In Name Only

Part 7

Still wondering how things had gone so far, how her intentions had been twisted around to exactly what she did not want, and why she seemed so helpless to do anything about it, Natalie carefully read and re-read the terms of her marriage contract to Joshua Collins. It was to be a strictly business arrangement; neither party anticipated the consummation of the union. Natalie was to retain her own lands and properties, her own monies, and her own name and title. Nothing of hers was to become Collins property, and in return, she would expect or accept no support or compensation from Joshua Collins. The marriage was to satisfy the terms the lawyers demanded be met, nothing else. Always a shrewd woman, used to looking after her own interests and concerns, Natalie could see no hidden snags, no legal loopholes that would catch her by surprise later, so in the company of witnesses, she signed the arrangement, watched as Joshua also signed, then the two stood before Reverend Bland and were married. The reverend had performed several marriages for the Collins family recently and knew enough not to question the odd circumstances of any of them. He was certain that if he concluded the ceremony with a minimum of fuss and even fewer questions, Joshua Collins would remember the church well with a generous tithe. "Good afternoon, Ben."

Ben Stokes stopped short and stared at the apparition before him, hovering in the middle of the path.

"You! Leave me be! You were no good when you was alive. Dead you're even more evil!"

"Mind your tongue, Ben, or you shall lose it."

Stokes sighed heavily, defeated.

"Won't you never leave me alone?"

"So long as you are alive Ben, you shall still be under my control; you shall always be my servant. Remember that."

Ben just swallowed hard, knowing if he tried to deny the witch, or turn away from her, she would only make things worse for him. Angelique smiled with smug superiority.

"What do you want?"

"I need you to do something for me, Ben. I need you to help me bring two people together who would otherwise never find one another."

"Who?"

"Why, the new Mr. And Mrs. Joshua Collins, of course."

"You're crazy. They don't like each other."

Angelique chuckled as her blue eyes snapped with amusement.

"I know, Ben, oh, I know."

"Leave them be. They ain't never done nothin' to you."

"You have an incredibly short memory, Ben. Both treated me with disrespect and contempt. For that they shall pay. I shall make their lives far more miserable than they ever made mine."

"You just ain't happy unless you're tormentin' other people, are ya?"

"Enough, Ben. I want no more arguments. This is what you shall do."

Reluctantly, unwillingly, Ben listened to Angelique's instructions. He hated what she ordered him to do, but he had no choice. He knew that – so did she. With a single nod of his head, Ben turned and walked into the woods to collect the herbs she said she needed. Angelique was up to her old tricks. Ben hated having to do her errands, hated being the one who would get caught when something went wrong - and it always did - but he could do nothing about it. Tending to his chores of bringing in the firewood, Ben knocked on the door to Natalie's room. There was no answer, and Ben guessed she was still downstairs. The house was abuzz with the news Mr. Joshua had married the Countess, and now Ben knew why. Angelique had bragged to him about it while she instructed him on how to make the potion he was to give each of them, gloated over how she'd been sending them each dreams about the other, and how easy it had been to make the Countess say yes when she'd intended to say no.

Sighing, Ben knocked again, more loudly this time. There was still no reply, so, entering cautiously, Ben ambled over to the hearth and put his load of fire wood down. He wanted to bolt out of the room, but knew the witch wouldn't let him. Checking the hall to be sure no one was coming, Ben closed the door and crossed to the Countess' bed. Turning the spread down enough to expose the pillows, Ben removed a stoppered vial from his coat pocket, uncorked it, and sprinkled half of the contents on the pillows. Re-stoppering the vial, Ben returned it to his pocket, re-made the bed, and left as quickly as he dared.

At the other end of the hallway, Ben repeated the procedure in Joshua's room. Angelique had also told him the potion was more powerful than the one she'd had him put in Jeremiah's toddy, or than the spell that had caused Jeremiah and Josette to dream of each other and think they had fallen in love. This potion was even more devious and evil than that, and Ben had insisted he didn't want to know what it would do. He would carry out Angelique's orders because he had no choice, but he wasn't going to enjoy what she did to them.

(next chapter)

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