The Trial of Angelique

[SunlessNick]

Josette nods demurely and steps down. Should it be permitted, she will remain in the audience gallery, wishing to support Victoria during her own testimony.




Millicent relates the effect of the box upon her. After this, she returns home and proposes the very thing that was stirred in her - that perhaps it may be to her betterment to spend a little time in New York away from the scene of such tragedies. (It will be apparent to Joshua at least that her desire seems somehow at odds with her).

Vicki,Nathan puts the bones in a bag and conceals them somewhere on the estate. He is frustrated but not too concerned yet about the maid's failure to discover the dolls. Angelique is no danger until the trial is finished, and the servants will have more chances to find their prize. In the meantime, his own tesimony will surely be called for, which he can use to delay matters or even cast doubt on the Reverend's version of events. For that matter, is Jeremiah still on the estate? Presumably the defence means to call him - if so, Nathan will play the part of the dutiful indentured and offer to transport him into town by cart.

[Mr. Handy]

"Miss Winters, did you see Angelique give Josette the music box?" asks Reverend Trask.

"I did," says Victoria. "We all did."

"How did she change after receiving the box?"

"She became more and more melancholy as time went on. At first I thought it was due to her broken heart, but if that had been the case, her condition would have improved as time went by. Instead, her melancholy grew worse. That's when I thought it might be the music box affecting her."

"What happened then?"

"I began to accompany Josette on her walks out of concern for her. She always took the music box with her. One day, she went toward the edge of Widow's Walk to cast herself off the cliff."

"What did you do?"

"I called out to her and ran to catch up with her, in order to stop her. I managed to wrest the music box from her grasp, and as soon as I took it away, she stopped."

"Did the music box affect you in any way?"

"It did. I felt a sudden wave of homesickness, but it passed as soon as I shut the box."

"Did Josette change after she no longer had the box?"

"Yes, she began to improve over time once she no longer had it."

"What did you do with the box then?"

"I realized that Angelique must have used it to try to get Josette to take her own life. I brought the box to you, reasoning that you would know what to do."

"And rightly so. You have done very well. Did anyone accompany you when you brought me the box?"

"Yes, Jeremiah Collins came with me. I discussed the matter with him, and he agreed that we should bring it to you. Josette was also present."

"I'm going to have to ask you some difficult questions, but it's important that we get everything out into the open." This way I can blunt the defense's arguments, thinks Reverend Trask. I ask the questions myself first, framing them in the best possible way and preventing him from using them effectively against her. "Why did you go to Jeremiah Collins first?"

"Because...I trust him."

"And why do you trust him?"

"Because I sense that he is a good man, and because...because he declared his love for me."

"And how do you feel about him?"

"I respect him, of course, and I care about him. I care about everyone. But I do not feel about him the way he feels about me."

"How did you respond to him?"

"I told him that I do not wish to rise above my station, but he persisted in his affections. I explained to him that we could never be together, and he did accept this. He did not take advantage of me, as a man in his position could have done, which is one way I know he is a good man. Were circumstances different, I could perhaps have allowed him to court me, but it would have been improper."

"Improper, like the maid Angelique taking Barnabas Collins away from his intended, who happened to be her own mistress. There has been much malicious gossip about you, gossip that the defense counsel has repeated in his opening statement. There are rumors that you sought to seduce Jeremiah Collins, in the hopes of marrying him and getting your hands on his family's fortune. Is there any truth to these rumors?"

"None whatsoever."

"If you had wanted to marry Jeremiah Collins, could you have?"

"Easily. He would gladly agree, I'm sure. His brother Joshua Collins would have been appalled, but he could not have prevented it."

"As indeed he was appalled when the defendant did that very thing with his son. Do you know why Jeremiah Collins fell in love with you?"

Victoria shook her head. "I don't know, not for certain. Who can know a man's heart? But it did seem very sudden and unusual."

"Have you ever seen anything like that happen with anyone else?"

"Yes, when Barnabas Collins fell in love with Angelique."

"What do you think of the coincidence?"

"I don't think it is a coincidence. I think, as do you, that both instances are witchcraft."

