Into the Night Sky

My name is Victoria Winters. Tomorrow, I will awake with a new name. Tomorrow, I will have a family. I came to Collinsport to uncover my past and discover a new future. The past reached out to claim me, and now I must grapple with the ghosts of the pasts to save the future of those I care about.

THE OLD HOUSE: Main Hall

Willie hummed as he worked in the main room. Fresh candles in all the candle holders, chairs gathered in front of the fireplace. He turned to consider the stairs. Yes, Willie thought, everyone will be able to stand and turn to see Miss Vicki come down the stairs. He knew she would be the prettiest of brides. Most of Willie's knowledge of weddings came from sitcoms and movies. He knew it was imperative that flower petals lined the bride's path. He had spent a nice chunk of the afternoon tearing flower petals from their stems (after he finished everything on Miss Vicki's to-do list), and now he had a heaping amount piled in a basket. He carried the basket to the top of the stairs, and then descended, throwing petals as he went.

Barnabas stood in the upstairs hall, watching his manservant happily fling flower petals over the staircase and down the hall. He tried, he really tried, to understand what Willie was doing or why it inspired such happiness in the fellow. Finally, curiosity overcame him.

"Willie, what are you doing?"

Willie looked up and smiled. "Well, you and Miss Vicki don't have a flower girl!"

Barnabas twisted his mouth to hide a grin. "And so you thought you'd take charge?"

Willie looked crestfallen. "I just thought Miss Vicki deserved to walk on flower petals like all the other brides."

"Of course she does, Willie!" Barnabas said. "After all, you know more about 20th centuries weddings than do I."

The doorbell rang. Willie put down the basket of petals and went to the door. Elizabeth Collins Stoddard stood holding a garment bag. "Hello, Willie. I came to help Victoria get ready."

THE OLD HOUSE: Victoria's Room

Elizabeth climbed the stairs steadily. She had fretted all afternoon, trying to decide what to do. Should she leave Vicki to her own devices? After all, the girl had spent most of her life alone. In the end, though, she wasn't going to let her get ready for wedding with only Willie around to help. Plus, what could the girl have to wear? No, helping Vicki dress for her wedding was an experience Elizabeth claimed for herself.

"Elizabeth!"

"I came to help you get ready. And I brought you this." Elizabeth said, holding out the garment bag in her arms. Vicki unzipped the garment bag. A simple white ballgown with a deep v-neck and long sleeves was revealed. It was vintage, not antique, but utterly lovely. "Oh, Elizabeth!"

"My wedding dress isn't appropriate," she's saving it for Carolyn, Vicki thought, "but this was my debutante dress. I had one of the best nights of my life in this dress, and I hope you will as well." Vicki smiled up at her and started unbuttoning the dress.

COLLINWOOD

"Mrs. Johnson, where is Elizabeth?" Sheriff Patterson demanded. Mrs. Johnson looked up, startled.

"I'm so sorry Sherriff Patterson, I didn't hear the door!"

"Yes, well. Where is Mrs. Stoddard?"

Mrs. Johnson knew the way she knew her name was Clara that man hadn't rung the doorbell. However, she wasn't about to question the Sheriff, who happened to be one of Mrs. Stoddard's closest friends. "Why, Mrs. Stoddard went to help Miss Winters get ready for her wedding."

Patterson's face clouded over. He turned and walked out without saying another word. Oh, please, Mrs. Johnson thought, please let tonight go smoothly. Willie had worked so hard on the wedding preparations!

Upstairs, Carolyn raged. Who was Vicki? She was no one! How dare she come between Carolyn and her destiny, being with Barnabas Collins! Her tantrum was loud enough that David heard it several rooms away.

"Your cousin is quite upset, David," Sarah said, suddenly appearing behind him.

"I don't blame her, Sarah. I don't want Vicki to marry icky old Barnabas either," David said. Sarah looked at him sadly.

"But Vicki wants it! And so does Barnabas. I think it's most important we don't let anyone stop them. It's very important, David."

David sighed. "Sarah, I wish you could just tell me why stuff is important or why we need to do stuff."

