Chapter Four
by Dawn

"I have no idea who or what is behind this 'haunting' Julia, but I believe we can rest assured that whoever it is will be countered by Ben's presence. He's always been a protector to me and I'm certain."

"Barnabas, whatever are you talking about? Ben...Ben Stokes? What makes you think he has any involvement with this?"

"Julia, last night, when we saw Ben in the bedroom."

"Barnabas. Ben was never here. Last night, we returned together, I was extremely tired, invited you to stay and that was the end of the evening." The doctor watched as a perplexed expression crossed Barnabas' face.

Collins processed Julia's words and remembered the encounter with his long deceased yet faithful friend, Ben Stokes. It had to have been a very lucid dream. Julia and Ben would have known each other if Ben had been a spirit as he had acted as Julia's protector in 1840 and she had relied heavily on him for her survival. So why had he had the vision? Was Ben forewarning him of some evil afoot? That certainly seemed to be the case. What had Ben said? "There are evil forces a work...Rosa does not rest...another, one of this plane protects your heart." It was all so confusing. One thing was absolute, there were many evil forces in their joined past. Choosing just one would be a challenge. The one force they had both encountered had definitely been malevolent. There was another, a good spirit, who also was an apparent mystery if it was not Stokes. That much was consistent with the warning. Now, who was behind that music? What spirits were at work in this place? Who was this Rosa that Ben  mentioned?

"Where are you Barnabas? What are you thinking?"

"Julia, last evening, Ben Stokes appeared to me. He has been as much a protector to me in life as Josette has been in death. I have to believe it was a warning of some sort."

"Yes, I'd say that was a safe assumption with all the strange happenings in this place." Julia took a seat across the small table from Barnabas and poured them each a cup of coffee. "You never did tell me why you are here Barnabas. What brings you to The Big Apple?"

Barnabas wanted to be honest and tell her 'she' was the reason he had actually ventured into the city, but he figured that would only cause more tension between them. "Business mostly, Julia. A matter has arisen with the rent control board concerning some of the properties, including this one." Barnabas watched Julia's startled reaction. Had Roger never mentioned the family holdings in reference to this apartment when she sought to relocate? He considered it best to quickly press on as if it were common knowledge. "I came as Roger hates the city during the holidays. He has that continuous 'Bah humbug' syndrome." Julia laughed slightly at the reference. "Plus, it gave me the opportunity to look you up and drop by. It has been far too long since we have been in touch."

Conversation continued with discussions of Julia's work, what the Collins family was doing these days, and how the company was faring when a knock resounded from the door to Julia's apartment. She quickly rose and opened the door to a strikingly attractive man. Barnabas was startled to see the handsome stranger at Julia's door and felt his curiosity peak. This was the type of man, from all appearances, who could attract any woman he wanted. He oozed charm and elegance on top of a finely muscled physique. Was he a model, an actor, what?

"Julia, I was worried about you. It is not like you to be late for brunch. I thought possibly something had happened to you." Barnabas quickly noted the hint of a British accent from Julia's visitor. The man ceased his discourse when he spied Barnabas seated at Julia's dining table, at ease, sipping a cup of coffee. It was quite obvious that the man sitting there had not just arrived from the crumpled attire of sleep that both exhibited.

"I'm sorry Patrick, I completely forgot our arrangements to meet today. I've had an old friend arrive from out of town." She ushered the gentleman in and cast a quick glance at Barnabas. The two men were obviously sizing up the competition as Collins rose at Julia's introduction.

"Patrick, this is Barnabas Collins. Barnabas, this is my friend and colleague, Patrick Jamison. Please, Patrick, help yourself to some coffee. You know where I keep the mugs."

Jamison had moved only two steps when he froze. "Julia, do you feel that?" He looked around the room as if expecting to see something. As if on cue, the mysterious melody began to float through the air. His eyes grew large. "There are invisible forces at play in this room, forces that you should be very wary of indeed." When he looked back at Julia, her eyes were fixed on Barnabas Collins as if she knew exactly what he was referring to. But how could she, they, know?

Part Five