Once upon a time...

  It was 1760 when Collins family decided to leave from Liverpool, making sure they didn't take anything with them what they wouldn't surely need.
 This meant naturally that, not all Collins family servats were allowed to come.
Young Angelique, and her mother, was one of those who were in danger to be left in Liverpool, wandering streets homeless, hoping to find new home.
 Three days before leaving, youngest of Collins family, Barnabas, was out very late. Worrying what has happened to her son, Barnabas's mother sent fer servants to look for him.
 Angelique heard of what was happened and run out to look for her youngest master. Very little she knew of the youngest member of Collins family, but she knew very well what he looked like. Running down the streets she kept looking around, hoping to find young Barnabas before others.
  For her luck, she heard familiar voice screaming help from beach near by.
She run to the beach, finding little boy who had hurt his ankle badly and Barnabas Collins himself keeping company for the boy.
 Angelique looked at Barnabas for while, stand straigh and kept her hands behind her back; "Young master Barnabas." She said in her strong French accent, trying her best to speak clearly and not mix French words in her speech.
"Yes" Barnabas asked and looked at couple years younger girl with slightly sad look in his eyes. He didn't know even her name, and he had lived in same house with her ever since she was born. Now this poor girl had to work all day when he could sit in his room reading or be out playing.
"Your mother is very worried..."Angelique said and stopped to think right words to sound proper, "You should come home now."
Barnabas nodded, "Yes, of course... but my friend Thomas-"
Angelique took hold of Barnabas's hand and looked into his eyes, "I stay and help. You must go home."
Barnabas looked at his friend and then back to Angelique, "What is your name?" He asked.
"Angelique Bouchard, young master Barnabas." Angelique answered.
"Angel..." Barnabas whispered.
Angelique looked at him, "Ce que vous avez dit ?" She asked and shake her head then, "I'm so sorry, I-"
Barnabas stoppped her by placing his hand to her shoulder, "Je l'ai dit, vous êtes l'Ange"
Angelique blushed and looked down. "Thank you. Master Barnabas."
Barnabas nodded, "As you said, I should be going home. I trust you to take good care of my friend."
"Of course. I will"
"I'm terribly busy last days here, but you can tell me everything what happened here when we get into the ship. Alright?"
Angelique looked away. "I am not leaving with you..."
Barnabas looked at her eyes wide. "Whyever not? You must come."
Angelique looked at him, "Your parents take only those they need. I'm too young to work as hard as they need me to."
Barnabas stand straight, "I will insist them to take you with us. There I will have no friends, and I most definitely need someone of my own age to practise dancing with me." He stepped closer to her and whispered: "Do you know how to dance?"
Angelique tried not to laugh, "Of course I know."
Barnabas smiled, "Perfect. Then I must have you with me in new land."
Angelique smiled back to him, "Sounds great."
Barnabas nodded his good bye and run back home as Angelique looked after him as long as she was able to see him, until turned to see the boy who was sitting in the ground.
"Do you speak French?"
Boy shake his head.
Angelique sighed, "This will be difficult."
         Couple days later Collins family took all they needed and prepared to leave Liverpool.
Barnabas was already spoke to his mother about allowing Angelique to come, and trusted her power to make his father change his mind.
 "Barnabas, come here my boy" Barnabas heard his father calling.
"Yes father?"
"After considering your suggest to take young Miss Bouchard with us, I have decided to..."
"Decided what father? Can she come?"
His father smiled, "Of course she can. You thought very wisely my boy, we didn't remember that you indeed need partner to practise proper dancing. It is very important if we think of your future. Balls are exellent way to meet fine ladies, and to charm one, you must have perfect manners, and good dancing skills."
Barnabas smiled, "Thank you father."
   As they were on their way to the ship, Barnabas saw Angelique just once. He smiled to her and kept going, hoping that he might meet her sometime during their trip, but Angelique was not allowed to join her host family's company.
 
 It took no less than 15 years, as Collins family build their home and town around it. Now 25 years old, youngest master of Collinwood, was well aware of his responsibility of making sure he found good wife. This was proven to be great challenge, and he feared that his simple curiousity would lead to unfortunate marriage, he run to his old childhood friend Angelique hoping her to help him.
    Angelique was in dinin room, cleaning the table when she heard someone coming. She quickly turned around and kept her hands behind her back, looking down. "Excuse me, I have not known the room was needed so soon. I am nearly ready." She said.
She heard footsteps coming closer and she hold her breath, she was surely in trouble now.
"Angelique? It is you..."