"Why should Angelique cause Jeremiah Collins to fall in love with you?"

"I don't believe that she intended to do that. I think she meant for him to fall in love with Josette, in order to break up her planned marriage with his nephew so that Angelique could have him to herself. It must have gone wrong, and he fell in love with the wrong woman. When it didn't work, she must have decided to try the direct approach and caused Barnabas to fall in love with her."

"Thank you, Miss Winters. By two or three witnesses shall all things be established. Of course, I have more witnesses than that. I have no more questions at this time."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Peter Bradford chooses not to cross-examine the witness.

"However, Your Honors, there is at least one statement made by Miss Winters which I wish to bring into question, for it casts doubt upon the entire testimony. With your indulgence, I should like to make a single inquiry of Barnabas Collins. My learned opponent shall, of course, have opportunity to direct any further questions he likes."

There is discussion among the magistrates. The eldest then remarks, "This is somewhat irregular, Mister Bradford, but the court will allow it. We shall also keep in kind that a man may say anything, even under oath, in order to save the life of his wife."

"Thank you, sir."

Barnabas, in a subdued mood, is brought to court and sworn in.

"Mister Collins, I must ask you a question that may be painful to answer. I only ask you speak the plain truth."

"Of course."

"Mister Collins, do you indeed love your wife?"

There is a moment of silence, then a whispered "No. I have come to respect her, but my heart will always belong to Josette."

There is much noise from the observers. The eldest magistrate bangs his gavel.

"Order! I will have order!"

"It is no secret that men often marry for reasons other than love," Barnabas continues, "and such is my case. I married Angelique to restore some degree of the honor that I so foolishly threw away, one mad night in Martinique."

"Thank you, Mister Collins. Your Honors, does this sound like a man fallen victim to a love spell? Is there even a trace of the feverish passion displayed by Jeremiah Collins? I contend, sirs, that the most damning accusation against my client -- the sole and only motive for her alleged crimes; namely, her desire to possess the love of Barnabas Collins -- disappears once it is placed under examination! If there be no love spell placed upon Mister Collins, as I have shown there is not, then Angelique Collins is no witch!

"Your witness, sir."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Nathan,Jeremiah is indeed still in residence at Collinwood. Knowing that you are a man with much experience of women, he opens his heart to you, asking if there shall ever be anodyne for the agony of unrequited love.

[SunlessNick]

Nathan,Jeremiah is indeed still in residence at Collinwood. Knowing that you are a man with much experience of women, he opens his heart to you, asking if there shall ever be anodyne for the agony of unrequited love.

Vicki,"[color=#004080]None that I have heard of, sir. Love has always seemed a cuel emotion to me, one better guarded against.[/color]"

[Mr. Handy]

"I would like to point out something of which my learned colleague may be unaware, Your Honors," responds Reverend Trask to Peter Bradford's statement, "that a love spell cannot long suppress true love, which is ultimately stronger. Over time, the spell will weaken as the victim's feelings for his true love, in this case Miss Josette DuPres, resurface. Thus, he may still have been influenced by a love spell at one point, but by now he no longer feels the affect. The only way to prevent this would be the elimination of the object of his true affections - which is precisely what would have happened had the defendant's plan succeeded and is also motive for the attempted murder." He approaches Barnabas. "Mr. Collins, did you ever feel love for your wife?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Nathan,Jeremiah is indeed still in residence at Collinwood. Knowing that you are a man with much experience of women, he opens his heart to you, asking if there shall ever be anodyne for the agony of unrequited love.

Vicki,"[color=#004080]None that I have heard of, sir. Love has always seemed a cruel emotion to me, one better guarded against.[/color]"

Nathan,Jeremiah sighs, and replies "I fear you are right. It brings nothing but pain. If only there were some way to break its spell!"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

After giving the matter some thought, Barnabas makes reply.

