It wasn't so obvious to me, MT, when I first saw it. I didn't connect the dots between Quentin and Chris until much later.
Beth may be in love with Quentin, but in her case, love definitely isn't blind. She knows all his faults but loves him anyway.
Sandor tries to get Magda to leave Collinwood, but she wants to stay and see how her curse will work out. She will be sorry. Maybe she was so callous about the innocent victims of her curse because her sister was the first innocent victim.
Now that Beth has been fired, she doesn't bother to call Edward "Mr. Collins" or Quentin "Mr. Quentin." Even as she's being dismissed, she worries about the children. But Judith insists that Quentin must never know about them.
Magda returns for Jenny's things and exposes all of Quentin's lies to Judith. He doesn't care about anything but keeping the money.
At 5:00 p.m., for some reason Beth has decided to pack Jenny’s belongings in the drawing room. The inventory is pitiful. Apparently all that Jenny owned was her old, ragged black gown and her two “babies.” Her only other possession is a battered old suitcase, possibly the same one she packed long ago when she ran away, full of love and hope, to become a Collins. Quentin arrives, and maybe because she's faced with the evidence of her betrayal of Jenny, she can't promise to go away with Quentin.
Sandor arrives, and Quentin tries to talk him into taking the money for himself. But Sandor is true as steel to his wife and sister-in-law and enjoys himself by taunting Quentin about the curse.
Beth packs all her things in a suitcase no larger than Jenny's and is tying a tiny hat atop her piled-up hair when Quentin walks in. She catalogues all his faults, especialy the fact that he just uses people, then discards them when he's tired of them. Quentin has the grace to look ashamed as he asks her gently, In that case, why are you coming? Beth replies, I love you, and I care about what happens to you. Every instinct tells me not to, but I’m coming anyway. Her pure loyalty in the face of his mendacity and cowardice is just amazing. He wants to take her to the carriage right away but she insists she has to do something in the village first--probably saying good-bye to Quentin's children.
The moon has risen. Still at the cemetery, Magda tells Sandor, It’s time. Sandor watches as Magda picks up a double handful of earth from Jenny’s grave and intones: Let my voice be carried by the wind. Let it be taken to the surrounding countryside. Let it be heard by all the tribal chiefs and prophets, by the masters of the chains, by the guardian of the twelve days. I speak for one of us who has been struck down and for whom we must secure justice. She opens her hands to scatter the earth and spreads her arms wide as she implores, Listen! Hear my words! Honor my wish! Then she makes the fateful sign of the horns and declares, I place this curse on Quentin Collins--and upon all his male kin of succeeding generations.
Quentin and Beth are still arguing about Beth’s errand. Where are you going? he asks, shaking her by the shoulders. I can't explain it--let me go! Beth says desperately. Forget it and come with me! he says. I want to go, Beth pleads. It will only take a few minutes. We don’t have a few minutes! he shouts. Why not? she asks. It's getting dark out, he says. The gypsies told me that by tonight-- He breaks off as he doubles over, pain tearing at him from the inside out. What’s wrong? Beth asks frantically. I feel pain, all over my body, he gasps. I can't bear it! he cries. I feel like I'm going to die! Get a doctor, before it's too late! As she runs from the room, Quentin falls to the floor, writhing in agony. Somewhere outside, a wolf howls as the full moon lights the sky....
And so ends a fabulous Friday episode.
