Barnabas

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"All right, I was just trying to help," says Victoria. "I'm not a doctor. As a governess, I just know a little about everything. Maybe you should see a doctor though. I wonder if Dr. Hoffman would be interested."

"I couldn't care less. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a walk."

Elizabeth happens to be nearby, and cautions her daughter. "Be careful. It's nearly nighttime."

"Really, Mother, I'm not a child. Save your warnings for your little brat of a nephew."

With that, she grabs a scarf from the coat hanger near the front door, wraps it around her throat, and heads outside.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I burned the painting," Maggie says to her father in a the hopes of alleviating his reaction with an explanation. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have. But Laura was bad news. She tried to hurt her son, and me. We're better off without her, or it."

On a day she has off, after making sure he has a lunch ready, Maggie decides to pay a visit to Doctor Hoffman. She wants to ask, hypothetically - "I have a friend I'm worried about, but I don't want to get her in trouble" - whether the doctor can use hypnosis to cure an addiction.

Maggie finds Doctor Hoffman busy with lab equipment and a notebook, in an otherwise unused room in the Old House.

"It's a bit hard working without electricity," she says in a friendly manner, "but Barnabas must have his little eccentricities."

After learning the reason for her visit, Doctor Hoffman is optimistic.

"Yes, indeed. I have often had quite a bit of success in such situations." Lowering her voice, she asks "You wouldn't happen to be talking about Miss Stoddard, would you?"

Their conversation is interrupted by Willie, who rushes in with some agitation. He tells Maggie "Maybe you better head on home. It's gettin' dark out there."

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm worried about Carolyn," says Victoria. "I'd go with her, but I don't think she'd appreciate my company."

[SunlessNick]

"Yes, indeed. I have often had quite a bit of success in such situations." Lowering her voice, she asks "You wouldn't happen to be talking about Miss Stoddard, would you?"

Maggie is sufficiently flustered by the question to make it clear the answer is no.

Their conversation is interrupted by Willie, who rushes in with some agitation. He tells Maggie "Maybe you better head on home. It's gettin' dark out there."

Relieved at the chance to get out without telling a more direct lie, she says, "Thanks, Mr Loomis. Maybe I should. Sorry Doctor. Is it ok if I come again soon?" She takes her leave and heads back toward home.

OOC,Maggie is a bit haunted by the memory of both Victoria and Burke rushing at burning buildings while she froze up outside. Or when Victoria was trapped in the secret passage and she froze up then too. As well as Sam's alcoholism, she's wondering if this hypnosis thing could make her a bit braver. [I'm not suggesting anything should come of that - just something it occurred to me she might be thinking]

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I'm worried about Carolyn," says Victoria. "I'd go with her, but I don't think she'd appreciate my company."

"She does seem out of sorts," Elizabeth replies. "I suppose she's had another one of her quarrels with Joe Haskell. It'll all blow over soon, I'm sure."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Yes, indeed. I have often had quite a bit of success in such situations." Lowering her voice, she asks "You wouldn't happen to be talking about Miss Stoddard, would you?"

Maggie is sufficiently flustered by the question to make it clear the answer is no.

"I see. Just a thought. Never mind."

Their conversation is interrupted by Willie, who rushes in with some agitation. He tells Maggie "Maybe you better head on home. It's gettin' dark out there."

Relieved at the chance to get out without telling a more direct lie, she says, "Thanks, Mr Loomis. Maybe I should. Sorry Doctor. Is it ok if I come again soon?" She takes her leave and heads back toward home.

"Certainly. My days are generally free." Her attention is drawn to a hissing sound emerging from a test tube half full of a deep red liquid. The substance hisses and foams, overflowing the tube. "Excuse me." She places the tube into a locked box and secures it. With a laugh, she explains, "Just an experiment gone awry. I'm quite a mad scientist, you see." She winks to convey a sense of self mockery.

[SunlessNick]

"Cool!" Maggie responds to Dr Hoffman's confession. "I'll see you soon."

She dithers slightly about the route back, unsure about going to the main house and trying to get a taxi, or walking back to town. She walks partway to the house before deciding she shouldn't waste the money, and starting for town.

[Mr. Handy]

"I think she should see a doctor," says Victoria. "She doesn't seem well."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I think she should see a doctor," says Victoria. "She doesn't seem well."

"Perhaps you're right. I'll have to talk to Doctor Hoffman the next time I see her. If only Barnabas had a telephone, I could call right now! He really lives in the past, doesn't he?"

Unstated, but well known, is the fact that Elizabeth rarely leaves the mansion even to go as far as the Old House, and never leaves the Collinwood property at all.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Cool!" Maggie responds to Dr Hoffman's confession. "I'll see you soon."