She looked up and saw him. Barnabas Collins. The very man who haunted her dreams.
Barnabs stand where he was, amazed by her natural beauty even she was wearing old, bit dirty dress. Though he shouldn't have been surprised, she was cute girl years ago, of course she would be lovely looking woman now.
"Master Barnabas." Angelique said breathlessly, "I did not know you was coming. I wasn't told that you need the dining room, I thought I had time to clean it and, and- "She looked down, "I'm sorry."
Barnabas placed his hand gently under her chin and made her look into his eyes, "I didn't come here because I needed this room, I came to find you."
Angelique looked at him eyes wide, "Excuse me?"
"I need your help."
"My help?"
"Yes... I don't know what to do. I have to, most regretably so, admit I have no one single idea how to please women, let alone charm them." Barnabas sighed heavily.
Angelique tried not to laugh, "Oh no worries master Barnabas, by what I have heard, you are very wanted man."
Barnabas looked at her, "How do you know such thing?"
"I go to the town every Friday to help cook to get all needed. I just happened to hear some girls talking"
"Hm" Barnabas nodded and looked at her while thinking.
"Oh no!" Angelique said and quickly keps cleaning the table, "I can't just stand here without doing anything."
Barnabas blinked in surprise and came to her, taking hold of her wrist to stop her. "I command you to leave this duty to someone else and come me with me now."
Angelique turned to look at him, "Come with you?" Her heart skipped a beat as she thought of that.
"Yes." Barnabas said and smiled, "I need practise dancing."
Angelique smiled as well and nodded, "Of course, master Barnabas."
 "Come, I shall tell my parents to sent someone else finish the work here." Barnabas said and lead Angelique to his fathers working room.
"Barnabas, come in my son." His father smiled when he heard knock from the door.
"I have freed Angeli- I mean, Miss Bouchard from her duty to clean dinin room and all other duties she has for today. I need her help to practise dancing." Barnabas said.
His father nodded, "Of course son, of course. I sent Mrs. Brown to take care of rest work."
"Thank you." Barnabas nodded and lead Angelique to his room.
Angelique looked around. Her heart beat two times faster than usually. She had dreamed of being alone with Barnabas for years now, never getting chance for it, and now when she had already nearly given up all hope, he came to find her.
 Barnabas settle down his cane and turned to look Angelique, stopping for while just to follow how this beautiful creature wandered around his room like it was most exciting wonderland to her. He smiled as Angelique stopped to see some of his books.
"Poetry."
"I'm sorry." Angelique asked and automatically step back, leaving the book where it was like she didn't even touch it.
 Barnabas came to her and take the book she had looked. "Do you like poetry?"
Angelique looked down, "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have touch anything. I promise it won't happen again."
Now Barnabas understood, she feared to do any mistakes. Blindly believing she didn't have right to do anything, she through h was angry for her.
 He offered te book for her, "You may consider this as a gift. Keep it."
Angelique looked at him totally surprised, "E-excuse me?"
He smiled gently and took hold of her hand, placing the book in her hand, "It's my gift for you. It's yours now."
Angelique looked at the book and then back to Barnabas, blinking her eyes to fight back tears. "Thank you." She said so quietly, he hardly heard her.
He placed his hand to her cheek, "You welcome, Angelique."
She hold the book against her chest and Barnabas noticed nasty bruises she had on her wrist. He reach out to touch her hand and she step back.
"What is happened to your hands?" Barnabas asked.
Angelique settle the book down next to his cane and hold her hands behind her back."Am I suposed to help you learn dance?"
Barnabas narrowed his eyes and took hold of Angeliques arms, "Why you have so terrible bruises on your hands?"
Angelique kept her eyes tightly closed and bite her lip. Just now Barnabas noticed her whole body was shaking with fear.
He rub her arms gently, "Angelique, my dear, talk to me."
Angelique opened her teary eyes and looked into his eyes, "I was punished"
"Whyever would you be punished?"
"I took few glass of water without permission! It was terribly hot day and I wasn't allowed to eat... I thought no one noticed but Johnson saw me. Now I have three more days to wait until I'm allowed to eat again."
Barnabas listened her in shock, he had no idea that servants life was that terrible even his father always said it was good masters responsibility to make sure servants stayed healthy.
"But, you cannot survive so long without anything to eat, to drink... When have you eaten last time?"
"Couple of days ago... I get one glass of water in morning and one in evening."
"That is not right... No, you deserve more than that. What about your hands? Where those bruises came from?"
