Part 15 (2/2)
”Really, Carolyn.”
”It's true, Mother. He was in love with Vicki, she married Jeff Clark and left; then Maggie left for Europe with Sebastian Shaw; and now Angelique.”
Elizabeth frowned at Julia. ”Will he be alright?”
”I think so, Elizabeth. I stayed up all night, letting him talk about her. I'm hoping it helped. Speaking of Maggie, have you heard from her lately?”
”As a matter of fact, I have. I received a letter yesterday. She and Sebastian have gone their separate ways, and she's returning to Collinsport.”
David's eyes lit up. ”Is she going to be my governess?” Since Prof. Stokes sudden decision last week to take Hallie to Europe until the fall and then put her in a private school in New York, he was lonely. During the winter, he and Hallie had gone through35.
three governesses - simply because the women weren't Maggie.
”If she wants the job, yes.”
”Uncle Roger might not agree. He was livid when she ran off with Sebastian.”
”Roger will adjust,” Elizabeth said with confidence.
Barnabas' depression had not lightened that evening, as Julia had hoped. If anything, it was worse. He submitted to her tests, but said almost nothing. She found him near dawn in what had once been the master bedroom.
”Julia, I want you to do something for me.”
”If I can,” she said. She had learned from experience that giving Barnabas carte blanche could be dangerous.
”Go to Little Windward. See if the portrait of Angelique is there.”
”And - if it is?”
”Bring it here.”
She understood. ”You're going to hang it here in this room, aren't you?”
”Does it matter?”
”Yes. Yes, it does matter. You turned the other room into a - shrine to Josette. Now you plan to repeat that - making this one into a shrine to Angelique. it's unhealthy to -”
”Will you do as I ask? I could simply send Willie -”
He was determined to have that portrait, she realized. Knowing the impossibility of arguing against his intractability, Julia said, ”No. I'll go, Barnabas.”
The house at Little Windward had been closed since before Sky Rumsen's death, and dust covers lent the rooms an eerie air. The portrait was in its place, and as she looked at the blond woman's beautiful face, she said, ”If only you knew what your death was doing to him. You hated that shrine to Josette even more than I. And now he's doing the same thing all over again be-
cause of you. Dare I go back and tell him that the portrait was gone? No, she decided. He wouldn't believe me. I have to take it to him.
Willie finished hanging the portrait over the mantle as Julia watched. ”I don't know, Julia. You think maybe he's goin' crazy?” he asked.
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