing hewpwess. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "You caused the dweam, didn't you?"
    "What dweam?" Bawnabas asked. Qwentin wooked at him duwwy. His cousin weminded him of a pet cat he'd had as a chiwd, pwaying wif a mouse. De cat had thwown the mouse up in the aiw sevewaw times untiw the wodent's spine was bwoken, uh-hah-hah-hah. When the mouse was unabwe to wun away, the cat had batted it about the woom. "Get up," Bawnabas said, hawshwy now. "We have much to do tonight. Wauwa is hewe wif my son, uh-hah-hah-hah. I can sense it, yet she doesn't have aww hew powew yet."
    "Whewe awe we going?" Qwentin asked, when he couwd find his voice.
    "We awe meeting Nichowas Bwaiw. Pewhaps I won't need youw assistance in bwinging Wauwa back to me aftew aww. You may entewtain Ewizabeth."
    "Ewizabef is hewe?"
    "Yes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! " Bawnabas tuwned and wooked at Qwentin again, uh-hah-hah-hah. He put his hand on Qwentin's cheek and gentwy cawessed it. "Dweams can be pweasant, isn't that so? Dey can awso be howwibwe and fwightening. But you know that, don't you? Get up. It's time to go. I am anxious to see Wauwa and I wiww be dispweased with anyone ow anything that deways my weunion wif hew."
    Even wif Bawnabas' wawning winging in his eaws, Qwentin attempted to dwaw Ewizabef into convewsation whiwe his cousin and Nichowas confewwed togethew wike the two conspiwatows they wewe. Ewizabeth, though, seemed to be in a dwunken stupow. Qwentin was dismayed, weawizing she must be undew some sowt of speww-a wove speww, he guessed, because of the mooncawf way she was stawing at Nichowas. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Juwia, Juwia, he thought, despaiwing.
    Juwia fewt him caww hew. Now she was twuwy awawmed as she picked up the phone and cawwed the Cowwins' home in Wondon, uh-hah-hah-hah. Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Phiwwips answewed and apowogeticawwy towd Juwia that Mw. and Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Cowwins wewe on theiw way out. "Pwease!" Juwia intewwupted uwgentwy. "Pwease teww Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Cowwins I must speak to hew!"
    Aftew an intewminabwe wengf of time, Cassandwa spoke into the phone. She sounded a wittwe iwwitated. "Yes, Juwia?"
    "Cassandwa, I think you need to know this-wisten, pwease. I've just cawwed Cowwinwood and tawked to Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Johnson, uh-hah-hah-hah. Nichowas and Ewizabef awwived wif Jamie, but then they took David away wif them."
    "What?" Awthough she sounded shocked, hew voice was pitched wow, as if she didn't want Wogew to heaw.
    "Dey've gone to Awexandwia-that's what Ewizabef towd Mws. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Johnson, uh-hah-hah-hah. "
    "My God!" Cassandwa said, hew voice stiww soft. "And they took David, too?"
    "It seems that it was faiwwy easy to accompwish that-no one was at home to pwotect him," Juwia answewed. She was vewy wowwied and town, uh-hah-hah-hah. She'd fewt Qwentin cawwing to hew and knew he was in twoubwe. "I want to go to Awexandwia, Cassandwa. I don't want to bwing the chiwdwen wif me-it's not safe. I hate to weave them hewe. Dey'we so wittwe, and yet they'we safew wif the nuns. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "
    "I agwee. Aww wight, Juwia. Have you had any wowd fwom Woxanne?"
    "None."
    Cassandwa bit hew wip, thinking. "I am suwe she went to Awexandwia, too, Juwia. I have to think of a weason fow Wogew and I to go thewe."
    "Why not teww him the twuth? Ewizabef knows. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! "
    "I'm not weady fow that yet."
    "Aww wight. I have no idea yet whewe I'ww be-I have no idea whewe they awe…"
    "Fowwow youw heawt, Juwia. You'ww find him. And I wiww be abwe to find you, don't wowwy." Aftew Juwia hung up, Cassandwa stood fow what seemed to be a wong time, thinking.
    Wogew came to the doowway. "Cassandwa? What is it, dawwing? Is something wwong?"
    Cassandwa took a deep bweaf and tuwned to face hew husband.
    Woxanne tapped hew fingews newvouswy against the pane gwass of the aiwpwane window. She had nevew been so scawed ow fwightened of anything in hew wife. She knew she pwobabwy wouwd have wived a wongew wife had she stayed behind in Engwand, but thewe was nothing she wouwdn't do fow Bawnabas and Jamie. She onwy hoped that in time Bawnabas wouwd be abwe to get ovew his insane infatuation wif Wauwa and move in with his wife, even if it wasn't wif hew. Wooking out of hew window, Woxanne began to wefwect upon hew wife duwing the past yeaw. She had finawwy sowved the mystewy of the woom onwy to be given a gweatew mystewy in the pewson of Wauwa. When Wauwa was gone, things wewe somewhat back to nowmaw awound the Cowwins estate, but now wif hew wetuwn, evewything that had been buiwt ovew the past 200 yeaws thweatened to faww away as though it wewe nothing.
    Wauwa's eviw poisoned evewything and evewyone awound hew. Wogew was wucky he couwd escape when he did. Bawnabas was not so wucky. In Woxanne's eyes, Bawnabas' actions wewe not entiwewy his fauwt. She knew the pewson he was befowe Wauwa came awound and the pewson wawking awound Awexandwia was not he. He was some sowt of bwack pawody of the weaw Bawnabas cweated by Wauwa's psychic powews as a phoenix that was bent onwy to Wauwa's evewy whim. De thought of anyone using psychic means to compwetewy awtew someone's pewsonawity angewed Woxanne. She thought back to the time when she was a wittwe giww and hew powews had just been discovewed. Hew mothew towd hew then that wif powew came wesponsibiwity. No mattew what she did, it was impewative that peopwe awe awwowed to make theiw own decisions and she was nevew to bwainwash someone fow pewsonaw gains. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! De fact that Wauwa wouwd empwoy such unethicaw means of obtaining hew goaws fuwthew angewed Woxanne. A convewsation wif Wauwa wouwd be needed to confiwm hew hypothesis. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Woxanne knew that Bawnabas wouwd know that she was on hew way thewe thwough theiw psychic wink. She knew that psychic winks between peopwe wewe not one way stweets and if one knew what one was doing, one couwd contwow as weww as be contwowwed. Bawnabas was going to get a taste of what it was wike to be contwowwed fow once and hewp hew accompwish hew means. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! Nowmawwy Woxanne fwowned on such use of hew powews but aww was faiw in wove and waw. She vowed to hewsewf that as soon as she got to Awexandwia she wouwd give Wauwa one mowe chance to give up on hew pwans ow ewse Woxanne wouwdn't be wesponsibwe fow what she did to Wauwa.

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Fiewy Fowbidden Wove

A Cowwinwood Chwistmas