Quentin Collins

Ambition
an original
Dark Shadows
Story

Part 1

Nathan Forbes strode up to the door of Collinwood, he hoped his timing was correct, and that everyone was where he thought they would be. Typically, it took ages for the knock to be answered, there really needed to be some changes made around here, he thought. Naomi Collins opened the door herself, as usual. "Lieutenant Forbes, I'm so sorry you were kept waiting, do come in!" She ushered him into the parlor, "I am sorry, Joshua and Barnabas are at the new house, and Jeremiah at the docks, you have missed them!" Nathan sighed, "Perhaps I could wait here a bit, and see if the return?" "Of course, won't you join me in a sherry?" Naomi poured them both a generous glass, passing one to Nathan. "Mrs. Collins," Nathan placed his hand on hers gently pushing the glass down and away, "I really wish you wouldn't" He took their glasses and placed them on a small table nearby. "Lieutenant Forbes! It's only a small sherry!" Nathan studied her, and decided to make his move. "Mrs. Collins, I am going to speak frankly, and I hope I do not offend you, please believe me when I say I have only your welfare at heart! It pains me to see you so unhappy, and it grieves me deeply to see such a lovely, sensitive, intelligent woman give herself over to drink." "What? Lieutenant, I have hardly..." Nathan broke in, not allowing her to finish. "Mrs. Collins, I know I have no right to say this, but I can no longer remain silent. Day after day I have watched you retreating farther and farther from the world, locking yourself up in this house, alone with your bottle. It is a terrible shame, not just for you, but for the rest of the world, and I cannot bear to see it. Your husband is an utter fool to leave you alone so much, and to make you so unhappy! If I had wife like you...." His voice trailed off, and he wondered if he'd gone too far. Naomi collins stood stone still, at the window a shocked look on her face. "I'm sorry Mrs. Collins, I have offended you, I was wrong to behave so familiarly, I'll go now...I....please forgive me" He turned on his heel to go, but she called out to him. "Lieutenant Forbes, please, if I let you go out in to that weather like this, it would be unforgivable. You'd catch a chill. Please stay until it clears." Nathan was puzzled, it had been cold but clear just a few minutes ago, what was going on? He crossed to the window, stood next to Naomi. It was clear and sunny. He smiled at her. "Mrs. Collins?" " Please, call me Naomi." and she returned his smile. Nathan took her in his arms, and kissed her, wild with triumph. One of the richest, most powerful women in all of the country was his for the taking. The key to a golden future lay in his hand.

As the lovers sank to the floor, a pair of prying eyes took in their every movement from behind the louvered doors. "How very interesting! And how useful"
 

Naomi Collins dressed carefully, dinner would be very special, and very tricky. Nathan was coming to dine, and she wanted to please him. He liked her in rich jewel tones, so she was debating between purple and emerald green, choosing the green at last, and her emerald necklace and earrings to match. How he loved to see her in jewels! Nathan was an accomplished lover, and often remarked on her beauty, and the way her gems lit her face and neck. Just thinking of him brought color to her cheeks! Naomi's mind wandered over the past week and a half, oh! She would never look at that table in the same way again, nor the settee, nor the mop closet......she giggled, they would be eating off that very table tonight! And she would have to face both her lover and her prig of a husband across it. That would be tricky. She wished she dared drink, it would make the evening more bearable, but she had promised Nathan, and he hated for a woman to touch spirits! The one time she had slipped she had received quite the homily on the evils of drink, and would not do so again. No, Nathan absolutely FORBADE her to drink! And, he assured her, he only partook in such amounts as was seemly for a young man on social occasions
Naomi had her doubts about this, but did not question him, for Nathan was inclined to be moody and sulky when she did so. My, what an evening this would be! "Fasten your seat bets, it's going to be a bumpy ride!" "What on earth did I mean by that?" Naomi put it down to nerves, and patted her hair into place.

Nathaniel Forbes was a happy man, tired, but happy. Apparently, Naomi had been unfulfilled for some time, and was busily making up for lost time. He rubbed his face and blinked hard. What a woman! It was certainly true what Mr. Franklin had said about older women, they were far more lusty than women his age. She was a wild and willing partner, and game for anything. And now, dinner at Collinwood, facing her across a table.....that table!! Would be difficult, to say the least.
His plan was working better than he had dreamed hope, Naomi was entirely at his command. And soon, very soon, Joshua Collins' wife would help him wrest everything from the man, the shipyard, the estate, the houses, the wealth and power...."And you little dog, too! Dog? Nathan, Joshua doesn't have a dog, you are over tired, man." Nathan shook his head, why did he say that? "Never mind, man, to Collinwood, and fair Naomi!"

