by Nancybe

Summer finally gave up the ghost in the small, gothic town of Collinsport to be swiftly usurped by Indian Summer. Brilliantly clear cerulean blue skies reigned imperiously over the landscape, and the warm sunshine thwarted the attempts of the leaves to don their colorful autumn costumes for their final fling before the onslaught of killer winter.

The mild temperatures and cloudless days were an anomaly in the coastal seaport, but their cooperation provided the sisters Hoffman with a plethora of opportunities to stroll the massive grounds of Collinwood and walk the deserted beaches. Julia and Joyce began to renew old ties during their sojourns and reminisced about their father and their memories of childhood. The memories they shared were carefully filtered by unspoken agreement to remove the ugliness, the hurtfulness that had colored so many of them. Julia was making an extreme effort to accept Joyce into her life once again. She still had her suspicions about her, but Julia felt that she owed it to her adored father to give his youngest daughter another chance. Robinson Hoffman had not had an easy life as a widower twice over, and his eldest felt an obligation to perpetuate his family in an effort to honor his memory.

Joyce and Julia had spent a great deal of time together since their "heartfelt" talk the night that Joyce had arrived at Collinwood. Julia had taken her on drives up and down the coast, had taken her antiquing, and had tried to join her sister for as many meals as possible. Julia was optimistic about their evolving relationship and detected little of the resentfulness that Joyce had exhibited so often in the past. Julia’s one regret was that her preoccupation with Joyce had interfered with the time she had available to spend with Barnabas. She had believed that she and Barnabas had reached a crossroads and were about to venture into a new phase of their relationship when Joyce had shown up at the door with hat in hand. She felt that she had to devote her time and energy to pursuing this rapprochement with her sister, but consequently, Barnabas had been put on the back burner, albeit temporarily. The dear man was very understanding, and Julia had tried to include him in her activities with Joyce as much as possible. She wanted her sister and the man she loved to get to know each other better, and she was glad that she had not revealed to Barnabas all of the tragic history she and Joyce had shared throughout the years. Barnabas would therefore be able to forge an opinion of Joyce free of the knowledge of the extent of the pain she had caused Julia.

Julia was pleased that Joyce seemed amenable to Barnabas’ presence on several of their outings. She was friendly to him, but not overly so, and Julia was relieved that Joyce did not appear to be interested in Barnabas. Julia was unaware of the fact that her sister was taking her time sizing him up and trying to determine his weaknesses. The young woman had already deduced that Barnabas Collins was a leg-man; she had caught him looking at her legs more than once, and she made a concerted effort to wear the shortest skirts and shorts possible. She had no way of knowing that Barnabas’ interest in women's legs was accentuated by his experience with women in the 18th century who rarely, if ever, exposed their legs in public. She had also noticed his gaze drifting to her chest, and she certainly knew how to exploit that weakness. Her wardrobe was carefully tailored to accomplish her objectives, and she increasingly wore clothes that were guaranteed to attract Barnabas’ attention.

She took full advantage of the times she was alone with Barnabas to flirt with and flatter him without making him suspicious. She knew this was going to be a delicate effort, winning over her sister’s beau. She could tell that Barnabas and Julia shared a special bond, a very deep and intricate relationship, but she had not been able to get Julia to reveal very much to her about the enigmatic Mr. Collins nor her own history with him. Barnabas appeared to be quite devoted to her older sister, and she wanted to ensnare him before he knew he had been tricked and trapped. And she certainly had to avoid raising Julia’s suspicions before she had Barnabas Collins in her net. She had no doubt as to her ability to accomplish her objective, but she knew that she had to proceed very cautiously in her pursuit. Her other husbands had been such ridiculously easy catches – no challenge at all, really. This was going to prove more difficult, but its added benefit was going to make it so much more satisfying.