Sarah sighed back. "I wish I could as well. But I do have a plan."

THE OLD HOUSE

The doorbell rang once more. Barnabas looked around, but Willie was nowhere in sight. Probably constructing wedding favors, Barnabas reflected as he went to the door. His back stiffened when he saw Sherriff Patterson at his threshold.

"Hello, Collins. Mrs. Johnson told me Elizabeth was here with Miss Winters?"

Barnabas blinked. "Yes, she came to assist Victoria in getting ready."

"Wonderful," Patterson said as he brushed past his host. "They upstairs?" he asked as he started taking the stairs two at a time.

"Sherriff, what is this regarding?"

"Elizabeth," the sheriff's voice rang through the hallways. Inside Victoria's room, the women stood suddenly still as Elizabeth did the last buttons on her old debutante dress.

"George?" Elizabeth asked as she opened the door.

"We need to talk. Right away," Patterson said, before seeing the governess. He stopped breathing. He remembered that dress. The feel of it under his hands, the site of Elizabeth laughing standing next to Maddie. "Your dress."

Vicki misunderstood what the Sherriff was saying. "Mrs. Stoddard loaned me the dress. Isn't it lovely? She said it was from her debutante ball."

"Miss Winters, who are you?"

Barnabas burst in behind Patterson. "Excuse me, Sherriff, why are you upsetting my fiancee?" Barnabas saw Victoria. She was wearing a simple white ballgown, modern to his eyes, and looked enchanting. "Oh, Victoria," he breathed out (well, as much as he was able.)

As their eyes met Vicki felt a shot of pure electricity. Yes, her soul seemed to shout, yes. Whatever your reasonings, you are supposed to marry this man. This is where you are meant to be. This is your path. She smiled back at him.

George Patterson was utterly oblivious to the subtext between Barnabas and Victoria. "Please, Miss Winters. I wouldn't bother you before your wedding if it wasn't important. Do you know who your parents are?"

Elizabeth stood completely still. "No, I do not," Vicki answered.

"But you were looking? You were inquiring?" Patterson continued. Vicki nodded, as if in a trance. Barnabas looked at her, surprised. He knew she was an orphan; he didn't know she was seeking answers as to her origins.

"George," Elizabeth breathed out.

"Miss Winters, I did a terrible thing today. I went into your room at Collinwood and I opened your mail." Barnabas tried to hide his self-centered terror. Was there any chance Victoria had written about him? "Miss Winters, your mother was a woman named Betty Hanscombe. Does that mean anything to you?" Vicki's body sagged. Her mother. Her mother had a name. Barnabas slipped an arm underneath her and rifled for a handkerchief.

Elizabeth's mouth was dry as dust. She could not move. She could not say anything. She watched Barnabas tend to Vicki, and was relieved. She certainly couldn't go to the girl at the moment.

"Hanscombe was the name of the butler at Collinwood. Elizabeth and Roger weren't overly fond of the man. So when Elizabeth and my sister were devising a fake identity, they combined their names-Elizabeth and Maddie-and used Hanscombe's last name."

Vicki blinked. "I don't understand," she said.

"In your letters, one mentioned you were left with a necklace?" Patterson asked.

"Yes, yes," Vicki replied. Suddenly, Patterson saw she was holding the old velvet box she had pulled from her desk earlier in the day. "This necklace was in the bassinet with me."

He took the box from her hand. Elizabeth drew in her breath. Now, George would see. Now the secret would finally be out.

"I haven't seen this necklace in twenty-six years. It was my mother's. She wore it on her wedding day."

"Miss Winters, I believe you are my sister Madeline's child. I believe she left you at the orphanage because of your grandfather, Jamison, and then disappeared."

Elizabeth started to speak.

"Jamison Collins is my grandfather?" Vicki's mind cast back over the history of the Collins family that caused her so much trouble. Does that mean Roger...Roger is my father?" Vicki asked in disbelief.

No, Elizabeth thought, no. I can't let this go on.

"Vicki is my sister?" David asked in disbelief from the hallway.