Nathaniel Forbes flopped heavily into his chair, too tired to light a fire, or even undress.  Dinner had been a scene from a nightmare, an erotic one, but a nightmare nonetheless. Naomi had seated him directly opposite her, and had immediately removed her shoes and began toying with his feet and legs.  This was pleasant and diverting, but then, the woman had put her feet into his lap!  Nathan had choked, purple faced, on his wine, and had to leave the table for a bit.  At least this had cooled his rising ardor. He really should not have met her as arranged that night, knowing the sort of mood she was in, but he had gone to the new house as arranged.  Making love to Naomi was rather like watching a tornado, he reflected, terrifying, but it's awesome power commanded attention!  No, it was like being caught up in the dammed thing, blown about willy-nilly and deposited God-knows where.  He was suffering from a deeply clawed back and bitten shoulder, and the woman had screamed and howled till he thought sure they would be found out!  What in God's name had he gotten into?

Nathan rubbed his face in his hands. Abagail was deeply suspicious,he knew.  What a horrid old woman!  To think that such a pinch-faced, miserable, scolding old harridan had once been a baby!  What horrible upbringing had spawned the Collins siblings, he could not guess, nor did he choose to try. There were some things man was simply not meant to know.  The old crow would have to be dealt with, and soon. Joshua seemed blithely unaware of any change in his wife.  Were the whispers about Joshua Collins and Riggs true, he wondered?  If so, it might explain why he had ever let such a wildfire as Naomi out of his control. Control?  Control that one??  Nathan laughed, then gasped, suspecting a pulled muscle.  Fine, next time, he would tie her up!  Perhaps then he would escape unscathed!  "Oh, God, what have gotten myself into?", he asked again. Any money he garnered out of this would be hard-earned. What terrifying force had he unleashed upon the unsuspecting world?  Too tired to crawl into his bed, he slept in the chair, and dreamt he was attacked by a lioness, intent on devouring him.  He did not wake refreshed.

Naomi Collins was content, and at peace with the world.  She had a lover!  One that could keep up with her at last!  She felt such a joy within her that the whole world seemed a beautiful and magical place.  Nathan was more to her than just a red-hot lover,though, he listened to her, asked her opinion, spoke to her as though she had a mind, as though she mattered.  He had more than just her body at his command, he had, in a short week and a half, all of her at his disposal.  There was nothing in this world she would not have done for Nathaniel Forbes.  Nothing.  She knew this instinctively, and it did not trouble her in the least.  She bathed happily, dressed herself for bed, and slept deeply and peacefully.  Naomi woke quite refreshed.

A busy, wicked mind pondered long and hard upon events at Collinwood.  It thought especially hard about Naomi Collins, and Nathaniel Forbes. The affair was useful, it was sure, just how remained to be seen.  "Watch and wait" it said to itself "Watch and wait".  And be ready!  More information was needed, it reflected, about the Lieutenant in particular.  Just what had he done during the war, where and with whom?  Yes, here was a mystery that needed solving.  The mind in question loved mysteries, especially those involving people of prominence.  More importantly, it loved solving them.  Such information was always useful, sooner or later.  Patience was the key, and the mind had great patience.

Nathan!" He stirred slightly in his sleep.  'Nathan, wake up!"  Nathan Forbes rolled over miserably, throwing his arm over his face.  "For God's sake, Nathan, it's three o'clock in the afternoon, what is wrong with you?"  Sukey was growing genuinely concerned about her estranged husband's well being.  He was pale, drawn, and feverish.  "I'm going to fetch someone, you wait here!"  Wait here, where did she think he was likely to go?  "No!" Nathan struggled upright.  'No, I just need to sleep."  He was still in his clothes, though he'd tossed off the boots at some point.  "What are you doing here?"  No, not Sukey!  This was all he needed, now!  "A wife should be with her husband, shouldn't she? And I would think you'd be glad to have me here to tend you, since you are so obviously ill!"  Nathan moaned again, putting his head in his hands.  'Sukey, go home, just go away."  He flopped back down on the bed, his arm over his eyes, "And close that damned curtain, will you?" "Nathan, it is afternoon!  You should be up, you should be at work, doing......whatever it is you do.....are you still in the Army?"  "Yes, I am, and I should be....OH! Sweet Jesus!  I should be dressed!  I have to be somewhere at five!!"  Nathan leapt out of bed, and swayed, nearly sitting back down.  "Sukey, go away now, I'll deal with you later, I promise, I have to get ready."  Sukey drew herself up angrily  "Well!  That's gratitude for you!, All right, Lieutenant Forbes, I am going, but I will not be ignored for long!  I am your Wife, and you can't be shed of me so easily as that!  And what is that on your neck?"  'Nothing! What do you think it is?  Oh, don't tell me it shows!"  Nathan threw his wife some coins to get a room, and studied his neck in the glass.  "Oh, no, no, no!  Now what do I do?"  'Oh, you big silly, tie a cravat around it and stop fussing!  I am going, now, Nathan, but be assured that I will find out where you got that, and what you are up to!   And, Nathan, I will not be easy to get rid of this time, not in the least."  And with that, Sukey Forbes left the room.