Joyce catalogued all of the information she had gleaned form her time with Barnabas and waited as patiently as she could for the opportunity to work her wiles on him. She had an unwitting ally in her corner by the name of Wyndcliffe. Julia had yet again been spending a great deal of time away from her administrative duties while she got reacquainted with Joyce. Her assistants were begging for more of her attention, and when an emergency had arisen, they had clamored all the louder until Julia agreed to handle the situation herself. She reluctantly told Joyce that she would be unavailable for several days but that Barnabas had been gracious enough to agree to entertain her in Julia’s absence. Joyce professed her disappointment but assured Julia that she understood that she had pressing responsibilities, and she was "so impressed that you are in charge of such a prestigious institution. However do you manage it, Julia?" She had nearly choked on these sentiments but had managed to convey sincerity to her sister.

When she learned that Julia had entrusted her to Barnabas, Joyce had difficulty containing her excitement. Maybe this was going to be easier than she had thought.

That evening, Barnabas had taken Joyce out to dinner. She had dressed carefully in a low cut black dress with a slit up one leg, black stockings and 3 inch black heels. At dinner, she had managed to be lively and vivacious without being overly flirtatious, but she had taken several opportunities to lean closer to him and to impulsively touch his hand during their conversation. She watched closely to gauge her reaction on him, and although he was not flirting with her, she was sure that her appearance and actions were not lost on him either. She carefully steered the conversation away from Julia, and tried to find out more about him. Experience had taught her that men, in general, liked to talk about themselves. Barnabas was an odd duck, however, and kept changing the subject back to her. Whatever did old Julia see in this guy anyway? she wondered.

As Barnabas drove her back to Collinwood, she assessed the progress she had made thus far. She felt that she had made a decent start, but she wished that she wasn’t so perplexed by this man. He certainly was different from all the other men she had known, and he seemed so old-fashioned. She felt that she had to make one last effort this evening to make an impression on him, and she decided to take advantage of the uncomfortable high heels she had donned for the evening.

"Thank you so much for dinner, Barnabas. It is very kind of you to look after me while Julia is busy," she purred as he walked her to the door.

"I am glad that I am able to do this, for you and for Julia. It is no bother at all."

"Well, I’m sure that you must have other obligations –" she began just as she lost her footing on the front step. She gave a small cry as she started to fall, and she reached out to grab hold of Barnabas for balance. She felt his strong hands catch her and quickly concealed her triumphant smile as she looked up into his concerned face.

"Joyce! Are you alright?" he asked slightly out of breath.

She clung tightly to him and pressed her body a little closer to his. She trembled as she sought a voice with which to answer him. "Oh, thank you, Barnabas! How clumsy of me. I could have broken my neck! Yes, I’m fine now, really." She continued to look directly into his deep brown eyes and gave her body another shake.

"Are you sure you are alright?" he asked again, beginning to notice how close she was to him.

She smiled and finally released her grip on him. "Yes, I just feel a little foolish, that’s all." She straightened and gave him her hand.

"Goodnight, Barnabas. Thank you again, for everything." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and hurried in to Collinwood leaving Barnabas Collins standing on the front step with a bewildered expression on his face.

The next day, Joyce appeared at the door of the Old House with a book of poems by a modern poet that she and Barnabas had discussed at dinner the evening before. She offered it to him as a gift for breaking her fall at the front step of Collinwood. Barnabas was embarrassed but was also pleasantly surprised by her thoughtfulness. He invited her into the drawing room for a cup of tea, and she gladly accepted his invitation.

Joyce looked around the room trying to garner more ammunition with which to win over this unusual man. She settled herself on the divan and carefully arranged her skirt to reveal just enough leg to capture his attention without arousing his suspicions.

"Joyce, it really wasn’t necessary for you to bring me a gift," he said self-consciously.

"Yes, Barnabas, it was, and besides," she smiled sweetly, "I had an ulterior motive."

"And what is that?" he asked returning her smile. She really is a lovely creature, he thought as he took in her appearance. She looks so alive and that long red hair….

"I wanted to hear you read some of them. You have a wonderful voice, the tone and the modulation – I’ve taken some voice lessons myself and I so appreciate listening to a man with those special qualities in his voice. Would you read some of them to me, Barnabas? Please? Or are you too busy right now-" she asked, starting to put a slight pout on her face.

"Why, uh, of course I’m not too busy. I’d be happy to read a few of them." He looked around the room for the book and found that she was holding it up in her hand with a smile.

