Cassandra

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes," says Victoria, "but you might want to make sure your doors and windows are locked, just to be sure."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Very well," Roger replies. "If nothing else, I'm not going to allow my son to set one foot outside this house until the matter is resolved, one way or another. Professor Stokes, Miss Evans, perhaps you'd better spend the night here rather than risk running into the man."

David is greatly disappointed not to be allowed to go hunt for the fellow. Given the circumstances, everyone in the mansion has a restless night.

Spoiler:

2d20

During the middle of the night, both Victoria and Maggie are awakened by the sound of Cassandra's distinctive laughter, coming from somewhere outside. The two women run into each other in the hallway. Perring together through a narrow window, they see Cassandra and lawyer Tony Peterson in the garden. Judging by their gestures, they seem to be having an argument. Tony raises an arm and turns to stalk away, but then turns back around and walks slowly toward Cassandra. They embrace and share a passionate kiss. Then Tony shuffles away, seemingly in a daze, while Cassandra laughs again.

[Mr. Handy]

Victoria gasps quietly. "She's being unfaithful to Roger," she says to Maggie. "I suppose we'd best tell him, but will he believe us? I know he won't want to."

[SunlessNick]

"I think she's doing more than that," Maggie says. "The old car crash that Burke Devlin was put away for? I'm pretty sure Roger Collins was driving, and Peterson's digging it up. I figured it was for Burke, but it looks like it's for Cassandra."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Adding to the mystery of Cassandra's behavior is the fact that she has not yet returned to the home of her husband and stepson, although she was clearly seen nearby. It is a matter of some delicacy as to how much of this information should be revealed to the Collins family, and in what manner.

After enjoying a hearty breakfast prepared by the capable Mrs. Sarah Johnson, a widow of middle years who serves the Collins as housekeeper, Professor Stokes expresses the opinion, when the Collins are not present to hear, that Mrs. Collins may have fallen victim to the missing Adam. (Apparently he is unaware of what happened in the middle of the night.) Like many of his social class, he does not consider it necessary to conceal his opinion from a servant.

"Who's this Adam?" Mrs. Johnson asks as she serves Professor Stokes another cup of coffee. "And if you ask me, Mrs. Collins went and fell off Widow's Hill, as so many have. You mark my words, they'll find her broken body on the rocks below the cliff. Not that I'd say so to Mrs. Stoddard or Mr. Collins. I keep myself to myself, I always say."

[Mr. Handy]

"We actually saw her out the window last night," Victoria says to Professor Stokes, "though who knows what she got up to afterward?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Indeed," Professor Stokes remarks. "How very interesting. If our missing lady has not been taken away against her will, she must have some plan of her own. Tell me, what were her activities during the time you saw her? And should we break the good news to the anxious husband, given the fact that we cannot produce her?"

[Mr. Handy]

"She was with Tony Peterson, the lawyer," says Victoria. "As to what she was doing with him, well..." She blushes.

[SunlessNick]

"She was doing what Vix just made it sound like," Maggie says. "It's trouble, but maybe not anything to do with Adam."

To Mrs Johnson's question about Adam, she says, "We think he's that guy who's been smashing windows."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

When Mrs. Johnson leaves the dining room with the dirty dishes, Professor Stokes remarks "Ah, the eternal triangle, eh? And Mrs. Collins is the hypotenuse, so to speak. And still a newlywed! I might suggest attempting to investigate her movements. Why return to Collinwood for an assignation with her paramour? And, if she is so confident that she dare betray her husband under his very nose, why is she absent from the premises save during these clandestine meetings? There is more here than mere matters of gossip."

When Mrs. Johnson returns to reset the table for the midday meal, having heard nothing of Cassandra's apparent affair, she directs a question at the group.

"How do you know the fellow's name, anyway? Are you acquainted with him? If you know something about the man that you're not saying, you better tell it to the constable. I won't have a decent night's sleep until that maniac is locked up!"

Disregarding the question, Professor Stokes takes his leave, leaving it to the others to explain.

[Mr. Handy]

"Willie referred to him as Adam," says Victoria.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"And what does that Willie Loomis have to do with all this? I wouldn't trust that rascal as far as I could throw him! He works over at the Old House for Mister Barnabas and the lady doctor, doesn't he? As soon as I'm done cleaning up, I'm going to go over there and give him a piece of my mind!"

Whether this plan is going to be carried out or not remains to be seen. A knock at the door interrupts Mrs. Johnson's tirade. She opens it to reveal a man she doesn't recognize.



"Good morning. I'm Nicholas Blair. I presume you've been expecting me."

"Can't say as I have," Mrs. Johnson replies, "and Mrs. Stoddard lets me know about all the folks supposed to be here. What's your business?"

"Well, I simply assumed my sister told everyone about me."

"And who might she be?"

"Why, Cassandra Blair. The former Cassandra Blair, that is. May I see her? I wasn't able to attend the wedding, which I hear was a simple affair at the Justice of the Peace."

Mrs. Johnson doesn't answer, apparently unsure how to tell Nicholas that his sister is missing. While waiting for an answer, or at least to be granted admission, Nicholas glances at the two ladies at the dining table, offering them a smile.

