Magda chops the hand into several pieces, on camera. Satisfied, she throws into the fire, confident that she has fixed everything.
Tim and Aristede meet at the Blue Whale. Tim tells Aristede why Quentin can live at Collinwood for as long as he likes (remember Edith's will). The two men form a mutual-distrust pact over a drink.
DS wears his own sideburns for the first time. Quentin sits in the drawing room at Collinwood, drinking and listening to his music--and thinking about the children he never knew he had. He wonders what his son would have been like and whether his daughter is like Jenny. Should he go see her? he asks himself. Charity comes downstairs, hears Quentin's music, opens the door for a second and sees Quentin before he spots her. She closes the doors again and dashes back out to the foyer. She checks herself in the mirror and pinches some color into her face, then she makes her real entrance. Might I come in? she asks. You almost did, a second ago, he comments with a smile. I remembered something I had to do, she says, flustered. It didn't take you long, he remarks. I'm very quick, she says, disappointed that he's drinking. He laughs gently at her disappointment and somehow she ends up joining him but chooses sherry, after carefully shutting the door so her father won't see. Quentin confides that he is a father as well as a widower. I had no idea, she says. Does that frightens you? he asks. No, it just makes me sad, she replies. Your wife must have been very young and beautiful when she died. So I'm told, Quentin says indifferently. Charity observes, It's understandable that you didn't remarry, but I'm sure in time you will find that you do need someone, just as my father found out quickly after Mama died. He needed _Judith_, I think, Quentin replies dryly. Man was not meant to live alone, Charity declares, adding, At least I've been told. You’ve succeeded, he says. Not very well, Charity replies. I long to be more settled. They discuss what's necessary for a good marriage until Magda enters. Alone with Quentin, she tells him that she's chopped up the hand and burned it.
Instead of being pleased, Quentin is furious, because the hand was his only hope of a cure. The hand is bad, evil! Magda insists. But it won't cause no more trouble. No sooner does she say so than the hand appears before them, floating in midair. Magda gasps and cries out, then screams--exactly at the moment when Tim Shaw, in the foyer, approaches the double doors.
As Tim listens outside the drawing room door, he hears Magda scream, Stay away! Again Quentin shouts No! Magda screams, It's going to kill me! She turns her back as if she were a tiny, frightened child--but the hand disappears as suddenly as it materialized. They look around the room, wondering where it went. Although it has vanished, Magda is still terrified.
The hand can't be destroyed, Quentin realizes. As a sudden hope occurs to him, he exclaims, Maybe it was trying to help me! Perhaps that's why you couldn't destroy it. It came back to hurt us, Magda insists. You told me it was the most magical hand in the world, Quentin reminds her.
Listening avidly to the conversation in the drawing room, Tim smiles to himself. Quentin and Magda argue about just how bad the hand is. It saved Charity but killed Sandor and Quentin's unnamed son. Quentin wants to consult Evan, but Magda just wants to pray that the hand is gone forever. Finally, Tim knocks at the door and greets Quentin and Magda. I haven't been to see you in a long time, Tim says to Magda. You didn't need anymore deadly nightshade, eh? she asks sardonically. He looks scared. You don't remember? she asks. No, Tim replies. When did I buy nightshade from you? A day or so before the old Mrs. Trask died, Magda tells him. Stunned, Tim grabs her arm and demands, I came to you? I bought poison? You haven't any more memory than anyone else in this place, Magda complains. He releases her. I know what you did with it, Magda warns him, then stalks out. Tim tells Quentin, I have no idea what Magda is talking about. He hands Quentin a note. Quentin offers him a drink, but Tim refuses. They say she has powers, that Magda, Tim comments while Quentin reads the note. Is he a friend of yours? Quentin asks, with steel in his voice. No, Tim replies, I just met him. He must want to see you very badly--he there has been a misunderstanding between the two of you. Misunderstanding? Quentin repeats sardonically. You _could_ put it that way. I know nothing but that Aristede wants to see you, Tim says. He said it's vital. Quentin observes, That’s an interesting word--vital. It implies living, life--doesn't it? I suppose it does, Tim replies, puzzled. Quentin picks up the knife-like letter opener and says, Vital. Yes, it _is_ vital to see him once more--vital to me. Is he still at the Blue Whale? he asks. I left him there, Tim replies. Quentin races out before Tim can stop him. Tim is about to follow him when Charity appears on the stairs and calls his name, her face stony. I came to see Quentin, he says. Stay away from Collinwood, she snarls, her voice full of hatred. You'll kill Quentin, just as you killed Mama! Get out--and never come back! Tim leaves.
At the Blue Whale, Aristede lights his ever-present cheroot with a candle on the table. Keeping his hand on the letter opener in his pocket, Quentin arrives, and Aristede smiles a greeting. I know what I want, Quentin says. What do you want? Before you do anything, Aristede replies, will you just listen to me? With a sardonic smile, Quentin asks, Did you listen to me when you had me tied to that table? I know that was wrong--it wasn’t a good plan, Aristede admits, then continues, I have words to say that you need to hear. Soon the moon will be full again, so I suggest you take your hand from your pocket, sit down and listen. Quentin takes out his watch. Two minutes, he says as he joins Aristede at the table. Aristede asks, Do you have a knife or gun in your pocket? Fifteen seconds, Quentin says. (He’s definitely _not_ happy to see Aristede.) I was wrong not to tell you certain facts about myself, Aristede admits. Thirty seconds, Quentin says. There is a cure, Aristede tells him. Forty seconds, Quentin says. Aren't you listening to me? Aristede asks. Don't you want to be cured? I don't believe you, Quentin replies bluntly. Do as I say, Aristede tells him. Next week, when the moon is full, if you aren't cured, you don't have to give me what I want. The hand, of course, Quentin says. Do you know the cure? No, Aristede confesses. If you had said you did, Quentin tells him through gritted teeth, I'd have killed you. Who _does_ know the cure? I can't tell you, Aristede replies, but if you come to Collinwood tomorrow night and show me you have the hand, I'll take you to someone who knows. You can put it anywhere you want, give it to anyone you trust, because _we_ can help you. _We_, Quentin pounces. Who else knows about me? Someone who knows the moon better than you or I, Aristede replies. That makes no sense, Quentin says dismissively. Does any of this makes sense? Aristede asks sensibly. [And well he may!] What you are? What we're sitting and discussing here? How much time do I have left now? he asks. Your time is up, Quentin snarls. Are you going to kill me? Aristede asks. Would Mr. Fenn-Gibbon mind? Quentin asks significantly. Mr. Fenn-Gibbon? Aristede repeats, mystified. Never mind, Quentin says, getting up in disgust. I should know better than to expect too much truth from you in one meeting. Nonetheless, he asks Aristede, What time tomorrow? I'll be at Collinwood. Anytime you say, Aristede replies smugly. Quentin leaves without another word. Aristede smiles as he takes congratulatory puff on his cheroot.
Tim has followed Magda to the Old House and watches her through the window. When she comes to the window to look out, he quickly ducks into hiding. The clock strikes 5:00 p.m. as the hand rematerializes and crawls out of the fire, chasing her. She runs from the house, sobbing. Tim enters the house and finds the hand lying on the floor. He kneels, remembering Quentin’s words to Magda: You said this was the most magical hand in the world; and Magda’s reply: It has the power to do anything. Tim smiles as he picks up the hand and tells it, Then you’re what I need! You’re exactly what I need!...