"I have it, Barnabas. Please come sit next to me so that you don’t have to shout."

Barnabas recited the poems to her for the next hour during which she oohed and ahhed over his interpretations and reading. She was alternatively subdued and enthusiastic depending upon the subject matter and mood of the poems, and several times leaned closer to him or placed her hand on his leg to express her reactions. Barnabas couldn’t help noticing how perfect her complexion was and how her green eyes seemed to dance with a light all their own. He was consciously trying to push away these thoughts when Willie appeared in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt you, Barnabas, but you do have that appointment you wanted me to remind you of." Willie gave Joyce a careful look. He didn’t trust her. She was a snake, he just knew it. He had been one once too, and he could still tell his own kind. He felt badly thinking this way about Julia’s own sister, but he had a gut feelingabout her. She was bad news.

"Oh, thank you, Willie, I had quite forgotten," Barnabas said getting to his feet. "I’m terribly sorry, Joyce – "

"Nothing to be sorry about, Barnabas,"she said, rising and adjusting her skirt. "I completely understand. I’ll be on my way." She turned to face him before she reached the front door. "Oh, are we still on for tomorrow? The art festival in town? I’m really looking forward to it."

"Yes, of course. In fact, Julia called and told me she might be able to join us."

Joyce tried to keep her annoyance from showing on her face. "Oh? Is she going to be finished up at Wyndecliffe so soon?" she asked in surprise.

"Yes, she thinks so. I told her she could just meet us there if she gets done in time."

"Great! Well, until then." She gave him a smile that seemed reserved only for him and breezed out the door.

"Watch out for that one, Barnabas," Willie said in a wary voice once she was gone.

Barnabas gave him a sharp look. "What are you talking about, Willie?"

"I have a bad feelin’ about her, Barnabas. She gives me the creeps."

"Don’t be ridiculous, Willie." Barnabas said with a frown. "Joyce is Julia’s sister. Why should you be worried about her?’

"It’s just a feelin’ I have," Willie said shaking his head. "I know she’s Julia’s sister and all, and I feel bad about it, but I can’t help it. Besides, she and Julia don’t even get along, do they?"

"That’s all past, Willie. Julia and Joyce have resolved their differences. They’ve become quite close again."

"I don’t know, Barnabas," Willie maintained. "I’ve met her kind before – and so have you."

The next day dawned crisp and clear, and it was obvious from the slight chill in the air that Indian Summer was losing its grip on the coastal town. Barnabas drove Joyce to the annual art festival, which was held in the streets of Collinsport. Joyce held tightly to Barnabas’ arm as they strolled among the displays, commenting on the various works of art for sale. She began to loosen the reins she had put on herself and flirted more openly with him, laughing up into his face and flattering him shamelessly. Barnabas was not immune to her charms, and he was beginning to feel uncomfortable about her nearness to him when he spotted Julia coming toward them down the street.

"I see Julia," he announced in a relieved tone, and Joyce abruptly released her hold on his arm. Barnabas watched Julia for a moment as she made her way past the booths, looking for them. The slight breeze billowed her skirt giving him a tantalizing look at her slim legs. The sunlight accentuated the coppery highlights in her hair, and the brisk air reddened her cheeks giving them a healthy glow. When she finally noticed him, her emerald eyes came to life, and she hurried over to fall into his waiting arms.

"I’ve missed you, Julia," he whispered eagerly into her ear.

She returned his fierce hug and gave him a glowing smile. "You sound like you haven’t seen me for weeks," she teased.

"It feels that way," he answered in an enigmatic tone.

Joyce looked on, her face masking the disgust that she felt. Why did Julia have to show up just when she was beginning to make progress? "Hi, sis," she managed to say with a smile. "Did you get everything straightened out at that hospital of yours?"

"Yes, thank goodness, for now at least. We have rather a volatile situation up there right now, which could unravel at any moment. I might have to return if they can’t get things in order. But there wasn’t any more I could do at the moment so I decided to join the two of you."

"I’m so glad you could get away," Barnabas said in a low voice, and Julia wondered about the odd note she heard there.

