Just a post to keep this comm from being deleted.
Tales From The Collins Family History
Recent Entries
You are viewing the most recent 15 entries.
22nd January 2017
Just a post to keep this comm from being deleted.
10th June 2012
This is just a post to make sure this comm isn't deleted.
3rd March 2010
Attorney Franklin Trimble slammed the door of his black Lincoln Continental Mark III, almost catching the corner of his calfskin briefcase as it shut. He took a deep breath as he paused to adjust his burgundy silk necktie. He wasn't looking forward to presenting the papers he carried to Roger. Deep down, he knew the changes to the Collins trust were not good for the family. Perhaps he would have an opportunity to voice his reservations to his client and, even though Roger seemed oblivious to Franklin's affection, friend.
His newly shined Florsheim shoes crunched on the gravel walk. The grating sound reminded him of Angelique's voice. She'd backed him into a corner at the previous evening's gala to harangue him about finishing up the new paperwork. Franklin had become convinced over the years that Roger Collins had terrible taste when it came to women.
Bracing himself, he knocked on the front door.
3rd February 2010
Willie glanced again at the door. He wondered what was taking Lucia so long. He'd have to get back to the old house soon. Even if Barnabas wasn't there, he had restorations to work on. He pulled the note out of his pocket again. It still seemed like gibberish to him.
He deflated a bit. For all he knew it was someone's shopping list, and nothing very important. It had to be important though. Quentin had been scouring the book for something. He just had a feeling the Quentin knew something he wasn't telling anyone.
2nd February 2010
Carolyn shifted gears in the small blue sports car Uncle Roger had bought for her. He had allowed her to have it against his better judgement. Carolyn thought her uncle was overly sensitive and paranoid about cars, even though she had to agree that the twists and turns of the road that led down Widow's Hill had caused many wrecks. On a clear day like today, however, she handled the curves with ease and enjoyed the feeling of control she had over her automobile.
She glanced at the man sitting next to her. "I hope you don't have too many bags," she remarked. "There's not a lot of room in the trunk."
31st January 2010
Angelique opened both drawing room drawers with a flourish. She always enjoyed making a grand entrance. Besides, soon she'd be the mistress of Collinwood. They should pay attention to her when she entered the room.
Her eyes scanned the room taking in Elizabeth and Carolyn. She dismissed any possible importance to their presence and focused on the young man. He was handsome. Dark hair and dark eyes in a well proportioned face. He appeared to be medium build. The cut of his suit seemed to scream European.
She glance back at Elizabeth. "You should have let me know we were expecting a guest. I would have come down earlier." Angelique plastered on an ingratiating smile.
23rd January 2010
Angelique was coming down the stairs as Lucia was leaving the drawing room. "Avez-vous été en mesure de recevoir du lait frais encore ?" Angelique deliberately spoke in French. She had a feeling the woman would understand her.
Quentin swung open the door to Julia's room in the east wing, standing aside so that Annie could precede him inside. The heavy damask curtains had been opened to let in the morning light. Everything looked recently dusted; Lucia must have been taking advantage of Julia's absence to clean.
The room was dominated by a desk buried in neatly arranged stacks of notebooks and medical publications. A short case against one wall was crammed full of books, and its flat top supported stray personal effects. Quentin noted a pair of calfskin gloves and a brooch lying atop a copy of Life magazine. The bed was neatly made, a folded coverlet draped over the footboard. The room had no closet, but featured a large armoire where Julia kept her clothing. A practical woolen winter coat hung on a wall peg that fought for space with framed diplomas and awards from the doctor's career.
"This is it," Quentin said as they came inside.
12th January 2010
The voices of Carolyn, Elizabeth and Charles were muffled as Quentin shut the drawing room doors before opening the ones that led outside. This was shaping up to be a red-letter day for visitors, he thought wryly. First the mysterious trespasser on the patio, then an English cousin, and now --
"Sheriff Anders," Quentin said, his gut clenching a bit. Any visit by the police to Collinwood was always bad news. He noticed a pretty young girl hovering at the sheriff's elbow. "If this is your new deputy, I commend your department's hiring standards."
Quentin hoped his jocularity would preserve the illusion that nothing was wrong at Collinwood.