She dithers slightly about the route back, unsure about going to the main house and trying to get a taxi, or walking back to town. She walks partway to the house before deciding she shouldn't waste the money, and starting for town.

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The long walk back home is uneventful. It's a fairly warm, but cloudy night, so it's hard to see much of anything. Fortunately, the lights of Collinsport are enough for Maggie to find her way back, even if she goes off the steep, winding road now and then.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Some time later, Carolyn returns, in somewhat better mood. Her skin is flushed, perhaps from a good, long walk. She smiles at Victoria.

"You know," she says warmly, "a sweet, smart, and pretty girl like you really needs a boyfriend. There's nothing quite like love, is there?"

Humming a popular tune, she heads upstairs to her room.

[SunlessNick]

It's probably time to fix dinner by the time Maggie gets home. She feels a momentary flash of resentment as she does so, even if it makes her feel guilty. She listens to the music box some more later to calm herself down.

[Mr. Handy]

Victoria sighs wistfully. "There sure isn't," she says. "I'd love to find true love."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

It's probably time to fix dinner by the time Maggie gets home. She feels a momentary flash of resentment as she does so, even if it makes her feel guilty. She listens to the music box some more later to calm herself down.

Sam Evans doesn't eat much of his dinner, instead nursing a glass of vodka.

"That paintin' was real good," he says, with a slurring voice. "Shouldn't of burned it. Woulda been worth somethin'." (He has apparently forgotten that he himself thought it was dangerous.)

Listening to the music box brings on dreams that night. Dreams of candlelit ballrooms, of dark, romantic men with tragic secrets, of moonlit assignations. Maggie hasn't slept so well in a long time.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Victoria sighs wistfully. "There sure isn't," she says. "I'd love to find true love."

Carolyn rises very late the next morning, and spends the entire day in a languid mood. When the sun goes down, she heads out the front door, without a word to anyone.

[Mr. Handy]

"It's odd," Victoria remarks. "Carolyn seems depressed and unhealthy during the day, but she's in a better mood and condition at night."

[SunlessNick]

"That paintin' was real good," he says, with a slurring voice. "Shouldn't of burned it. Woulda been worth somethin'." (He has apparently forgotten that he himself thought it was dangerous.)

"I'm sorry," Maggie says, not wanting to get into an argument. "Please eat some more."

Listening to the music box brings on dreams that night. Dreams of candlelit ballrooms, of dark, romantic men with tragic secrets, of moonlit assignations. Maggie hasn't slept so well in a long time.

Maggie is in a better mood in the morning, and after her shift at the diner makes her way back to Dr Hoffman's, this time thinking about coming clean - and with the music box's distraction lingering in her mind, forgetting to go home first. "How does doctor's confidentiality work? she asks. "If I tell you who I'm worried about does that mean you can't tell anyone else?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"It's odd," Victoria remarks. "Carolyn seems depressed and unhealthy during the day, but she's in a better mood and condition at night."

"Perhaps you're right," Elizabeth responds. "There's very little chance of getting her to admit that anything's wrong, however. I think I'll ask Doctor Hoffman over for tea soon, just to have her take a look at Carolyn. Strictly as a social visit, as far as Carolyn is concerned."

When Doctor Hoffman arrives, she chats away about inconsequential things, while observing her unknowing patient. When there's a chance, she takes Carolyn aside and shows her a large brooch of unusual design she always wears. Carolyn is interested in jewelry, so she studies the object closely.

"Look deep into it," Doctor Hoffman says softly. "Watch how the colors seem to change, how the light dances from corner to corner."

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"Yes," Carolyn says blankly.

Doctor Hoffman waves the others away, while she whispers to Carolyn out of earshot. After a while, the two join the others. Carolyn seems calm and cheerful.

As she makes her way back to the Old House, Doctor Hoffman tells Elizabeth and Victoria not to worry.

"I recommend a multiple vitamin tablet with iron as a daily supplement," she says, where Carolyn can't hear. "Other than that, I think she'll be fine."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Maggie is in a better mood in the morning, and after her shift at the diner makes her way back to Dr Hoffman's, this time thinking about coming clean - and with the music box's distraction lingering in her mind, forgetting to go home first. "How does doctor's confidentiality work? she asks. "If I tell you who I'm worried about does that mean you can't tell anyone else?"

"Absolutely. I will not say anything to anyone about what we discuss, without your specific instructions to do so. Now, what's troubling you, dear?"

[SunlessNick]

"It's... it's my... father. He... could you help him to not need to drink so much? If I could get him to come. He'd... be happier if he didn't drink so much... I'm sure of it." Maggie's face is the picture of someone who thinks she's being a Judas saying all this.