As Joyce watched them, her anger and frustration began to mount. She knew she should she stay close by them, but she was afraid she would not be able to control her fury if she did. She had been so close! But she mustn’t jeopardize what inroads she had been able to make with Barnabas by saying the wrong thing now. She had to get away from them, and rethink her plan in private.

"You two look like you want to be alone," she laughed lightly. "I think I should make myself scarce."

"Oh, no, dear, "Julia said quickly. "Please don’t feel that way! Stay with us, we can all go out to dinner and –"

"No, sis, I see Carolyn right over there. I’ll hitch a ride back to Collinwood with her, and you two lovebirds can have some time to yourself."

"Really, Joyce, that’s not necessary! Barnabas and I are glad to have your company," Julia pleaded.

"Nope, you’re not going to boss me around this time," Joyce said with a smile. She flagged Carolyn down and started off in her direction, not giving her sister another chance to argue with her. "See you later!" she called.

Julia turned back to Barnabas with a frown. "I feel terrible about this, Barnabas. I didn’t want her to think we were trying to get rid of her. Maybe I should go after her –"

"No, Julia, she seemed quite determined to leave us alone." He took her in his arms again and kissed her gratefully. "Let’s accept her gift, and enjoy ourselves, my love." He kissed her again determinedly before she could say anything more.

Back at Collinwood, Joyce Hoffman stomped into her room and headed over to find solace with her closest friend, her mirror. She was furious that Julia had shown up and that Barnabas had been so obviously glad to see her. She glared at her mirror image, biting her lip in rage.

"Why would he choose her over me?" she ranted out loud. "I’m younger, I’m prettier! What could he possibly see in her that he doesn’t see in me?" She stamped her foot and turned to walk to the window.

She felt the laughter before she heard it. It seemed to flow through the walls of her room, reverberating against her body. The sound of it, when it came, was musical and yet harsh, and it made her arms crawl with gooseflesh. She whirled around to see a blue mist ushering from the mirror, a thick fog that seemed to almost coalesce then recede back into shapelessness. She gasped in terror, but she was unable to keep herself from being drawn to the looking glass.

The reflection that met her eyes was not her own but that of a young woman with golden locks which looked like they had been spun by Rumpelstiltskin himself. The eyes were of the clearest blue, large pools that threatened to swallow her alive. The woman wore a flowing gown of the purest white, and her face was lit by the most malevolent smile Joyce had ever seen.

"He has changed, grown," the woman intoned in a matter of fact voice. " He has realized that beauty goes beyond what is reflected in a mirror. He has finally recognized his true feelings for Julia. This is why he has resisted you."

"Who are you?" Joyce asked trying to keep her voice steady.

"I am Barnabas’ wife, but you need not understand. You and I share the same goal, Miss Hoffman, to destroy Barnabas’ relationship with Julia. You have not met with much success, yet," she said smugly. "I can help you, Joyce."

"Why would you want to do that?" Joyce asked suspiciously. She was always suspicious of other women, especially beautiful ones who appeared suddenly in her mirror.

"He claimed he loved me, but he has forgotten me so easily," the woman spat. "Julia has always been there for him. She has always been so unselfish and so pure of heart. He appreciates her now. I vowed two centuries ago he would have no one if he did not accept me." Her tone was venomous. "We can help each other, Joyce. I can give you the words you need, the means to win him away from your dear sister."

"But why don’t you just do this yourself?" the redheaded beauty asked, her curiosity overcoming her terror of this mirror image.

"I am no longer allowed a corporeal existence on earth. I need human assistance to achieve my goal. You can help me."

"So you can’t have him for yourself anymore?"

"No, but with you, I can prevent him from having another."

"You have been meting out your revenge on him for 200 years?" Joyce asked in amazement. "Wow, you are one hell of a bitch, aren’t you?"

There was admiration her tone, but the other woman did not hear it, and was offended by her words. "I have been told by friends that you yourself are no angel," she said, drawing herself up indignantly.

"Don’t get me wrong, dearie," Joyce laughed. "I meant that as a compliment. I think we could make quite a team."

She regarded the blond woman with a confident smile. "You’ve got a deal."

MORE TO COME.

Parts:

Back to the Fanfiction Index