In a parallel time to this one, I always hoped Joshua's and Natalie's counterparts were having a lusty affair. I honesrly felt great chemistry between these two characters and would have enjoyed seeing them together more often.
At first, she pranced into Collinwood, putting down everything within sight, but I guess after losing her beloved niece, she realized what was most important in this life, and when a desperate Joshua turned to her for help, she was more than willing to do so. He didn't dare get Naomi involved, yet he knew the Countess would be both sympathetic and discrete to Barnabas' plight.
Good stuff!
Love, Robin