[Mr. Handy]

"Good morning," says Victoria, smiling back. "I'm Victoria Winters, the governess, and this is my friend Maggie Evans."

[SunlessNick]

"Hi," Maggies says. "I don't live here either."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Charmed," the man replies, smiling warmly. He takes the greetings of the young women as an invitation to enter, stepping around Mrs Johnson gracefully. At this time, Roger, Elizabeth, David, and Carolyn come down the stairs, evidently having planned on a later breakfast.

"This fellow claims to be Mrs. Collins' brother," Mrs. Johnson tells them.

"Really, Madam, you make me sound like a common criminal." After introductions are made, perhaps somewhat awkwardly, he announces, "I have a feeling my sister will arrive at any moment."

Almost as soon as the words are out of his mouth, Cassandra comes in the front door, looking somewhat disheveled and tired. She runs to Roger and embraces him, to his surprise and evident pleasure.

"Oh, darling, can you ever forgive me? I was in one of my silly moods. I just had to get away for a while, out into the woods by myself, all night long."

After assuring her that he understands, Cassandra turns to face Nicholas. "I -- I was not expecting you," she says weakly. "I think I'll go up to my room and rest."

"I'll escort you," Nicholas says, taking her arm. "We have so much to talk about." They go upstairs together.

"They're both weird," David says.

As Roger and Elizabeth scold him for his rudeness, Carolyn joins the other two women. Mrs. Johnson withdraws to prepare breakfast for the family.

"For once I agree with the little creep," Carolyn says quietly. "Treating Uncle Roger that way! And he puts up with her. Oh, well, I guess love really is blind, deaf, and dumb."

[Mr. Handy]

"You've got that right," says Victoria. "She was lying to him, too. She wasn't alone."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Really?" Carolyn leans closer to the other two women. "Well, spill it, girls. I've love to to get something on my dear old step-aunt."

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After some time passes, Nicholas Blair returns from upstairs.

"I've had a nice little chat with my sister. I don't think she'll pull any more disappearing acts, Mister Collins. She's always been an emotional creature, you know. Mrs. Stoddard, thank you for your hospitality. I've taken a place in town, so I won't be intruding on you uninvited again. Good day, all."


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Later that evening, the phone rings at the mansion. Mrs. Stoddard answers.

"It's that eccentric fellow Professor Stokes, asking for you, Vicki." (Mrs. Stoddard has recently become less formal with her nephew's governess.)

Taking the call, Victoria learns that Stokes has observed Nicholas Blair at the House by the Sea.

"I believe he saw me glancing his way, so I daren't go near the place for a while, just in case he's up to something. Can't imagine why Mrs. Collins' brother would be there. Any ideas?"

After the call is completed, Mrs. Stoddard says "It's probably none of my business, but can you tell me what in the world he wanted to talk to you about? He's older than I am, dear, hardly the usual company for a young girl."

[Mr. Handy]

"She was with the lawyer, Tony Peterson," Victoria tells Carolyn.

Later, when Professor Stokes calls, Victoria says "Maybe Maggie and I should pay a visit." After the call, she tells Elizabeth "My interest in Professor Stokes is purely intellectual. He's knowledgeable about a variety of subjects. It's important for me to keep up my education if I'm to teach. As for the call just now, he told me that he spotted your new brother-in-law at the House by the Sea."

[SunlessNick]

"I think we should," Maggie says in response to Vix's suggestion.

"Same for me," she says to Elizabeth's question. "I mean, I'm not going to be teaching anyone, but I do want to expand my horizons a bit."

When she and Vix are next alone - whether that's on the way to the House by the Sea or not - she expands on what she said the previous night. "I ran into Tony Peterson on my doorstep, haranguing Dad about the car crash, saying he was lying. The night it happened, he was... well, Dad drinks a lot, and gets confused sometimes... Roger Collins made him say it was Burke driving, and went on at him till he pretty much believed it. But I'm sure it was Roger. I saw Peterson with Burke, so I thought he was working for him. But if he's with Cassandra, then maybe he was just asking Burke questions. And if Cassandra can get Roger put away, she gets all this to herself."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"She was with the lawyer, Tony Peterson," Victoria tells Carolyn.

"Really. Probably trying to arrange for some kind of way to get her hands on everything Uncle Roger has. Well, if that's her little game, she's barking up the wrong tree. Mother controls the purse strings, and batting her baby blues at some shyster isn't going to do her any good. He is kind of cute, though. I might go for him myself."

Later, when Professor Stokes calls, Victoria says "Maybe Maggie and I should pay a visit." After the call, she tells Elizabeth "My interest in Professor Stokes is purely intellectual. He's knowledgeable about a variety of subjects. It's important for me to keep up my education if I'm to teach. As for the call just now, he told me that he spotted your new brother-in-law at the House by the Sea."

"That's very strange. That place has been deserted for years. Hardly a fit place for anyone to live, without some major renovations, like those cousin Barnabas had done for the Old House. And you know how much time, trouble, and money that took. Perhaps he has this Loomis fellow working for him as well. Let me know if you ever run into the man."

Left unspoken is the fact that Elizabeth hasn't left the grounds of Collinwood for nearly two decades, ever since her husband vanished.