SPOILER ALERT!I'm pretty sure Rachel herself told Barnabas that Trask beat the children, I wouldn't be surprised if he took it further. The repressed pervert vibe is definitely there. Just the thought makes my skin crawl.
You have to give kudos to Jerry Lacy for an great performance.
Couldn't agree more-- I've seen some people on here badmouth Lacy, but his characters (particularly as Gregory and 1795 Trask) were some of my favorites. Definitely one of the best villains, IMO.