11th January 2010
Portraits of long-dead Collinses stared at Lucia as she tread the back stairs down to the kitchen after leaving Angelique and Roger's bedroom. Some might have found their faded, blank stares unnerving, but Lucia had seen much more terrifying things in the eyes of the living. It struck her that Angelique's eyes were a bit cold and dead like those paintings, a thought which cheered her somewhat. Other than the usual harassment an employee must endure from a boss, perhaps there was nothing more to be concerned about where Mr. Collins' wife was concerned.
Reaching the kitchen, she paused in front of the pantry. Her first day here, young David had been hiding inside, leaping out in an attempt to startle her. She had merely raised an eyebrow at his antics and offered him a piece of toast with butter and brown sugar. He devoured it while asking her dozens of questions about Florida, especially curious about whether alligators really ate people and if she'd ever seen a rocket blast off from Cape Kennedy. His visits to the kitchen became regular events. Lucia missed the boy now that he'd been sent away to school. From snatches of overheard conversations, she knew he wasn't doing well there. Perhaps he'd be back soon.
Lucia took a seat at the kitchen table after retrieving the household account book from a counter drawer. Pencil in hand, she began to review the inventory of laundry and cleaning supplies. These were purchased once a month, and the order deadline was a week away.
8th January 2010
"Are you sure your Aunt is missing?" Marcus scanned the earnest young lady's face. "Maybe she just went on a vacation." He'd had the misfortune of having to question Julia Hoffman on more than one occassion about things that went on in Collinwood. He would be almost thankful if she were missing. It would save him a hell of a lot of paper work.
He was beginning to wonder why he'd ever wanted to become Sheriff of Collinsport to begin with. There was a time when Marcus Anders had ambition. That fire had gone out long ago. He just wished all the weird reports that came out of Collinwood would end, and he'd be left in peace. Other than the Collins family most of his other duties came to just breaking up bar fights and jailing the occasional drunk.
He heaved a sigh. "Very well, I'll need you to fill out some paperwork." Technically he should be filling it out but at this point what difference was it if he did it, or she did.
Charlie sat back in one of the more unobtrusive spots in the pub. He scrunched up the corner of the napkin under his ale deciding he was going to have to get used to calling it a bar. There was no way Charles Andrew Collins was going to be able to go back to England now. Not even counting the fact that his father told him he'd have him arrested if he ever saw him again. It didn't help that some very nasty people were looking for him about a few quid in outstanding debt. Few being about the understatement of the century, this or the last one.
He was doing his research thankful that his sister had been interested enough in geneology to trace what happened to the American branch of the family. Hopefully they wouldn't feel that second cousin a few times removed was too distant. Charlie couldn't keep track of how relations were figured. He left the exact calculations to his sister.
Sitting there was another form of research. It was amazing what one could learn in a relatively small town just by easedropping on the locals. He'd pretty much figured out that the Collins family pretty much ran the town. That could be good or bad. He hadn't quite figured out yet which it was.
Taking out the antique pocket watch that just happened to come with him when he left home, he checked the time. Glancing again at the picture pasted in there, his sister would know who the lady in question was. He didn't care. If all else failed he figured he could sell the piece. Time for the family reunion. He called for a taxi. He'd left his bags at the bus station, still not certain what kind of welcome he could weasel out of the American branch of the family.
Arriving at the estate he told the driver not to wait for him. He took a quick look around. The place was quite posh really. He knocked on the door, and waited examining the precision cuts to the topiary trees lining the walkway.
Angelique sat at her dressing table. She glanced over at the form of Roger Collins. A slight frown creased her face. Not exactly the way she'd wanted to become mistress of Collinwood. Picking up the brush she ran it through her long blonde locks. Looking at herself in the mirror not bad for 175. She'd need to reinforce the spell that kept her looking young soon. Sacraficing a virgin was getting harder and harder to do in this day and age. She'd need the blood though to perform the spell.
Willie creeped around the outside of the main house. Quentin had to be in there somewhere. He knew something about Mr. Barnabas, and Willie needed to know where he'd gone to. He was used to being stealthy, it at served him well in his days as a petty thief. Willie looked into another one of the windows. Sometimes he longed for the thrill of those days. That adrenaline rush that came with pulling off a heist. He couldn't do that now. Barnabas had pretty much made sure that Willie was tied to Collinwood, just has he was tied to his coffin.
Elizabeth paced the drawing room trying to decide how best to approach Roger with the news.