Part 17 (1/2)
”Tell you what,” Quentin said, putting his gla.s.s down. ”I'll go and give you some help.” He took the keys Maggie held out, then the two of them left the room.
”David's grown so much these last six months. Where is Hallie?”
”Eliot decided to take her to Europe for a couple of months. She's been accepted by a school in New York.”
”I'm glad for her. She never liked leaving there in the first place.” Julia asked Maggie a question about Paris, and Elizabeth noticed that Barnabas had moved to stare out the window, oblivious to the conversa-37.
tion. She went over to stand beside him. ”Barnabas. I'm glad you came over this evening. I don't like the idea of your being alone right now. Why don't you move to Collinwood for a few weeks? We would be glad to have you.”
”Thank you, Elizabeth, but I would prefer to remain at the Old House. But I do appreciate the offer.”
”I didn't know Angelique well, but she must have been very special.”
”She was. Excuse me, Elizabeth. I have somewhere I must go.”
”Of course.” She followed his departure with worried eyes.
Julia followed him as quickly as she could, and Maggie turned to Elizabeth. ”Is something wrong with Barnabas, Mrs. Stod-dard?”
”Do you remember Angelique Rumsen?”
”Of course.”
”Barnabas found out a few days ago that she died in France.”
”I saw the report in the Paris paper,” Maggie said. ”I knew that they had known one another, but Barnabas' reaction -”
”During the last months, he came to the realization that he loved her.”
”Oh.” There didn't seem to be anything else to say.
Later, on the terrace, Maggie recalled Elizabeth's words. Barnabas was such a kind, sensitive man, who deserved to be happy. She had tried to understand the strange - connection, for want of a better word - between she and Barnabas, but hadn't been able to.
Barnabas knew that Julia was waiting at the Old House, but he stood at the edge of the terrace watching Maggie. Her physical resemblance to Josette had drawn him to her so long ago, but now he saw only Maggie Evans as he stepped forward.
”h.e.l.lo, Maggie.”
She turned. ”Oh. Barnabas. You startled me.”
”I didn't mean to. Why are you out so late?”
”I wanted some air before going to bed. I thought you had gone back to the Old House.”
”I started to, but I discovered that I wasn't ready to go home just yet.”
”I can understand that. After Pop died, I avoided going back to the cottage by myself.” The look in his eyes was strangely familiar, and it touched something very deep in Maggie's subconscious mind. Something terrifying. She turned nervously away. ”I - I'm glad you're here, actually.”
”Are you?”
”Yes. I wanted to offer my condolences about Angelique.”