A troubled Nathan Forbes washed and dressed, tying the cravat as Sukey had suggested.  Damn the woman!  Damn all women!  Nothing but trouble and pain and worry, the lot of them!  His back would mend, and it and the shoulder were easily camouflaged, but that neck!! When had he gotten the love bite?  Oh!  It could have been at any time, the whole damned night was a blur.  And he was due at The Whale at five....what a day, it was nearly over, and he'd so much to do.  "Calm, man, take it one thing at a time." He told himself, "Patience is it's own reward, all good things come to he who...Damn this button!!"  Nathan whirled around the room in a mad dance of impotent rage.  Nothing was going right!  Nothing!  Oh, God, was he going to be this tired all his life?  Was life always going to be this messed up?  And now, Sukey.  'Crap!"  He slammed his way out of his room, and walked as fast as he could to The Blue Whale. He was unaware that the force of his leaving had knocked the looking-glass off the wall, assuring him of seven full years of bad luck.  He would not have been surprised.

Sukey Forbes watched him go, and followed from a discreet distance, unaware of another figure following them both.

Jebez Hawkes did not like to be kept waiting.  He had better things to do with his time than sit in smokey pubs waiting for men who wanted to be rich.  He'd give Forbes another fifteen minutes, and he was out of there!  Businessmen like him had a great deal to do, and little time to waste.  He was getting up to leave when a red-faced and gasping Forbes burst into the room.  "Mr. Hawkes, sorry I'm late!" Nathan grasped the blond man's hand and shook it. "So am I, Lieutenant.  I had given you up."  "I had other business to attend to, I was unavoidably delayed."  Jeb studied Nathan, and broke into a smile.  "So I see, best pull up that cravat, man!"  Hawkes laughed as Nathan fussed with the thing.  "Well," Nathan reflected, "at least the ice has been broken", he owed Naomi thanks for that much. "Now, about our business proposition....you need a safe place to store goods, men to distribute them, and a place to put those goods ashore safely.  I can provide you with all three."  Nathan had leaned forward as he spoke, his words for the smuggler's ear alone.  "If you can assure me of those things, we can indeed do business, and a fine and profitable one at that."  Jeb Hawkes was a happy man, he had been wanting to set up business in this part of the country for some time.  It looked like he would have his chance at last.

The men sat and talked for some hours, drinking lightly, taking one another's measure.  They liked what they saw, and began to form a working friendship, though never doubting for a minute that the friendship was anything but business related.  Then Jeb Had to leave for another appointment, indicating by his attitude it was of an amorous nature.   Sukey Forbes watched the men from her spot in the bushes, never noting another form close by, watching, always watching.  "So, Forbes is become a smuggler, is he?  How very interesting!  And he is dallying with the Mistress of Collinwood. Curiouser and curiouser.  And how very useful!  I do not think he would like it if his lady-love were to know of this.  Nor would she like it if her husband knew of her involvement with the handsome soldier.  What fun!  And he has a wife, as well, oh, this should be worth a pretty penny indeed!"

Nathan stretched, and checked his watch, he had two hours before he was next to meet Naomi, time to get a nap in at the New House, and a nap he must have if he were to deal with Naomi Collin's lovemaking again!

The day's flurry of activity finally died down at Collinwood.  Josette's dress had it's final fitting, Angelique made a formal request to be released from the DuPres service, and asked to be hired at Collinwood, declaring her intent to become an American.  Nathalie was finally quiet and abed, after making vague warnings about things she had seen in the cards, and Naomi at last was free!  She tossed on her cloak, a pair of Jeremiah's boots and his hat, and scurried from the house.  Her passage was not unmarked.

Nathan woke with a start.  'Naomi?  Is that you?"  The fire had died and the room dark, the figure before him could have been anyone.  "Yes, my love, it is I."  Nathan rose, how late was it, he wondered?  "Where have you been?  I've been here for hours!" He went to greet her, and froze as he touched her shoulders.  He could smell another man on her, could almost feel his hands still there.  "Who is it?!  Tell me, who have you been with?!" Nathan shook her with surprising force.  "Nathan, stop, you're hurting me!  I am a married woman, you know!  I may not enjoy my marital duties, but I cannot always avoid them!"  Naomi whirled away from him, turning her back.  Nathan dropped his hands, feeling like an utter cad.  "Oh, honey, oh I'm so sorry!  I didn't think!  It must be hell for you! Can you ever forgive me?"  He went to her, and embraced her from behind.  "Believe me, I am so sorry. I would never say or do anything to hurt you deliberately."  Naomi turned, and buried her face in his chest.  "Make me forget, oh, Nathan!  Make me forget!"  He kissed her, and held her to him, his hands working their way down her back, finally  resting on her behind.  "Perhaps," he hoped, "she will be gentler, now that she's already been laid once tonight."  He was, as usual, dead wrong.  If anything, Naomi Collins seemed wilder, as though she were trying to drive the memory from her mind by force alone.  He wished to God she wouldn't bite like that.  It was so damned hard to explain.

to be continued.....