"It's part of my punishment. I had to hold out my hands so they hit me ten times to my fingers with stick... "
Barnabas shake his head, "I cannot believe this..."
Angelique quickly took his hands in her own. "Please master Barnabas, do not tell anyone I have told you, I beg you"
"Shh, don't worry my dear." Barnabas looked into her eyes. "Here is what we will do. I will take care of these bruises, we shall have some tea and something to eat, then we will practise rest of the day."
Angelique shake her head, looking totally frightened. "No, I would get in trouble, I cannot accept that."
Barnabas placed his finger to her lips, "I command you to let me take care of these bruises and I insist you to join me for tea afterwards."
Angelique looked into his eyes and smiled a little. "Of course, master Barnabas"
Barnabas leaded her to sit down on his bed and took better look of her bruises.
Angelique watched him admiring his every move, worshiping his very being, gentle touches and charming, friendly smiles.
"There, how are you feeling now?"
Angelique blinked to wake up from her dreams and smiled weakly, "I'm... I haven't been better for long time. Thank you"
Barnabas smiled and hold out his hand, "Shall we go have some tea?"
Angelique hesitated for while and gave her hand to him, "Yes, I suppose we shall."
 Barnabas had some tea and little snacks served for them. He took his tea cup and pushed the tray towards Angelique.
She took her tea cup and took a sip.
Barnabas could swear to god she has burned her mouth with the tea, and smell of food made her stomach grumble so badly he felt sorry for her even more. Still she remained totally controlled, sipping her tea lightly and look around like trying desperately find something to talk about.
"Angelique"
She turned to look at him."Yes, master Barnabas?"
"Eat. I am not hungry for one bit, I ate very well only around hour or two ago."
Angelique looked at the tray with few different kind of cookies and couple toast. She bite her lip, "I... I should not accept this. I'm not suffered my punis-"
"Stop it!"
Angelique wince and nearly dropped her tea cup. She settle it down to the table and looked down. "I'm so sorry."
Barnabas sighed and reached out his hand to take hold of her hand. "Angelique, look at me."
She looked up to his eyes again and he smiled her gently,"I'm sorry I scared you so, my dear, but you must eat. Whoever has made this silly rule that you could not eat, I now command you over this person. And I insist you to eat this food now."
"It was your mother..." She whispered helplessly.
"Then I will talk to her, but now, please my dear, eat."
Angelique was so touched by his words, and his ever gentle touches, that tears fall down her cheeks.
Barnabas placed his hand to her cheek, catching her tear. "Why are you crying?"
Angelique smiled weakly. "You're too kind to me... I'm just a slave"
"Maid." Barnabas corrected. "And good master always make sure his servants remain healthy."
Angelique nodded, "Maid... Of course."
Barnabas offered her the tray and she took toast. He didn't allow her to stop before her stomach stopped grumble so much.
 "Now, shall we dance?" He asked.
Angelique, who looked much heathier and more energic now, nodded her head, "Yes, lets dance."
Barnabas placed his hand to her waist and took gentle hold of her hand.
"Be warned my dear, I am not good dancer"
"You will be." Angelique said.
After many hours of dancing, they sit down on Barnabas's bed, both laughing.
"You must teach me soon again. Last dance surely did not go as well as I wished"
Barnabas said.
Angelique nodded, "Of course. But you are fast learner."
"I definitely learn from the best."
"I.. I think I should go... "
"Don't forget your book"
"No, I wouldn't... Thank you."
Barnabas stand up to go to the door to open it for her, but she didn't move.
"Are you alright, Angelique?"
"Yes, I am." She stand up and looked into his eyes.
For moment of studying her beautiful eyes, he suggenly placed his hands on her waist and kissed her, causing her let out soft moan and wrap her arms around him.
She run her hands down his back and pulled him closer. He groaned, gently pushing her back to his bed to lay down.
Angelique was first who break their passionate kiss to catch her breath.
"What if your parent-"
"Shh" Barnabas said and kissed her again, caressing her delicate body under his.
She whimpered slightly, pulling him tighter against her.
The sound of his mothers voice of soft singing made them stop.
They both hold their breath until none of them heard her anymore.
Angelique looked up to his eyes longingly, "What do we do?"
Barnabas kissed her quickly one last time and got up, holding his hand for her to help her up as well. "We'll meet next time in your chamber... If.. If you want, that is."
Angelique smiled. "Of course."
Barnabas smiled to her, "Until next time then."
Angelique nodded, took her book and left. She looked at the book, feeling happier than she had ever felt before. As soon as she got into her room, she read first few pages of the book.