So, Lydia, you really had a great-great-great grandmother also named Lydia? How wonderful that you know so much about her! And that's a great anecdote about the army jacket at Shiloh. I'm sure that what you felt is also a huge motivation for all those reenacters. I once ran into a group of Civil War reenacters in New Jersey, where they were camping out in a spot overlooking the Hudson, and they were certainly giving it their all, with period tents, rations, etc.
I also was entirely convinced by Elizabeth's feelings about wearing her ancestor's gown. And thanks for mentioning the interview with Sam Hall.
Following orders, Willie has brought down the trunk with all the costumes. The first thing Barnabas takes out is Josette's gown--which was lying on the bed in the last episode. Willie is full of misgivings about the whole idea and even daringly tells Barnabas that Vicki never hurt anybody--nobody [meaning Barnabas] should hurt her. Of course this doesn't win him any points with Barnabas.
After her initial hesitation at the end of the last episode, Vicki is full of enthusiasm for the idea. Barnabas very wisely allows her to plead his case to Elizabeth.
When Vicki is looking through the costumes at the Old House, Barnabas implies that Josette's gown is the one she is wearing in the portrait over the mantel--even though the portrait dress has long, fitted sleeves and the gown has short, puffy ones. Perhaps vampirism has dulled his fashion sense.
We get our first hint of the existence of Millicent Collins when Vicki spots the initials "M.C." in the lining of another dress. Vicki IDs a man's jacket as Jeremiah's, knowing that he was Josette's husband--and Barnabas hastily puts the jacket aside. Vicki likes the idea of becoming Josette--at least for one evening.
But best of all is Sarah, who plays with her ball in Josette's room just before Barnabas and Vicki arrive. The room seems unoccupied when they enter, but Barnabas tenses, feeling that someone or something is in the room with them (nice bit by JF). Vicki has the same impression.
After Vicki takes Josette's dress away with her, Barnabas lingers in Josette's room, playing the music box and doing his best to contradict Vicki's statement that he will never find the past. As he sets it down on the dressing table, his reflection is clearly visible in the mirror! But he gets angry when Willie spots the little girl's dress and starts talking about Sarah, even describing her long hair. First Barn calls it ridiculous, then moves it up a notch to preposterous, then gets angry.
How poignant that after Barnabas and Willie leave, Sarah returns and finds her pretty blue dress!