"If you had asked me that question some months ago, during my time in Martinique, I might have responded positively. I know not whether it was the moonlight blazing on the gentle waves breaking over the ivory beaches, whispering like a lover's voice; the fierce tropical heat, relieved by gentle rains, like angels' kisses; the cries of colorful birds, that seem to have borrowed their plumage from the rainbow; the scent of exotic flowers, like the perfumes of so many fine ladies; the savor of pineapple and rum and coconut and spices with the touch of fire! At that moment, yes, on that single mad night, I would have said I loved Angelique, with flesh if not with soul.

"But that was long ago and far away. Here, in dreary, cold, gray New England, I knew my so-called love for what it was; animal lust. Forgive me, Josette! Forgive me, Angelique! I have wronged you both!"

He slumps at the witness stand, nearly collapsing, and has to be led out of the court.

"Silence! There must be silence or I will clear this court!

"You may call your next witness, Reverend Trask, and I trust it will not be one so given to dramatics!"

[SunlessNick]

Nathan,Jeremiah sighs, and replies "I fear you are right. It brings nothing but pain. If only there were some way to break its spell!"

Vicki,"[color=#004080]It took an act of betrayal to free me from my love for Suki and let me know her for what she was. An irony that such a thing was salvation.[/color]" [I assume at some point one of Natha or Suki betrayed the other, but why Nathan is really saying this is an attempt to push Jerimiah into denouncing Victoria on the stand, since he presumes that the rumoured infatuation between the two is what Jeremiah is talking about. Besides his leaving doll in Josette's room, he intends to use his own testimony to emphasise how Josette and Victoria have been associating a great deal lately, despite their difference in station.

[SunlessNick]

As Barnabas's outburst, Josette opens her mouth as if to call out to him from the audience gallery, but she realises she would not be able to make herself heard over the general reaction in any case. However anyone looking will notice that she follows his passage from the courtroom with wide eyes - she does not make any effort to leave the gallery and go to him, fearing that such would compound his humiliation.

[SunlessNick]

Millicent goes to see how Daniel is doing. She has been much focussed on herself and her troubles lately - it is long past time that she enquired of her brother's well-being amid these troubled events.

[Mr. Handy]

"The defense witness is certainly a man of strong passions," says Reverend Trask, not missing an opportunity to point out who had called him. "My next witness strikes me as a sensible young lady. I call Miss Millicent Collins to the stand." He wants to get her testimony on the effect the music box had on her while it is still fresh.

[Mr. Handy]

Victoria sits beside Josette, supporting and comforting her.

[SunlessNick]

OOC:   Assuming Millicent's visit to Daniel takes place earlier or later than this.

Millicent takes the stand, repeating, "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God."

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you, Miss Collins," says Reverend Trask. "You volunteered to try holding and opening the music box earlier. Please describe to the court what happened when you did so."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Millicent goes to see how Daniel is doing. She has been much focused on herself and her troubles lately - it is long past time that she enquired of her brother's well-being amid these troubled events.

Daniel is doing quite well, and is showing signs of increasing maturity, now that the responsibility for the family fortune has fallen into his hands.

"I suggest, dear Millicent, once this unpleasant affair is over, that we may our way back to New York. The inhabitants of this wild region are hardly more civilized than the aboriginals!"

[SunlessNick]

"I suggest, dear Millicent, once this unpleasant affair is over, that we may our way back to New York. The inhabitants of this wild region are hardly more civilized than the aboriginals!"

"Oh, Daniel, I am so pleased to hear you suggest such a thing. I have been entertaining the same thought myself. This place has been a source of trials. Though I must say, our parents would be proud of the way you are facing them. More so than they would of I."

"Thank you, Miss Collins," says Reverend Trask. "You volunteered to try holding and opening the music box earlier. Please describe to the court what happened when you did so."

"Of course, Reverend. The music touched a deep longing in my mind. I remembered New York, and the life I knew there. I felt a desire to return there, a desire that remains even now."

[SunlessNick]

"Thankyou Victoria," says Josette quietly.

[SunlessNick]

Upon arrival at the courthouse, Nathan bids Jeremiah farewell before seeing to the horses' care. "Good luck to you, sir, if it is not presumptious to say so. May we both find our way through the labyrinth this day promises us."

[Mr. Handy]

"You're welcome." Victoria whispers back, "and thank you for being here for me as well."